“Forward ever, backward never: onwards with Breaking Through”
12/10/2015

National Council (Staff Side)
Joint Consultative Machinery for Central Government Employees
13-C, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi – 110001

No.NC/JCM/2015

Dated: October 9, 2015

All Constituent Organizations of
National Council(JCM)(Staff Side)

Dear Comrades,

Sub: Enhancement of the ceiling of bonus

Ministry of Labour(Government of India) has sent a proposal to the Cabinet for enhancement of ceiling of bonus from Rs.3500 to Rs.7000 with a cap of maximum payment of Rs.20,000.

Though the Election Commissioner has cleared it, but it has not been included in the Cabinet Agenda for the reasons best known to government, but we are hopeful that, it may be finalized after Bihar elections.

With fraternal greetings!

Yours faithfully,

(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
Secretary(Staff Side)
NC/JCM


What CG Employees can Expect from the 7th Pay Commission

New Delhi: The Seventh Pay Commission is likely to propose pay hike for central government employees, which will be highest since first pay commission’s proposal in 1947.

The first pay commission was constituted in 1946, while its submitted its report on May, 1947 to the interim government of India. ‘Living wage’ — the guiding principle for the first Pay Commission — is long past.
‘Now is Seventh Pay Commission time’, which is also to take in to account living cost of central government employees cost of their appraisal.
The cost of living measures the annual cost of necessities for one adult to live a secure, yet modest, lifestyle by estimating the costs of housing, food, transportation, health care, other necessities, and taxes.
Every government employee likely has a six-member family including his parents. So, Seventh Pay Commission is likely to increase salaries and allowances to minimise the impact on the cost of living for 50 lakh central government employees and 56 lakh pensioners including dependents.
Inflation pushes living cost, inflation, is an economic concept. The effect of inflation is the prices of everything going up year by year. A central government employee got salary Rs 3000 in 1987 under Sixth pay commission, now he gets Rs 80,000 with two promotion, this is called inflation, the price of everything goes up. When the price goes up, the salaries go up.
Every successive Pay Commission has roughly tripled pay. This means that simply by hiking up living cost for 10 years, a government employee would have tripled his pay.
The first pay commission was recommended Rs 55 salary to the lowest earning employee, second Rs 80, third Rs 185, fourth Rs 750, fifth Rs 2550 and sixth Rs 6660.
Accordingly, the Seventh Pay Commission is likely to propose minimum basic salary Rs 20,000 of central government employees, sources in the pay panel said.
The main reason behind the proposal of Seventh Pay Commission is to hike highest pay since 1947 on the account of Dearness Allowance (DA). The central government employees will get Dearness Allowance likely 125 percent at the time implementation of Seventh pay Commission. They never got such type of Dearness Allowance hike before implementation of any Pay Commission.
Dearness Allowance always merges with salaries and allowances under every pay commission’s proposal.
“The Seventh Pay Commission is ready with recommendations and the report will be submitted soon,” according to sources.
Headed by Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur, the Seventh Pay Commission was appointed in February 2014 and its recommendations are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2016.
The government constitutes the Pay Commission almost every 10 years to revise the pay scale of its employees and often states also implement the panel’s recommendations after some modifications. The first pay commission was constituted in 1946, second in 1957, third in 1970, fourth in 1983, fifth in 1994, sixth in 2006 and seventh in 2014.
As part of the exercise, the Seventh Pay Commission holds discussions with various stakeholders, including organisations, federations, groups representing civil employees as well as defence services.
Meena Agarwal is the secretary of the Commission. Other members are Vivek Rae, a retired IAS officer of 1978 batch and Rathin Roy, an economist.
The Sixth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from January 1, 2006, the fifth from January 1, 1996 and the fourth from January 1, 1986.
Source: http://www.tkbsen.in/2015/10/seventh-pay-commission-likely-to-propose-highest-pay-hike-since-1947/

Retirement Benefits in brief
Pension

The minimum eligibility period for receipt of pension is 10 years. A Central Government servant retiring in accordance with the Pension Rules is entitled to receive superannuation pension on completion of at least 10 years of qualifying service.
 

