"Stop dillydally; 8th CPC already delayed by 5 years"

 My article "Stop dillydally; 8th CPC already delayed by 5 years" published in popular national English Daily 'The Pioneer' (Bhubaneswar Edition) on 13 October 2022 

In reply to a Rajya Sabha un-starred question “Whether it is a fact that the Government is considering not to constitute 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), to revise salary, allowances and pension of the Central Government employees and pensioners”, the Minister of State of Finance said ‘No’ on August 2, 2022 which means that there is possibility of constitution of 8th CPC whose recommendations will be due with effect from 01.01.2026, i.e. after 10 years of implementation of the recommendations of 7th CPC on  01.01.2016.

 But, in the meantime, the Confederation of the Central Government Employees and Workers has started agitating demanding wage revision in every 5 years with implementation from 01.01.2021 (i.e. after 5 years of implementation of the recommendations of 7th CPC on 01.01.2016) instead of ten years since many State Governments and public sector undertakings are revising the salary, allowances and pension in favour of their employees in every 5 years.

 While demanding for constitution of 6th CPC for which 3 nationwide general strikes were conducted by the Central Government employees and pensioners in a series in 2012, 2013 and 2014, a demand was also placed for 5 years wage revision. Similar was the demand during constitution of 7th CPC which was not paid due attention by the Government. Contradictorily, the Chairman 7th CPC, in Para 1.22 of his forwarding report recommended that the matrix may be reviewed periodically without waiting for long period of 10 years. It can be reviewed and revised on the basis of Aykroyd formula which takes into consideration the changes in prices of the commodities that constitute a common man’s basket which the Labour Bureau at Shimla reviews periodically. It is suggested that this should be made the basis for revision of that matrix periodically without waiting for another Pay Commission.

 While the periodical review recommended as above has no sense at all without specifying a particular period, i.e. annually, biennially, triennially etc., there has been no review till date though 7th year is running in 2022 since implementation of the recommendations of the 7th CPC on 01.01.2016. Further, as replied by the concerned Minister of State to the above Unstarred Question, since the issue has not been considered by the Union Cabinet while according the approval for revision of pay and allowances based on 7th CPC, the above recommendations on review have not been implemented so far. Thus, the Union Government is playing dilly dally with more than one crore Central Government employees and pensioners for last 7 years.

 A technical analysis will reveal the serious lapses in timely constitution of the CPCs and implementation of the so called recommendations in time. When the 1st CPC was appointed in May 1946, its report was submitted in May 1947. The 2nd CPC was constituted just after 10 years in August 1957 which submitted its report in August 1959. But unfortunately, the 3rd CPC was appointed in April, 1970 which submitted the report in March 1973. Subsequently, the recommendations of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th CPCs were implemented with effect from 01.01.1986, 01.01.1996, 01.01.2006 and 01.01.2016 respectively. Had the CPCs been constituted in a time gap of 10 years after implementation of the recommendations of the 1st CPC in 1947, the recommendations of the 2nd CPC to 7th CPC would have been implemented on 01.01.1957 (2nd), 01.01.1967 (3rd), 01.01.1977 (4th), 01.01.1987 (5th), 01.01.1997 (6th) and 01.01.2007 (7th) and by this time 8th CPC’s recommendations might have been over since 01.01.2017. Thus, when observed practically, the constitution of 8th CPC and implementation of its recommendations are already delayed by 5 years.

 Even if the Union Government considers 5 years wage revision for Central Government employees as demanded by the Confederation of the Central Government Employees and Workers, it is already overdue since 01.01.2021. Further, the recommendations of the 7th CPC are crystal clear for periodical review for revision of pay, allowances and pension without waiting for another Pay Commission.

 Thus, now, it is the moral responsibility of the Union Government to come forward for immediate revision of pay, allowances and pension of the Central Government employees without further plea in any manner failing which, more than one crore employees and pensioners will take to streets to achieve their genuine demands.  The trade union activities are going to get a greater momentum this time in association with many independent federations including the State Government employees.

 (The writer is general secretary, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers,  Odisha State Coordination Committee, Mob No. 9437022669)