Re-Structure the levels

Government employees constitute an important organ of good governance. They play a decisive role in shaping the kind of political dispensation through elections in the centre and the states. Due to  the continuously increased thrust on the necessity of education  lakhs of professionally qualified post graduates  and doctorates plunge into competition for even low number and profile jobs to serve as government employees classified into four groups of A,B,C and D. While group ‘A ‘ is all high level gazetted officers with  group ‘B’ below them , group ‘C’ represents non-gazetted officers/officials with group ‘D’ being at the lowest rung of the official hierarchy  constituting the majority  of workforce drawing salary  and allowances from the same public exchequer. The  services of the none of the groups can be struck off or underestimated in the governance apparatus  to make this run smoothly. With the  continuous  cut in the government establishment civil side  presently there are about 49 lakh  government servants  in active service with about 50 lakh pensioners in central government whose pay and pensionery  benefits  have been revised with effect from 1-1-2016 on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission  constituted  during 2/2014. The revised pay structure lays down that for fixation of pay in the new pay matrix as on 1-1-2016, the pay plus grade pay in the pre-revised structure as on 31-12-2015 shall be multiplied by  a factor of 2.57 (2.67 in  case of defence personnel). The figure so arrived at shall be located at  the point of  level corresponding to the  employee’s  pay+ grade pay in the new matrix. The new pay matrix has changed pre-revised four different pay bands with different amounts of  14  grade pays  and the four pay bands with nil amount of grade pays into 18 levels with Rs.18,000/ for the minimum and Rs.2,50,000/ for the maximum level. 

In the class of four  groups the pay of the top level enjoying copious perks by way of tour, travel, security, communication, accommodation, multiple promotions, earning ex-officio  influence has been magnified 13.89 times  the bottom which is not so placed with the groups ‘C and D’.  The same holds good identically in respect of private sector employees, general peasantry and the labour class standing at the very low  ebb of wage scale. This generates  low purchasing power in almost 4/5 of the population  which effects adversely the consumer, production, manufacture, investment and exchange of services cycle due to low spending. This drags the attention due to the slogan for removal of poverty, bridging gaps between  haves and the have-nots, fair distribution  of wealth and income etc, being the hall mark of the harangues  at  the stages held  by all the bureaucrats and the public representatives which never resulted in deeds. Bottom grade of Rs. 750-940 on 1-1-1986 has been revised to Rs.2,750-4,400 on 1-1- 1996,  Rs.5,200-20,400 on 1-1-2006 and to Rs.18,000 on 1-1-2016 with revision of top grade of Rs.5,900-7,500,  to Rs. 30,000, Rs.90,000 and Rs.2,50,000 on the  corresponding dates. A cursory look at the revised grades since 1986  to 2016  offers how skewed these are. Although the top level pay has slightly changed  downward in 2016 vis-a-vis incessantly ascending trend in  the four  revisions as mentioned above at the rate of 7.86 times,10.90 times, 17.30 times  and 13.89 times  yet the gap is  wider  providing  scope to reduce and re-structure the levels. Pertinent to mention here that amount of pension of 18th level public servant would be 6.495 times greater than the pay of  level-I active public servant.  Indubitably king’s head warrants to be crowned but the treasure is not to be emptied on one crown only for something is to  be left for the subjects also. Let the difference be five times  yardstick for classification for travelling allowance purposes  or (1:8) double the number of four groups or 1:9 being one-half of levels. 

Government has to carve out a mechanism of accrual of more balanced wage structure for ensuring robust wealth and welfare distribution. Battle for safeguarding aerial /maritime  zones, land borders, launching intercontinental ballistic missiles/ Mars missions/space rockets etc, is no bar but war to be fought against internal enemy of disease, hunger, shelterlessness and cladlessness. It has the preference and precedence for expeditious action to make a stably growing economy. Higher rate of per capita income/wealth admittedly being indicators of financial  health/strength collectively of  a nation  yet averages are averages covering economic voids  statistically to represent a facially acceptable position on global index. Exhibition of such position does not mean that all  are individually actually possessing such things which is as incorrect as two middle pass candidates can make for one M.A. pass candidate or in a group of one matriculate, one graduate, one post graduate  and two doctorates, all cannot be taken as postgraduates. Numerically speaking  in a group of 10 persons with 60 points of wealth (30+15+15)   with three persons does not mean  that all are wealthy by 6 points each when actually  70 percent are devoid of any wealth at all. It is perhaps with this background that central government is learnt to be mulling for raising  some levels in  pay matrix  which will be all encouraging and appreciable. Since the government of Jammu and Kashmir is also going to  give its near about five lakh  employees  pay on revised   pay  scales   from 1-4-2018 but  with effect from  1-1-2016, as promised, most likely on the pattern of 7th Central Pay Commission,  it has ample time  and scope to  implement  with a fairer copy in the larger interests of the state.

[The author is a former Sr. Audit Officer  working as Consultant in the A.G’s Office Srinagar]