8th Pay Commission: 50% DA, DR for all benefits discussed in terms of reference meet; highlights

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) on Monday (February 10, 2025) discussed various issues in a meeting of the Standing Committee of NC-JCM chaired by secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

NC-JCM is an official body comprising employee union leaders and bureaucrats.

• The draft terms of reference is fully justified. It gives the “flexibility to the 8th CPC to consider the various issues” of central government employees and pensioners in common and the specific issues of the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Defence.

• The staff side raised the issue of frequent accidental deaths of employees while on work in the Railways and Defence. For determining the minimum wage, five members should be considered as a family unit, not three, given the legal responsibility of the grown-up children to take care of their parents under The Maintenance And Welfare of Parents And Senior Citizen Act 2022.

• To recommend a "Decent And Dignified Living Wage”, the staff side proposed considering today’s life requirements and nutrition levels for wage revision.

• The staff side also justified the importance of restoring the non-contributory old pension scheme. Further, it insisted on the restoration of the commuted portion of the pension after 12 years, implementing the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the enhancement of pension after every five years and also the CGHS-related issues and enhancing FMA to ₹3000 per month.

• Before the constitution of the 8th CPC, a meeting of the Standing Committee and also the NC-JCM may be convened so that all the pending issues can be discussed and resolved.

• Inclusion of GDS of Postal Department and employees of Election Commission in the Terms of Reference.

• Merger of nonviable pay scales and also upgrading the minimum entry level in skilled grade considering the qualification and the nature of the duty of MTS category and also their condition without any promotional prospects.

• Children Education Allowance and Hostel Subsidy may be granted up to the level of post-graduation and professional courses.

• Implementation of Risk Allowance Committee recommendations and exemption of Running Allowance from Income Tax, Ministry of Defence.

• All the pending Cadre review proposals, Intergrade Ratio revision of Artisan Staff of Defence etc. should be settled and they should not be kept pending for 8th CPC.

• Merger of 50% DA and DR for all benefits and grant of interim relief both to the employees and pensioners.

What DoPT said

The DoPT secretary said there is more clarity about the Terms of Reference forwarded by the staff side after the meeting. She further said more such meetings will be held in the future.