7th Pay Commission: No clarity on minimum pay, fitment factor hike yet

Even as the central government employees are waiting for a clarity on minimum pay and fitment factor hike beyond 7th Pay Commission, confusion surrounding the matter still prevails. 
 
Some reports earlier said that the money will be paid in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th pay commission which were approved by the Union Cabinet. 
 
The Gazette will have this information in the next financial year and it might be implemented from April 2018, according to media reports.
 
It is believed that government will increase minimum pay to Rs 21,000 per month and fitment factor by 3.00 times.
There is also no clarity on whether the government would pay arrears. 
 
When the 7th Pay Commission was approved by the Union Cabinet last year, the minimum basic pay was increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 whereas the maximum pay increased to Rs 2.5 lakhs with a fitment factor of 2.57 times. 
 
While presenting Budget FY19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley increased the salaries of President of India, Vice-President and also the members of Parliament, without providing any views on central government employees issue. 
 
Jaitley in this Budget stated that the emoluments of the President be revised to Rs 5 lakh per month while emoluments of the Vice-president be revised to Rs 4 lakh per month.
 
The government may allocate money for the hike in Budget 2018-19 but the hike will come into effect later in the year, according to earlier media reports. 
 
A total of 48 lakh central government employees are living in hope that the government will increase their minimum pay and fitment factor this year. 

Employees were demanding that the minimum basic pay be increased to Rs 26,000 with a fitment factor of 3.68 times.