7th Pay Commission: Nearly 25 lakh pensioners to benefit, but what of central government employees?

7th Pay Commission: Even as the Narendra Modi government on Monday revised the pensions of around  25 lakh retired faculty and other non-teaching staff of central universities and colleges, there was no decision to raise the fitment factor and minimum pay beyond the 7th Central Pay Commission report recommendations, which could benefit more than 48 lakh central government employees. 

The revision of pensions that was cleared yesterday under the aegis of the 7th Pay Commission is expected to benefit 25000 pensioners in Central Universities, UGC maintained deemed to be universities to the tune of Rs. 6000 to Rs.18000. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted,"Around 25000 present pensioners will benefit in Central Universities and #UGC maintained #Deemed to be #Universities to the tune of Rs. 6000 to Rs.18000."

Central government employees on the other hand are demanding a salary hike based on a fitment factor of 3.68 times and minimum pay hike to Rs 26000. This is beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and only the Union Cabinet can clear it. Government employees argued that considering rising inflation and cost of living, the hike was not enough.  

In 2017, the Union Cabinet had given go-ahead for salary revision of nearly 8 lakh teaching and other academic staff in higher educational institutions under UGC and in centrally-funded technical institutions. The revision may increase teachers' salaries to the tune of Rs. 10,400-Rs. 49,800. On Monday, the Narendra Modi government has revised the pension of retired faculty and other non-teaching staff of central universities and colleges in accordance with the 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations. 

This move will benefit approximately 8 lakh teachers and 15 lakh non–teaching staff who retired from State Public Universities and affiliated colleges, Javadekar said in a tweet.