8th Pay Commission: NC-JCM Secretarys BIG Take On Fitment Factor, Says It Must Be….

New Delhi: The fitment factor in the 8th Pay Commission should be at least 2.57, the same as in the 7th Pay Commission, or even higher, according to Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary (Staff Side) of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM). He emphasized that it should not be lower than what was set in the last pay commission.

Since the announcement of the 8th Pay Commission last month, discussions on salary hikes for central government employees have intensified. Speaking to NDTV Profit, Mishra reiterated, “I still believe the fitment factor should be at least 2.57 or more.” This factor is essential in determining base salary and pension revisions.

8th Pay Commission: Fitment Factor 

If the 8th Pay Commission adopts a fitment factor of 2.57, Central government employees can expect a salary hike of 157 per cent, according to reports. In 2016, the 7th Pay Commission recommended a fitment factor of 2.57, which led to a substantial increase 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. However, Mishra stressed that modern-day expenses, such as internet costs and other necessities, are not reflected in these outdated methods.

“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.

Economic Inflation And Economic Conditions 

Given rising inflation and changing economic conditions, he stressed the need for a higher fitment factor to ensure a decent standard of living for employees. However, former finance secretary Subhash Garg dismissed this demand as unrealistic in a recent interview. He argued that asking for a fitment factor of 2.86 was like “asking for the moon” and suggested it might be closer to 1.92 instead. (With IANS Inputs)