No 7th Pay Commission fitment factor hike, but Centre hikes ceiling on gifts to Rs 5,000 for central government employees

7th Pay Commission: While central government employees are still waiting for their fitment factor hike to 3.68 times, Centre has taken a big step that is akin to a big gift! For government employees, Centre has revised the rule of Central Civil Services, in which government employees are allowed to take gifts. Group A and Group B officers will now be allowed to take gifts up to Rs 5,000. At the same time, Group C employees will be able to take gifts up to Rs 2,000 - this is a whopping  4x hike. 

Here is a word to word details of the Office Memorandum shared by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension:

In any other case, a Government servant shall not accept any gift without the sanction of the Government, if the value
exceeds -

(i) Rs 5,000 in the case of Government servants holding any Group 'A'or Group B'post: and

(ii) Rs 2,000 in the case of Government servant holding any Group 'C'post.

(iii) Government servant, being a member of the Indian delegation or otherwise, receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries in accordance with the provisions of The Foreign Contribution (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentation) Rules, 2012, as amended from time to time.

Gift Rules Change Benefits Explained

1. Gift ceiling increased

The central government has amended the Central Civil Services (Conduct) rules 1964. According to this rule, government employees are allowed to take gifts within a specified limit. While now the ceiling has been increased by the government after new amendment. The Group A and Group B officers can now take a gift of upto Rs 5,000, which was Rs 1,500 earlier. 

2. Benefits to Group C employees

The government has also increased the limit for taking gifts for Group C employees. It is increased by 4 times from Rs 500 to Rs 2000.

3. Expensive gifts while travelling abroad

The order states that if a government officer goes abroad as a member of an Indian delegation, he is entitled to accept gifts under the Foreign Contribution (Acceptance and Retention of Gifts) Rules 2012. Earlier, it was prohibited to take a gift of up to Rs 1,000 on foreign travel.

4. Changes happen from time to time

Harishankar Tiwari, former president of AG office Brotherhood based in Allahabad (UP), said that the government amends the rules from time to time. This has been done to make the provisions of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 uniform.