RESTORATION OF FULL BENEFITS OF DEARNESS ALLOWANCE (DA) AND DEARNESS RELIEF (DR) IN ACCORDANCE WITH 7TH PAY COMMISSION FITMENT FACTOR: RAJYA SABHA QA
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
Rajya Sabha
Unstarred Question No. 867
To be answered on Tuesday, 27th July, 2021
Sravan 5, 1943 (Saka)
Restoration of benefits of DA/DR
867:: Shri Naranbhai J. Rathwa:
Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is actively considering to raise monthly gross basic pay of Government employees after restoration of full benefits of Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief(DR) in accordance with fitment factor as per the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission;
(b) if so, details of such increase post DA/DR restoration and whether pensioners will also be benefited due to this fitment factor; and
(c) the details in terms of percentage of pending DA/DR restoration since January, 2020 and the quantum of installment of DA/DR of July, 2021 and when it is likely to be released to Government employees/pensioners?
Answer
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
(Shri Pankaj Chaudhary)
(a) No Sir, The fitment factor of 2.57 was uniformly applied to all categories of employees only for the purpose of fixation of pay in the revised pay Structure based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission
(b) Does not arise;
(c) The Government has released the installments of DA/DR from 01.07.2021 which were due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021 in respect of Central Government employees/pensioners. The Central Government employees/Pensioners will get DA/DR @ 28% (11% over the existing
PROVISION OF CREAMY LAYER IN GENERAL CATEGORY FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES – RAJYA SABHA QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING)
RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 112
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2021)
PROVISION OF CREAMY LAYER FOR GENERAL CATEGORY
112 # SMT. CHHAYA VERMA:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is considering to make provision of creamy layer in general category for Government services on the lines of provision of creamy layer for the candidates in Other Backward Classes so that only weaker sections get Government services;
(b) whether a dual policy is being implemented on the candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes by implementing the provision of creamy layer only on Other Backward Classes; and
(c) the details of income criteria set for creamy layer at present and when was it increased and whether it is being increased from time to time?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES
AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION
NO.112 FOR ANSWER ON 29.07.2021 BY SMT. CHHAYA VERMA REGARDING
PROVISION OF CREAMY LAYER FOR GENERAL CATEGORY
(a) & (b): The concept of exclusion of creamy layer from amongst Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has been introduced based on the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney Vs.UOI & Ors. delivered in 1992.
(c): The income criteria to exclude creamy layer has been revised from time to time as follows:
(i) Vide O.M. No.36033/3/2004-Estt(Res), dated 9th March, 2004, the income limit was revised from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh per annum.
(ii) Vide O.M. No.36033/3/2004-Estt(Res), dated 14th October, 2008, the income limit was revised from Rs.2.5 lakh to Rs.4.5 lakh per annum.
(iii) Vide O.M. No.36033/1/2013-Estt(Res), dated 27th May, 2013, the income limit was revised from 4.5 lakh to Rs.6 lakh per annum.
(iv) Vide O.M. No.36033/1/2013-Estt(Res), dated 13th September, 2017, the income limit was revised from Rs.6 lakh to Rs.8 lakh per annum.
The present income limit is Rs.8 lakh per annum
Source: Rajya Sabha
NUMBER OF POSTS OFFICES & NUMBER OF PO SAVINGS ACCOUNTS -- RAJYA SABHA (Q & A) - 29-07-2021
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS & COPY (5 pages)CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES GROUP INSURANCE SCHEME - TABLE OF BENEFITS FOR 01.07.2021 TO 30.09.2021 (CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW)
https://doe.gov.in/sites/default/files/CGEGIS%20Table__01.07.2021-30.09.2021_bilingual.pdf
STANDARD ACCOUNTING PROCEDURE FOR MCCAMISH-ATM, MCCAMISH-CBS, MCCAMISH-IPPB AND EMPLOYEE PORTAL - PAYMENT MODE CHEQUE
Click Here to view details (13 Pages)
REVISED RATE OF DEARNESS RELIEF TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PENSIONER/FAMILY PENSIONERS W.E.F. 01.07.2021 (22/07/2021)
(CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW)
https://documents.doptcirculars.nic.in/D3/D03ppw/DR_22July2021Ra8mHf.pdf
BOOKING OF INTERNATIONAL AIRMAILS - EMS, LETTER, PARCELS & ITPS (CLICK THE LINK BELOW TOP VIEW)
https://www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/Pages/News/IP_INTL_BOOKING_19072021.pdf
PREPONEMENT OF EFFECTIVE DATE OF MODIFIED ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION SCHEME (MACPS) W.E.F. 01.01.2006 AS PER SUPREME COURT ORDER.
