Devbrat Patnaik

If you are an employee of the Indian Railways, then good news is certainly in the offing. If latest reports are to be believed, the Narendra Modi-led Central government is very likely to hike the salary, and a decision in this regard might be taken at the Union Cabinet meeting in the coming days. If the hike proposal is approved, it will directly benefit the non-gazetted employees working with the Indian Railways.

Reports are also there that if the move is implemented, these employees would get a hike between Rs 5000 and Rs 21000.

While promotions of all the non-gazetted staff of Indian Railways have been pending since long, India.com quoted Shiv Gopal Mishra, the General Secretary of the All India Railway Mines Federation (AIRMF), as saying, "The Railway Board has already approved promotions of the non-gazetted employees."

Mishra added that promotions would be granted in eight different categories of staff which include Radiographers, lab staff, health and malaria inspectors, staff nurse, physiotherapists, pharmacists, dieticians and family welfare organisations (FWOs).

This apart, sources claimed that wage hike, Hose Rent Allowance (HRA), Dearness Allowance (DA) and Travel Allowance (TA) of these non-gazetted staff would also be increased.

Meanwhile, the central government employees are expecting a hike in minimum pay as per 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations. The CG employees are getting Rs 18,000 basic and demanding a hike of Rs 8000 which will make their salary Rs 26000. These employees are demanding a raise in the fitment factor ( which is currently 2.57 times) to 3.68. If reports are anything to go by, an official announcement will be made by the Finance Ministry if Union Cabinet takes any decision regarding the demands of the CG employees.

Even the Central government is keen on taking a decision in this regard, but reports claimed that the delay is because approving the hike proposal would burden the government’s exchequer.

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