50% DA, DR for all benefits discussed in ToR meet. Other details

Ahead of the constitution of the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), the staff side of the National Council of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) convened a meeting on Monday, February 10, 2025. The meeting of the Standing Committee of NC-JCM was chaired by the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to deliberate on various issues concerning government employees.

About NC-JCM

The National Council – Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) is an official body consisting of employee union leaders and bureaucrats, working towards addressing concerns of central government employees.

Purpose of the Meeting

The primary agenda of the meeting was to discuss the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th CPC, recently submitted by the staff side of NC-JCM.

Key Issues Raised by the Staff Side of NC-JCM

• Justification for Draft Terms of Reference
  The draft ToR is fully justified as it provides flexibility to the 8th CPC to address issues related to central government employees and pensioners. It also takes into account specific concerns of employees under the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Defence.

• Safety of Employees in Railways and Defence
  Concerns were raised regarding the frequent accidental deaths of employees while on duty in the Railways and Defence sectors.

• Family Unit for Minimum Wage Calculation

  • The minimum wage should be determined based on a five-member family unit, instead of three.
  • This is in accordance with The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2022, which mandates grown-up children to care for their parents.

• Decent and Dignified Living Wage
  The staff side emphasized the need for a “Decent and Dignified Living Wage” that considers modern life necessities and nutritional requirements.

• Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme

  • The importance of reinstating the non-contributory old pension scheme was highlighted.
  • The staff side also demanded the restoration of the commuted portion of the pension after 12 years.
  • Implementation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s recommendations for pension enhancement every five years was also stressed.
  • Issues related to CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) and enhancement of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to ₹3000 per month were raised.

• Pre-CPC Meetings to Address Pending Issues
  Before the constitution of the 8th CPC, the staff side proposed convening a Standing Committee meeting and an NC-JCM meeting to discuss and resolve all pending issues.

• Inclusion of GDS and Election Commission Employees

  • Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) of the Postal Department and employees of the Election Commission should be included in the Terms of Reference of the 8th CPC.

• Pay Scale Upgradation & Career Progression

  • Non-viable pay scales should be merged, and the minimum entry level for skilled-grade employees should be upgraded.
  • This should be done considering their qualifications, duties, and lack of promotional prospects, especially for the Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) category.

• Children Education Allowance & Hostel Subsidy

  • Children Education Allowance (CEA) and Hostel Subsidy should be extended up to post-graduation and professional courses.

• Risk Allowance & Tax Exemption

  • Implementation of the Risk Allowance Committee’s recommendations was demanded.
  • Running Allowance (for certain categories of employees in Railways and Defence) should be exempted from Income Tax.

• Cadre Review & Intergrade Ratio Revision

  • All pending Cadre Review proposals should be settled without waiting for the 8th CPC.
  • The Intergrade Ratio of Artisan Staff in Defence should also be revised.

• Merger of Dearness Allowance (DA) & Interim Relief

  • 50% of DA and DR should be merged for all benefits.
  • Grant of interim relief to both employees and pensioners was proposed.

Response from DoPT

The DoPT Secretary acknowledged that the meeting provided better clarity on the Terms of Reference proposed by the staff side. She assured that more such meetings would be conducted in the future.