In the case of Family Pension the widow is eligible to receive pension on death of her spouse after completion of one year of continuous service or before even completion of one year if the Government servant had been examined by the appropriate Medical Authority and declared fit for Government service.

W.e.f 1.1.2006, Pension is calculated with reference to average emoluments namely, the average of the basic pay drawn during the last 10 months of the service or last basic pay drawn whichever is beneficial. Full pension with 10/20 years of qualifying service is 50% of the average emoluments or last basic pay drawn whichever is beneficial. Before 1.1.2006, for qualifying service of less than 33 years, amount of pension was proportionate to the actual qualifying service broken into completed half-year periods. For example, if total qualifying service is 30 years and 4 months (i.e. 61 half-year periods), pension will be calculated as under:-
Pension amount = R/2(X)61/66

where R represents average reckonable emoluments for last 10 months of qualifying service or the last pay drawn as opted by the govt servant.

Minimum pension presently is Rs. 3500 per month. Maximum limit on pension is 50% of the highest pay in the Government of India (presently Rs. 45,000) per month. Pension is payable up to and including the date of death.
 

Commutation of Pension

A Central Government servant has an option to commute a portion of pension, not exceeding 40% of it, into a lump sum payment with effect from 1.1.1996. No medical examination is required if the option is exercised within one year of retirement. If the option is exercised after expiry of one year, he/she will have to under go medical examination by the specified competent authority.

Lump sum payable is calculated with reference to the Commutation Table constructed on an actuarial basis.  The monthly pension will stand reduced by the portion commuted and the commuted portion will be restored on the expiry of 15 years from the date of receipt of the commuted value of pension. Dearness Relief, however, will continue to be calculated on the basis of the original pension (i.e. without reduction of commuted portion).

The formula for arriving for commuted value of Pension (CVP) is

CVP = 40 % (X) Commutation factor* (X)12

* The commutation factor will be with reference to age next birthday on the date on which commutation becomes absolute as per the New Table as Annexure to this Deptt's O.M. No. 38/37/08- P&PW(A) dated 2.9.2008

 Death/Retirement Gratuity

Retirement Gratuity

This is payable to the retiring Government servant. A minimum of 5 years qualifying service and eligibility to receive service gratuity/pension is essential to get this one time lump sum benefit. Retirement gratuity is calculated @ 1/4th of a months Basic Pay plus Dearness Allowance drawn before retirement for each completed six monthly period of qualifying service. There is no minimum limit for the amount of gratuity. The retirement gratuity payable is 16 times the Basic Pay, subject to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakhs.

Death Gratuity

This is a one-time lump sum benefit payable to the widow/widower or the nominee of a permanent or a quasi-permanent or a temporary Government servant, including CPF beneficiaries, dying in harness. There is no stipulation in regard to any minimum length of service rendered by the deceased employee. Entitlement of death gratuity is regulated as under:
Qualifying Service
Rate
Less than one year
2 times of basic pay
One year or more but less than 5 years
6 times of basic pay
5 years or more but less than 20 years
12 times of basic pay
20 years of more
Half of emoluments for every completed 6 monthly period of qualifying service subject to a maximum of 33 times of emoluments.

Maximum amount of Death Gratuity admissible is Rs. 10 lakhs w.e.f. 1.1.2006
 
Service Gratuity

A retiring Government servant will be entitled to receive service gratuity (and not pension) if total qualifying service is less than 10 years. Admissible amount is half months basic pay last drawn for each completed 6 monthly period of qualifying service. There is no minimum or maximum monetary limit on the quantum. This one time lump sum payment is distinct from and is paid over and above the retirement gratuity.

