7th Pay Commission: Lavasa panel report on allowances likely this week

Ashok Lavasa, the finance secretary who heads the high-level committee under the 7^th Pay Commission, is reportedly submitting the final report this week, according to a leading news house.

On April 6, the committee held a conclusive meeting, as reported by the news house. The committee has been tasked to examine the 7^th Pay Commission recommendations for abolition of 53 allowances out of the total 196, and also for subsuming another 36 into larger existing ones, the new house reported.

The Lavasa committee, in its previous meeting held on March 28 on treatment of 14 allowances, sought comments from the railway and defence ministries, the report added.  Ghat allowance, trip allowance, outstation detention allowance and accident allowance, among others, are included in the allowances.

Previously, the 7^th Pay Commission for the Class X, Y and Z, had recommended fixing the rate of HRA (house rent allowance) at 24%, 16% and 8% of the basic pay. It had also recommended the rate of HRA be revised to 27%, 18% and 9% respectively, whenever DA crosses 50%, as per the report. Similarly when the DA crosses 100%, it should be revised to 30%, 20% and 10%.

The Pay Commission had also recommended abolition of allowances like cycle, condiment, assisting cashier, acting, hair-cutting, flying squad, Rajdhani, Rajbhasha, shoe, robe, soap, uniform, vigilance, shorthand, washing and spectacle, vigilance, as per the report.

Over 47 lakh Central government employees and 52 lakh pensioners will benefit by final recommendation on allowances. After the government implemented the recommendation of the 7^th Pay Commission, the Lavasa Committee was constituted in June last year.