7th Pay Commission: Rs 1,500 crore assistance sought even as govt mulls disciplinary action

New Delhi, Sep 21: With no positive progress regarding the 7th Pay Commission, the Central Government employees had to face another setback.

The government issued a stern warning that those employees protesting would face a pay cut and also disciplinary action.

The protest which was meant to bring to the attention of the government the need for action on the 7th Pay Commission may have had an adverse affect. The government has put out a stern note for those employees protesting and said that there would be deduction of wages and appropriate disciplinary action.

Meanwhile Tripura Chief Minister, Biplab Deb has sought a major assistance from the Centre to offer salaries to the employees as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

He sought a special assistance of Rs 1,500 crore when he met with Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley at New Delhi. The matter was taken positively, Deb said following the meeting.

He said that the previous government had left a burden of Rs 1,200 crore as loan, which had made it difficult to carry forward the development projects and also meet aspirations.

Warning for CG employees:

The Department of Personnel and Training said, " it has been brought to the notice of the government that the NJCA has decided to observe All India Protest Day. The instructions issued by the Department of Personnel and Training prohibit the Government servants from participating in any form of strike including mass casual leave, go slow etc. or any action that abet any form of strike in violation of Rule 7 of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964."

"Besides, in accordance with the proviso to Rule 17(1) of the Fundamental Rules, pay and allowances is not admissible to an employee for his absence from duty without any authority. As to the concomitant rights of an Association after it is formed, they cannot be different from the rights which can be claimed by the individual members of which the Association is composed."

"It follows that the right to form an Association does not include any guaranteed right to strike. There is no statutory provision empowering the employees to go on strike. The Supreme Court has also ruled in several judgments that going on a strike is a grave misconduct under the Conduct Rules and that misconduct by the Government employees is required to be dealt with in accordance with the law."

"Any employee going on strike in any form would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages, may also include appropriate disciplinary action. Attention of all employees of this Department is also drawn to this Department's O.M. dated 12.9.2008,
on the subject for strict compliance."

"All officers are requested that the above instructions may be brought to the notice of the employees working under their control. All officers are also requested not to sanction Casual Leave or any other kind of leave to the officers and employees, if applied for, during the period of proposed protest, and ensure that the willing employees are allowed hindrance free entry into the office premises."

"4. In case employees go on protest, all Divisional Heads are requested to forward report indicating the number and details of employees, who are absent from duty on the day of protest, i.e., 19.09.2018."

Meanwhile in other states:

As part of the festival season, employees in some states would get a pay hike under the 7th Pay Commission. The J&K state employees would get a hike of 2 per cent in their dearness allowance.

The state administrative council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik, sanctioned the release of an additional installment of 2 per cent DA, with effect from July 1 this year over the existing rate of 7 per cent of the basic pay/pension, an official spokesperson said. The impact on the exchequer would be Rs 118 crore for the current financial year and approximately Rs 177 crore annually.

It may be recalled that the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission as a result of which the state employees would get an increased salary for 32 months. This was announced on September 7.