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
North Block, New Delhi
Dated: 13th July, 2021.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Cases pending or decided by Hon’ble High Courts/Central Administrative Tribunals regarding preponement of effective date of Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme – Order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dated 28.4.2021 in CA No. 1579/21 (SLP (C) No. 15572/2019) of Union of India v/s R.K. Sharma & others – reg.
The undersigned is directed to say that vide O.M. of even number dated 30.9.2020, Ministries/ Departments were advised to defend all cases or challenge the Orders of Court/Tribunal, as the case may be, which are contrary to Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) guidelines, since the matter relating to preponing the date of effect of the MACPS from 1.9.2008 (as provided in the scheme) to 1.1.2006, was sub-judice in a number of cases pending in the Apex Court, which have been tagged with SLP No. 10811-13/2018 of Uol v/s Ranjit Samuel, and that all similar matters were being heard together.
2. Though decision in the above mentioned cases is still awaited, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in a related matter, has held that benefits under the MACPS cannot be claimed w.e.f. 1.1.2006. In its Order dated 28.4.2021 in Civil Appeal No. 1579/2021 [arising out of SLP (C) No. 15572/2019] of Union of India v/s R.K. Sharma & Others, the Hon’ble Apex Court has held as under:-
“7. For a better understanding of the dispute in these cases, it is necessary to examine the judgments of this Court in Balbir Singh Turn (supra) and M.V. Mohanan Nair (supra). The point that was considered by this Court in Balbir Singh Turn (supra) relates to the applicability of the benefit of MACPS from 01.01.2006. The Respondents therein approached the Armed Forces Tribunal which held that the benefit of ACP granted to an employee is part of the pay structure which affects the pay and also his pension. The Armed Forces Tribunal held that an ACP is not an allowance but a part of pay and therefore, in terms of the Government resolution, the employees were entitled for MACP w.e.f. 01.01.2006. This Court in Balbir Singh Turn (supra) upheld the said finding recorded by the Armed Forces Tribunal. Instructions issued on 30.05.2011 were found to be contrary to the resolution dated 30.08.2008 as, according to the resolution 01.01.2006 was the effective date for implementation of MACPS in matters relating to pay and dearness allowance.
8. In MV. Mohanan Nair (supra) a three Judge Bench of this Court considered the ACPS as well as the MACPS to hold that the schemes are in the nature of incentive schemes which were brought into force to relieve stagnation. This Court was of the considered view that the Respondents therein were entitled only to the benefit of next grade pay in the pay band and not to the benefit of grade pay of next promotional post. As the MACPS is a matter of Government policy pursuant to the recommendations made by the Pay Commission, this Court refused to accept submissions of the employees that MACPS should be made applicable w.e.f. 01.01.2006.
9. In view of the judgment of this Court in M.V. Mohanan Nair (supra), the Respondents and other similarly situated employees are entitled for financial upgradation under MACPS only to the next grade pay and not to the grade pay of next promotional post. It is clear from the resolution dated 30.08.2008 that the recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission was accepted by the Government and was made effective from 01.01.2006 in respect of civilian employees with regard to revised scales of pay and dearness allowances. In so far as the revised allowances other than dearness allowance, recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission were given effect from 01.09.2008. The judgment in M.V. Mohanan Nair (supra) clinches the issue. Benefits flowing from ACP & MACP Schemes are incentives and are not part of pay. The resolution dated 29.08.2008 is made effective from 01.09.2008 for implementation of allowances other than Pay and DA which includes financial upgradation under ACP & MACP Schemes. Therefore, the Respondents and other similarly situated officers are not entitled to seek implementation of the benefits of MACPS w.e.f. 01.01.2006 according to the resolution dated 29.08.2008. Moreover, the implementation of MACPS by granting financial upgradation only to the next grade pay in the pay band and not granting pay of the next promotional post w.e.f. 01.01.2006 would be detrimental to a large number of employees, particularly those who have retired. We find force in the submission made by the learned Additional Solicitor General that uniform implementation of MACPS for civilian employees w.e.f. 01.01.2006 would result in large scale recoveries of amounts paid in excess.
10. In view of the above, we set aside the judgment of the High Court and allow these Appeals.”
3. Accordingly, in terms of the existing MACP guidelines, and in light of above mentioned order dated 28.4.2021, all Ministries/Departments are, therefore, advised to dispose of all pending grievances seeking grant of benefit w.ef. 1.1.2006 under the MACP Scheme, and also. to defend the various pending Court Cases or to take immediate suitable action for appealing against such judgments which are contrary to the existing policy, as upheld by the Hon’ble Apex Court in the instant case.
