New Delhi, March 1 The fitment factor in the 8th Pay Commission should be at least 2.57, which was also used in the 7th Pay Commission, or possibly even higher, Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary (Staff Side), National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), said.
He added that it should not be lower than what was proposed in the last pay commission.
The discussions on salary hikes for central government employees have gained momentum ever since the announcement of the 8th Pay Commission last month.
"I still believe that the fitment factor... has to be at least 2.57, or higher than that," he stated in a conversation with NDTV Profit.
The fitment factor plays a crucial role in determining the revision of base salaries and pensions.
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Mishra stressed that modern-day expenses, such as internet costs and other necessities, are not reflected in these outdated methods.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.
Given rising inflation and changing economic conditions, he emphasised the need for a higher fitment factor to ensure a decent standard of living for employees.
However, former finance secretary Subhash Garg in an interview with a news channel, dismissed this demand as unrealistic.
He remarked that seeking a fitment factor of 2.86 was similar to "asking for the moon" and suggested that it could be around 1.92 instead.
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