State extends tenure of VI Pay panel for 6th time
Kolkata: The state government has extended the tenure of the Sixth Pay Commission till December 31, 2019. This is for the sixth time that the commission's tenure has been extended. The state Finance department issued a notification in this regard on Monday undersigned by Additional Chief Secretary Finance H.K. Dwivedi.
The state government had set up the Sixth Pay Commission on November 28, 2015 headed by professor of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Abhirup Sarkar. Its initial term was for six months but the state government kept on extending its tenure.
The last extension was ordered on November 27 2018. According to sources in the Finance department, an additional Rs 30,000 crore will be needed to implement a new pay structure.
The demand for a revised pay structure has been gaining momentum since the Centre implemented the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for its staff in January 2016.
The resentment among state government employees for the delay in implementing the VII pay commission reflected in the postal ballot results where the BJP won in 39 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.
The Opposition led employees' unions have strongly protested against Monday's extension. CPI-M backed State Coordination Committee condemned the state government's decision to extend the Commission's tenure for another seven months.
Bijoy Shankar Singha, general secretary of State Coordination Committee said: "A protest against the move will be organised across all government offices during tiffin break on Tuesday."
