Mishra demands 8th pay commission fitment factor of 2.57 or more
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New Delhi: Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery, suggests that the fitment factor in the 8th Pay Commission should be at least 2.57, similar to the 7th Pay Commission, or possibly even higher.
He also stated that the fitment factor should not be less than what was recommended in the 7th Pay Commission.
Talks of salary increases for central government employees have intensified following the recent announcement of the 8th Pay Commission.
"I still believe that the fitment factor... has to be at least 2.57 or higher than that," he stated in a conversation with NDTV Profit.
The fitment factor is a critical component in calculating the revision of basic pay and pensions.
As per reports, central government employees may see a 157% salary increase if the 8th Pay Commission implements a fitment factor of 2.57.
The 7th Pay Commission's recommendation of a 2.57 fitment factor in 2016 resulted in a significant hike in the minimum salary, from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.
Explaining the rationale behind the demand for a higher fitment factor, Mishra pointed out that the 7th Pay Commission set the figure of 2.57 based on the 15th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) resolution of 1957 and Aykroyd's formula for minimum living wage.
Mishra pointed out that the outdated methods used to calculate the fitment factor do not take into account modern expenses such as internet costs and other contemporary necessities.
"Taking care of aged parents is an ethical as well as legal responsibility under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act 2022, and therefore, the family units should be counted as five and not three units," Mishra mentioned.
With inflation on the rise and economic conditions changing, Mishra stressed that a higher fitment factor is essential to maintain a decent standard of living for employees.
However, former finance secretary Subhash Garg, in an interview with a news channel, dismissed this demand as unrealistic.
He remarked that seeking a fitment factor of 2.86 was similar to "asking for the moon" and suggested that it could be around 1.92 instead.
(inputs from IANS)