New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Implementation of the 7th Pay Commission was awaited by the Central government employees with much expectation but it failed to meet their expectations; and it is evident from the fact that they have been demanding hike in the minimum pay since then. However, even after months the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre has not taken the final call in this matter.
While the government employees allege that the government is dilly-dallying the issue adversely affecting their financial stability, it is believed that the government is not at all interested in increasing the minimum pay of the employees other than what has been recommended by the seventh pay commission. And this, especially due to the burden the government exchequer will have to bear following further hike.
However, what could be seen as a good news for the employees is that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently said that the Indian economy is getting stronger with each passing day and the country has become the fastest growing economy in the world for 2018 at 7.4 per cent.
Other agency like Fitch is also confident of Indian economy and predicts growth to accelerate to 7.3 per cent in the financial year 2018-2019.
The government employees have been demanding a hike the minimum pay from the present Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000- an increase in the fitment factor 3.68 times from the existing 2.57 times. Besides, earlier, reports were that the government was mulling to increase the minimum by to Rs 21,000 under seventh pay commission against the demands of the employees but nothing has been materialized yet.
However, the demand of Central government employees to hike the minimum pay was hit when on March 6, Minister of State for Finance P. Radhakrishnan ruled out any hike in the near future.