Dimapur, Jan 2 (MExN): The Government of India has yet to release any interim Relief (IR) – one of the terms of references in the 6th Pay Commission – to its employees. This has prompted government employees’ organizations to exert greater pressure for the release of the same. Confederation of All Nagaland state Services Employees Association (CANSSEA) looks forward to announcement by the Government of India towards release of Interim Relief, which the organization stated, would be a “new year bonanza”.
(Interim Relief is a financial package given to employees and workers by the government, following the setting up of the 6th Pay Commission. It is a provisional arrangement to provide “some relief” to employees and workers during the pending period of a comprehensive policy of minimum and maximum wage determination. The benefit in terms of IR is to be adjusted later on against the pay package that could be admissible on acceptance of the final recommendations of the Pay Commission.)
“As of today, the Government of India has not released any IR to its employees although it is included as one of the terms of references of the 6th Pay Commission” says CANSSEA chief Dr K Solo. In the meantime, organizations the National Convention of All India State Government Employees’ Federation, All India Defense Employees’ Federation, School Teachers’ Federation of India, Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers and Federation of All Indian University & College Teachers’ Association have commenced building pressure on the government in this regard. “In doing so, the simplest argument which they put forward is that ‘the GOI immediately announce Rs 1000 as Interim relief to government employees before the notification on setting up of the 6th Pay Commission is issued and mandate the commission to predetermine the date of effect of its recommendations from January 1, 2006’” Dr Solo informs.
Many of the members may possibly be unaware that the issue of IR constitutes one of the charters of demands of the All-India strike called December 14, 2006 jointly sponsored by the national convention of employees and workers as well as various Trade Union organizations of the country Dr Solo stated. He looks forward “hopefully” for an announcement by the Government of India towards this effect which he termed” new year bonanza”.
(Mention may be made here that the Union Government had on October 5, 2006 announced the setting up of the 6th Pay Commission with retired Supreme Court judge BN Srikrishna as Chairman to review wages and to this effect, recommend measures restructuring salaries of nearly 39.88 lakhs central government employees, workers and armed forces personnel. It kept in the ‘background various socio-economic and cultural changes in the country’ since the implementation of the recommendations of the 5th commission with effect from January 1, 1996.)
