Wait for around 50 lakh central government employees might get over soon. However, the Minister of State for Finance P. Radhakrishnan earlier in Lok Sabha had said that the Prime Minister's Narendra Modi government is not planning to give any hike in minimum basic salary beyond the recommendations of the seventh pay commission. But now looking at the good monsoon and various forecasts related to Indian Economy, analysts do believe that the Modi government might change its decisions.
Certain reports also claim that the pay hike announcement might come on August 15. Besides the pay hike, it has been widely expected that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announce the increased age of retirement from the Red Fort.
It is to be noted though that in the hopes of minimum pay hike beyond the recommendations of the 7th CPC might get a blow from the Central Bank itself. Earlier this month, RBI decided to increase the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.5%. The reverse repo rate has been hiked to 6.25%, the RBI announced after its three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
"RBI's Monetary Policy Committee has decided to increase the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6.5% Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6.25% and marginal standing facility rate and Bank Rate to 6.75%," the apex bank said in a statement.
RBI in its report mentioned that inflation rates have increased on account of implementation of 7th Pay Commission. The revised HRA structure came into place in July 2017 under the 7th Pay Commission.
Currently, the Central government employees are getting basic pay according to the fitment formula of 2.57 of the basic pay and if this big step is taken, it will come as a massive news for the Central government employees. Fitment factor is a figure used by 7th CPC with which the basic pay in 6th CPC regime (i.e Pay in Pay band + Grade pay) is multiplied in order to fix basic pay in revised pay structure (i.e 7th CPC). Fitment factor formulated by 7th CPC is 2.57.
