- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
8th Pay Commission: The Central Government has announced the 8th Pay Commission, however, the Chairman and members have yet to be determined. Employees and retirees are anxiously awaiting wage changes, which include the prospect of a 100% pay increase and the unification of Dearness Allowance (DA) with basic pay.
The staff side of the National Council-JCM has requested that the new Pay Commission include a clause that merges Dearness Allowance (DA) with basic pay. This proposal was previously raised during the 7th Pay Commission in 2016, but the government did not accept it at the time.
During the 5th Pay Commission (1996–2006), there was a regulation that DA would be integrated with basic pay once it reached 50%. This resulted in a DA merger in 2004, which provided increased compensation for staff. However, the 6th Pay Commission (2006) overturned this provision, and the practice of combining DA with basic pay was phased out.
Current Vs Expected Salary Hike
The current minimum basic pay for central government employees is Rs 18,000 per month. If the proposed fitment factor of 2 is accepted, the new minimum basic pay would be increased to Rs 36,000 per month. This would double the pay of millions of government workers.
Pensioners would also be affected by the planned salary reduction. Currently, the minimum basic pension is Rs 9,000 per month. With the fitment ratio of two, it will rise to Rs 18,000 per month, providing much-needed assistance to retiring personnel.
The government has yet to name the Chairman and Members of the 8th Pay Commission. Discussions on important issues such as the DA merger and salary increases are underway, with an official decision likely in the coming months.