Brief of the second meeting of the Committee on Allowances held today under the chairmanship of Secretary, Finance(Expenditure), Government of India

No.NC/JCM/2016 Dated: September 1, 2016
All Constituents of
National Council(JCM)
Dear Comrades!
Sub: Brief of the second meeting of the Committee on Allowances held today under the chairmanship of Secretary, Finance(Expenditure), Government of India

To obtain the views of the National Council(Staff Side)(JCM) on the recommendations of 7th CPC relating to Allowances, the second meeting of the Committee on Allowances held today under the chairmanship of Secretary, Finance(Expenditure), Government of India, with the National Council(Staff Side) JCM.

From the Official Side, Secretary(Defence), Home, DoP&T, Postal, Chairman Railway Board, J.S.(Estt.), J.S.(Pers.) and J.S.(IC), and from Staff Side(JCM), all the Standing Committee Members were present in the meeting.

At the outset, Secretary(Staff Side)(JCM) as well as Leader(Staff Side)(JCM) and other Standing Committee Member of the NC/JCM(Staff Side) expressed their anguish for non-formation of High Level Committee as was agreed to by the Group of Ministers(Government of India) for settling the issue of Minimum Wage and Multiplying Factor.

The Secretary, Finance(Expenditure) told that, the committee constituted under the chairmanship of Addl. Secretary(Exp.) with J.S.(Pers.), JS(Estt.) and JS(Imp.) as Members has been made only for this purpose. Let us believe that, after the meeting, report of the said committee would be sent to the Government of India for its acceptance.

The Secretary, Finance(Expenditure) asked the Staff Side(JCM) to give their viewpoint in a Note on the Common Demands to implement these, and the Departmental grievances to their respective departments, and after that, a meeting will again be called.

Staff Side(JCM) strongly demanded that, date of effect of Allowance should be 01.01.2016. The Staff Side(JCM) explained its position as well about its demand that, House Rent Allowance should be 10%, 20% and 30% and Transport Allowance must be rationalized and exempted from the Income Tax, Children Education Allowance should be Rs.3,000 and Hostel Subsidy should be Rs.10,000 and these should also be exempted from the Income Tax.

Staff Side demanded that, Post Graduate and Professional Courses should also be covered in Children Education Allowance. The issue of Special Duty Allowance was also raised for N.E. Region by the Standing Committee Members of JCM(Staff Side). Fixed Medical Allowance should be Rs.2,000 with Dearness Allowance Indexation, Over Time Allowance must be given, Small Family Allowance should be continued and Dress Allowance needs to be reviewed. Various Departmental Allowances, which have been abolished, should be allowed to continue, like Breakdown Allowance in the Railways and Fixed Conveyance Allowance to Postal Department employees. All the Standing Committee Members raised various issues related to Allowances.
This is for your information.

sd/-

Shiva Gopal Mishra

Convener