While demanding a fitment factor of 3.05 and a minimum basic pay of Rs 55,000 under the 8th Pay Commission, the Jammu & Kashmir Employees' Federation has argued that the proposed revision is essential to address rising living costs and reflect the needs of larger family units, according to reports.
In a memorandum submitted to 8th Pay Commission Chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai during the Commission's visit to Srinagar, Federation President Rafeeq Malik outlined a series of proposals, including higher annual increments, merger of Dearness Allowance (DA) with basic pay, enhanced House Rent Allowance (HRA), restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), and increased retirement age for school teachers.
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Explaining the demand, the Federation said the current salary structure is based on three family units, whereas the revised calculation should account for five family members, including dependent parents.
On this basis, it estimated a minimum pay of Rs 30,000, which rises to Rs 47,400 after merging the current 58% dearness allowance. Factoring in a 20% to 25% increase in nutritional and consumption costs, the federation calculated a need-based minimum pay range of Rs 55,000-60,000.
According to the memorandum, the minimum pay should be recalculated by revising family units, merging the existing 58 per cent DA with basic pay and factoring in higher nutritional and consumption costs.
"The minimum basic pay (for a Level-1 employee) should be fixed in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. For practical implementation, it is recommended that Rs 55,000 may be adopted as the minimum assured benchmark," the memorandum stated.
The Federation also recommended increasing the annual increment rate from the current 3% to 6%, saying the existing provision does not ensure meaningful income growth over time.
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On DA calculations, the body sought an end to the practice of rounding down Consumer Price Index-linked figures and demanded full incorporation of actual inflation data.
Among other demands, the Federation proposed revised HRA rates, a 10% hard-zone allowance for employees serving in difficult areas, and pay-scale upgrades for teachers, headmasters and zonal education officers.
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