7th Pay Commission: Allowance Report Likely This Week After Conclusive' Meeting

The allowance committee on 7th pay commission recommendations is expected to soon submit its report to the government, a top union official said. The allowance committee examining 7th pay commission recommendations held a "conclusive" meeting on April 6 and its report is expected in a week's time, said said Shiv Gopal Mishra, the convenor of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), a joint body of unions representing central government employees. At its previous meeting on March 28, the allowance committee on 7th pay commission recommendations had sought comments from the ministries of defence, railways and posts on treatment of some allowances.

On HRA, the 7th pay commission had recommended that it be paid at the rate of 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the new basic pay, depending on type of cities. The 7th pay commission had also recommended that the rate of HRA be revised to 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively when DA crosses 50 per cent, and further revised to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent when DA crosses 100 per cent. With regard to allowances, employee unions have demanded HRA (house rent allowance) at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent.

The government had earlier said that that the decision on allowances will be taken after the committee on 7th pay commission submits its report. The government had in June accepted the recommendation of Justice AK Mathur-headed Seventh Pay Commission in respect of the hike in basic pay and pension. But the 7th pay commission's recommendations relating to allowances were referred to the Ashok Lavasa committee. The Seventh Pay Commission had examined a total of 196 existing allowances and recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming of 37 allowances.