7th Pay Commission in Bengal holds first meeting, roadmap prepared
Kolkata, Aug 10
The 7th Pay Commission constituted by the West Bengal government for fixing new pay structures for state government employees held its first meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna on Monday afternoon.
In the meeting, the current financial and operational status of various government departments, statutory bodies and corporations in the state were reviewed, and an overall roadmap for the Commission's future work was prepared.
A state secretariat insider said it was decided that a dedicated official website of the Commission will be launched soon, where all notifications, updates and information will be published.
The insider added that since unauthorised and baseless information was being spread on social media regarding the Commission's recommendations and new pay structure, creating confusion, the proposed website will disseminate authentic information.
The Commission issued a statement cautioning state government employees not to be influenced by propaganda and rumours about probable recommendations. Employees and the public were requested not to believe unauthorised information until the website is launched and official announcements are made through it.
Secretariat insiders said that following the preparation of the functioning roadmap in the first meeting, the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had made progress in fixing higher pay scales for state government employees.
The state government has already issued a notification specifying several important "terms and conditions of reference" for the 7th Pay Commission. The notification issued on August 7 mentioned a review of issues including pay structure, minimum pay, annual pay increment, alignment of pay levels with central rates, dearness allowance, house rent allowance and retirement benefits.
The insider said the issue of bringing the salary level of state government employees in line with that of the central government's salary structure is being seriously examined. It has been decided that a family of five members will be considered as the basis for determining the minimum salary.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The decision to launch a dedicated website is excellent. So much misinformation spreads on social media about pay commissions and it creates unnecessary panic among employees. Good move to have a single authentic source of information.
A family of five as the basis for minimum salary seems reasonable in the Indian context where joint families are common. But I hope they also consider inflation and the rising cost of living in cities like Kolkata. The real test will be in the implementation.
It's good that they're reviewing things like DA, HRA, and retirement benefits. State employees deserve parity with central government staff. But let's see if the state's finances can sustain it. The government must be careful not to burden the exchequer excessively.
The warning against rumours on social media is needed. I've seen so many fake notifications being shared in WhatsApp groups. This creates false hopes and confusion. A dedicated website will definitely help in clearing all doubts.
I appreciate the transparency, but I have to respectfully point out that the announcement about Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's leadership is premature. The commission has just started its work. Let's wait for the actual recommendations before celebrating. Actions speak louder than words.
P Priya S As a teacher in We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.