7th Pay Commission: After Independence, minimum wage of Central Govt employees hiked from Rs 55 to Rs 18,000 per month

[Informalisation and Labour Rights - Related News]

Almost 68-years after Independence, the Indian government has announced seven central pay commission on a regular interval. In this 68 years, since India got its Independence from British Raj there has been an impressive hike in the salaries of senior staffers working under the payroll of Central Government. But it is quite noteworthy that the minimum wage-under which 83 per cent of the government fall - has not seen ay big changes. The salaries of junior most Central Government officials' has increased from Rs 55 (under the 1st Pay Commission) to Rs 18,000 (under the 7CPC). On the other side the senior most government staffers salaries have been hiked from Rs 2000 (under 1CPC) to Rs 2.5 lakh (under 7CPC). Due to this 'inequality' in wages most of the government officials are unhappy with the decision and had threatened for an indefinite strike several times. Under the 7CPC the high-powered committee had recommended a 14.27 per cent increase in the basic pay of central government employees.