Issue of No Demand Certificate

Dues owed by the retiring employees on account of Licence Fee for Government accommodation, advances, over payment of pay and allowances are required to be assessed by the Head of Office and intimated to the Accounts Officer two months in advance of the date of retirement so that these are recovered from retirement gratuity before payment. For this purpose the Licence Fee for those in occupation of Government accommodation is taken into account up to the end of the permissible period for which accommodation can be retained after retirement under the Rules on normal rent. The recovery of Licence Fee beyond that period is the responsibility of the Directorate of Estates. If, for any reason final dues cannot be assessed on time, then 10% of gratuity is withheld from gratuity.

General Provident Fund and Incentives

As per General Provident Fund (Central Services) Rules, 1960, all temporary Government servants after a continuous service of one year, all re-employed pensioners (Other than those eligible for admission to the Contributory Provident Fund) and all permanent Government servants are eligible to subscribe to the Fund. A subscriber, at the time of joining the fund is required to make a nomination, in the prescribed form, conferring on one or more persons the right to receive the amount that may stand to his credit in the fund in the event of his death, before that amount has become payable or having become payable has not been paid. A subscriber shall subscribe monthly to the Fund except during the period when he is under suspension. Subscriptions to the Provident Fund are stopped 3 months prior to the date of superannuation. Rates of subscription shall not be less than 6% of subscribers emoluments and not more than his total emoluments. Rate of interest on GPF accumulations with effect from 1.4.2009 is 8% compounded annually and the rate of interest will vary according to notifications of the Government. The Rules provide for drawal of advances/ withdrawals from the Fund for specific purposes.

Deposit Linked Insurance Revised Scheme

Under the GPF Rules, on the death of subscriber, the person entitled to receive the amount standing to the credit of the subscriber shall be paid an additional amount equal to the average balance in the account during the 3 years immediately preceding the death of the subscriber subject to certain conditions provided in the relevant Rule. The additional amount payable under that Rule shall not exceed Rs. 60,000/-. To get this benefit, the subscriber should have put in at least 5 years service at the time of his/her death.

Contributory Provident Fund

The Contributory Provident Fund Rules (India), ,1962 are applicable to every non-pensionable servant of the Government belonging to any of the services under the control of the President. A subscriber, at the time of joining the Fund is required to make a nomination in the prescribed Form conferring on one or more persons the right to receive the amount that may stand to his credit in the Fund in the event of his death, before that amount has become payable or having become payable has not been paid.

A subscriber shall subscribe monthly to the Fund when on duty or Foreign Service but not during the period of suspension. Rates of subscription shall not be less than 10% of the emoluments and not more than his emoluments. The employers contribution at that percentage prescribed by the Government will be credited to the subscribers account and this is 10%. Rate of interest with effect from 1.4.2009 is 8% compounded annually. The Rules provide for drawal of advances/ withdrawals from the CPF for specific purposes. As in GPF Rules, the CPF Rules also provide for Deposit Linked Insurance Revised Scheme.
 

Leave Encashment

Encashment of leave is a benefit granted under the CCS (Leave) Rules and not a pensionary benefit. Encashment of Earned Leave/Half Pay Leave standing at the credit of the retiring Government servant is admissible on the date of retirement subject to a maximum of 300 days. There is no provision under the Rule for payment of interest on delayed payment of Leave Encashment. 
 

Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme

A portion of monthly contributions paid while in service is credited in a Saving Fund, on which interest accrues. A Government servant while entering service has to apply in Form No. 4 of the above Scheme to the Head of Office, who shall issue a sanction for the payment of subscribers accumulation in the Savings Fund segment together with interest and arrange for its disbursement, soon after retirement. Payments under this Scheme are made in accordance with the Table of Benefit which takes in to account interest up to the date of cessation of service. Insurance cover benefit under this Scheme is available to the family in the event of death of the subscriber. No interest is payable on account of delayed payments under this Scheme.

Declaration of Assets and Liabilities under Lokpal : Date extended further

Last date of filling declaration under Lokpal Act has been extended further from 15th October 2015 to 15th April 2016.
The last date of filing revised return for the year 2014 (as on 01.08.2014) and the return for the year 2015 (as on 31.03.2015) by Public Servants under the rule has now been further extended from 15th October 2015 to 15th April 2016.