Sd/-
(A. Bhattacharya)
Deputy Secretary
PRESS NOTE
CABINET
CABINET APPROVES INCREASE IN DEARNESS ALLOWANCE AND DEARNESS RELIEF
Posted On: 14 JUL 2021 4:03PM by PIB Delhi
The Cabinet Committee chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has approved increase the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners with effect from 01.07.2021 to 28% representing an increase of 11% over the existing rate of 17% of the Basic Pay/Pension. In view of the unprecedented situation which arose due to the COVID-19 pandemic, three additional instalments of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners, which were due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021, had been frozen.
Now, the Government has decided to increase the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners with effect from 01.07.2021 to 28% representing an increase of 11% over the existing rate of 17% of the Basic Pay/Pension. The increase reflects the additional instalments arising on 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021. The rate of Dearness Allowance/Dearness Relief for the period 01.01.2020 to 30.06.2021 shall remain at 17%
(Release ID: 1735374)
Over 60 Lakh Central and State Govt Posts Lying Vacant
Filling up these posts itself would contribute to reducing the raging joblessness that has haunted India in the past several years, but the government does not seem to care.
Under the Narendra Modi-led government’s tenure, where unemployment has reached record high levels, there are no new jobs; government posts that are already sanctioned are also not being filled, according to an investigation of data from various departments of the central and state governments. It was found that at least 30 lakh sanctioned posts under the central government (including those under various bodies and institutions run by the Centre) and an estimated 30 lakh posts under various state governments are lying vacant.
Filling up these posts itself would contribute to reducing the raging joblessness that has haunted India in the past several years. But he Modi government, which promised 2 crore jobs every year back in 2014, has in fact, aggravated the unemployment crisis.
As the following table below shows, sanctioned but vacant posts amount to 9.10 lakh posts in central government ministries and departments; about 37 thousand posts in central universities, IITs/IIITs/IIMs/NITs and other central government-run higher education institutions, central schools (KVs), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas; 8.53 lakh posts in primary schools in the states that are mostly funded by the central government; 1.68 lakh posts in the health sector; 1.76 lakh posts in the Anganwadi system; 2 lakh posts in the public sector banks; 1.07 lakh posts in the Indian Army; about 92,000 posts in the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), as well as 5.31 lakh posts in the state police departments and judicial courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, High Courts, and more than 5,000 posts are vacant in lower courts. The number of posts lying vacant in various state government departments and ministries, if taken together, will be more than 30 lakh, according to the All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF).
All these numbers have been taken from the central government’s sources and replies to queries in the Parliament: statistics of central government departments and Central Armed Police Forces from Annual Report on Pay and Allowances Report of Pay Research Unit, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance; healthcare data from Rural Health Statistics (RHS) 2019-20, Statistics of Anganwadi Lok Sabha Question No. 3980; details of central educational institutions in higher education from Rajya Sabha Question No. 1172; Indian Army figures from Rajya Sabha Question No. 2903; Justice Department figures from Lok Sabha Question No. 29; police vacancy numbers from the Police Research and Development Bureau; the figures of teachers in primary schools were taken from the Rajya Sabha Question No. 1166; the data of the central schools is acquired through Right to Information (RTI) application and the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas from the Rajya Sabha Question No. 2579.
The seriousness of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre and the state governments about employment can be gauged from the fact that the number of vacancies has been continuously increasing year after year with no concrete step being taken to fill them.
In the table below, we can see that in the year 2014-15, only 4.21 lakh posts were vacant in various central ministries and departments, which was 11.5% of the total sanctioned posts in these departments. The number of these vacant posts has increased to 9.10 lakh in 2018-19, which is 22.76% of the total sanctioned posts, that is, the number of vacancies has doubled between 2014-15 and 2018-19.
Source: Annual Report on Salary and Allowances, Pay Research Unit (PAY RESEARCH UNIT), Department of Expenditure, Union Ministry of Finance
CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary of All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), said that more than two lakh posts of class-4, class-3 and the officer cadre are vacant in banks, which the managements do not want to fill. By appointing employees on low wages through contract and outsourced means, the institutions are saving money although these temporary employees are made to work just like permanent employees. “In fact, due to the reduced strength, work load on each employee has gone up tremendously,” Venkatachalam said, noting that the employees were not able to finish their work on time, which has given rise to frustration, stress and mental pressure among them.
The bank business has increased a lot compared to earlier times, due to which there has been a significant increase in the work of the employees, including servicing of many government schemes that are implemented through banks only. In such a situation, it is better to have regular and permanent employees and therefore, it is necessary that the government and banks soon fulfill the more than two lakh vacancies, which are lying unfulfilled, so that the employees can work with efficiency, he said.
