The Pay Revision Commission (PRC) has been reportedly ascertaining the financial issues before taking a final call on the quantum of fitment that would be given to the employees as part of the wage revision.
The PRC headed by retired bureaucrat C.R. Biswal, the first commission after the formation of Telangana, has been gearing up to submit its report within a fortnight as mandated by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao a few days ago. The Chief Minister on November 10 had directed the commission to submit its report within 10 to 12 days so that the government can examine the recommendations and take a call on the issue at the earliest.
Accordingly, the PRC members intensified their efforts to finalise the recommendations and have held marathon meetings since then. The Commission has completed the exercise of holding talks with the representatives of the employees’ unions as well as the heads of departments to understand the aspirations of the employees as well as the financial implications of effecting revised pay scales.
This was followed by several meetings with the Finance Department in the past few weeks, including the one with the department’s Principal Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao on Thursday to ascertain the allocation that has been made in the current year’s budget towards the cost of the employees. The exercise, according to officials, has become mandatory as the allocation towards employees’ costs would be a major issue that would be factored in while finalising the recommendations relating to pay fixation.
“The Commission members are ready with the report relating to the fitment and other aspects of pay revision and this report will be submitted to the government soon,” a senior official told The Hindu . The Commission members were, however, tight-lipped on the quantum of the fitment and other aspects relating to the pay hike.
Though it is gearing up to submit a report relating to pay hike and related aspects, the PRC is expected to take some more time before finalising its report on the additional terms of reference given to it subsequent to its constitution in May last year.
These additional ToR include recommendations relating to modification of business rules to bring about more clarity and expeditiousness in decision-making process and modifications that are required in the business rules in the context of formation of the new State as well as consequent political and administrative exigencies.
The Commission has been tasked with the responsibility of recommending the staffing pattern that should be adopted in the collectorates and district offices of the major departments keeping in view the geographical area, population and administrative requirements of the reorganised State, besides suggesting measures for improving responsiveness and accountability in the administrative machinery at different levels. “Recommendations relating to the additional ToR will take some more time. The Commission sought reports from different departments on the staffing pattern like regular employees and those working on contract and outsourcing basis. Some departments have forwarded the reports while some others are still in the process of finalising the details,” the official said.