RN Parashar, General Secretary of the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, said that in all the central government departments, various PSUs, banks, autonomous bodies such as IITs, IIMs, ISRO, and in many scientific research institutions, nearly 24 lakh posts were lying vacant; this means that 30-35% of all posts are vacant in various department and in some departments, the figure goes up to 40-50%.
Meanwhile, the Centre is in a hurry to sell national assets under the public sector. Earlier, the government's share in the public sector used to be in between 51% to 76% and in addition to this, it used to get a share in the profits. But when the government decides to sell its shares, they sell it at lump sum rates, which gives the government quick cash but the regular income is eroded, Parashar said.
He further stressed that the Modi government at the Centre had said “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” which people thought would perhaps translate to a smaller cabinet that would work hard. However, now people are finding it to be a “joke” because the definition of the slogan according to Modi ji is that “government departments and institutions should be less in number, employees should be less and more and more work should be taken from them and the rest of it should be outsourced like bonded labor, which does not need any job security nor any social security,” Parashar said. He further added that what former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had started, Modi was bent on concluding that job by selling Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), increasing unemployment and making the country dependent on private players.
The central government claims it has no data on number of vacancies in the states. According to state budget documents, in Uttar Pradesh alone 13 lakh posts have been sanctioned, out of which more than 4 lakh are vacant.
Discussing government posts in the states, General Secretary of All India State Government Employees Federation (AISGEF), Subhash Lamba said that according to their estimates based on growth in population and the increase in corresponding work, more than 30 lakh posts are lying vacant across all states. “Due to such a large number of posts being vacant, various state governments are using contractual labour and such employees cannot provide satisfactory services because they are paid very low salaries and there is no job security,” he said.
In the last few years, a large number of employees have retired, due to which there has been a significant increase in the number of vacant posts because permanent recruitment has not been done against these vacancies. The vacant posts are those that were sanctioned keeping in mind the needs long ago; at present, when there is a lot of increase in the population, there is a need to increase the number of sanctioned posts as well. Lamba says that in view of the current population and work, about 15 to 20 lakh new posts should be created in the states.
The corona pandemic has proved that only the government machinery can firmly fight the battle during any crisis. Essential services like sanitation, healthcare, police, and banks, etc. were continuously available to the people mainly because of government employees. The private sector was not visible anywhere and whatever was working, was devoted to minting money. Due to the lack of employees and facilities in the government system, common people could see some hope.
The most shocking number of vacancies from key sectors such as education and health are due to low funding and fund cuts leading to the disappearance of lakhs of teachers from schools and colleges, and even from reputed institutions like IIMs and IITs. This underlying weakness in education system is putting the future of India at great risk and darkness.
An equally careless approach is visible in the National Health Mission program, which is the main program providing health services to the Indian people. The Rural Health Survey states that 1.68 lakh posts are vacant for key health workers including specialists, general practitioners, nurses, technicians and other paramedical staff. Apart from this, there are 1.76 lakh vacant posts of Anganwadi workers and helpers, who provide nutrition and child care services, are not appointed. NFHS-5 data show that there has been an increase in the number of stunted (short height for age), weak (low weight for height) and malnourished (low weight for age) children in the last five years. The lack of appointments in judiciary and courts is reflected in 4.28 crore court cases that are pending in the whole court system.
Development Economist Deepa Sinha says given the condition of the country, it would be a great step forward to fill up the vacant posts right now because there is a demand deficit, people do not have jobs, and these posts which are lying vacant, belong to employees of every level. And if these people get money in their hands, then spending will increase. Since the things these people buy are not very expensive or imported things but local things, which will in turn increase employment and boost the economy. .
Sinha further elaborated that right now the government is talking about giving relief package in the Covid-19 period, but only the corporates will benefit the most from it. However, if the economy is to be brought back on track, then filling the vacant posts without delay is the right way, she added.
Preeti Shekhar, National Vice President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), said that when such a large number of people are unemployed, then it is unfortunate to have so many posts lying vacant. Describing unemployment as an epidemic, she said all sections of the society are affected due to this situation. According to her, ever since 1990-91, when the new economic policy was introduced in the country, the governments have started to believe that keeping people on regular jobs is not required. “These vacant positions are part of the same neoliberal policies,” she said.
On the other hand, Anupam, the national coordinator of Yuva Halla Bol, said that the huge number of vacant posts was not just an administrative glitch or flaw, but it was the unofficial policy of the government that the posts should not be filled while a large youth population is facing unemployment. If there was a sensitive government, which would understand the problem of the youth, it would not only recruit the sanctioned posts on a war footing but also would have created new posts as per the need, he said.
Source: News Click
