Should there be any comparison/parity between pay scales and perquisites in Government and the public/private sector?
Yes, how can one arrive at a conclusion as to who is placed at disadvantage vis-ŕ-vis Public/Private Sector. In my personal opinion there should be a national pay scale without any discrimination but perks/packages may differ as the situation demands. But the Govt. itself in favours of discriminatory policy. If honestly in favours of fair comparison, uniform policy is the only option and solution to the long drawn parity of wages policy. Parity of wages will remain a permanent industrial dispute till any concrete step like this is taken.
Is it possible to quantify all other benefits, excluding pay, derived by employees in Government and the public and private sectors from security of tenure, promotional avenues, retirement packages, housing and other invisibles? In view of these benefits, can there be any fair comparison between the salaries available in the government vis-ŕ-vis the salaries in the private sector?
A national pay scale can silence every one.
In order to ensure a fair comparison based on principles of equity and social justice, would it not also be appropriate to take into account the economic conditions of large sections of the community that are less privileged than Government employees and many of whom live below the poverty line?
Yes, it is quiet appropriate to take into account all aspects of less privileged community but it is a subject of Law makers, who can uplift them to silence the critics.
International comparisons
Some countries have raised civil service pay scales almost to levels prevalent in the private sector on the hypothesis that a well-paid bureaucracy is likely to be honest and diligent. To what extent would such a hypothesis be valid and how far would such a course of action be desirable?
To be honest and diligent money matters lesser. There is character assassination in our country. People having crores of rupees are trying to make it thousands of crores and accumulate it for their coming generation. But lot of spadework is required in raising character level.
Impact on other organizations
Salary structure in the Central and State Governments is broadly similar. The recommendations of the Pay Commission are likely to lead to similar demands from employees of State Governments, municipal bodies, panchayati raj institutions & autonomous institutions Their paying capacity is considerably limited. To what extent should this factor be considered in devising a reasonable remuneration package for Central Government employees?
A national pay scale within the available resources and paying capacity by cutting wasteful expenditure, should be enacted.
Salaries
How should we determine the salary to be paid to a Secretary in the Central Government? Please suggest an appropriate basic pay for a Secretary? Can appointment to this post be made on a contractual basis where salaries and tenure are linked to the performance in terms of achieving defined targets?
Totally opposed to contractual appointments. Performance linked assignment with total accountability and transparency in each group of services should be a welcome step. Salaries should be as per requirement and status but with in the available resource. Perquisites or packages may differ from post to post.
What should be the reasonable ratio between the minimum and the maximum of a pay scale?
Efficiency must be an essential factor to ensure efficient and purposeful administration but at the same time ideology must prevail above all. There is sufficient talent to fulfill requirements even if their flight continues
Relativities
Employees in the Secretariat and analogous establishments are entitled to higher pay scales than the corresponding field functionaries. This was supposed to compensate them for the loss of certain facilities available to them in field assignments and the extra effort required for decision-making at the policy level. Are these factors valid even today particularly in the context of decentralization and devolution of administrative powers? Is this discrimination between field and secretariat functionaries even justified today?
There should be no discrimination (Salaries/packages) should be related to work status and requirements.
Group-A Services
Is there a case for a Unified Civil Service, merging therein all Central (both technical and non-technical) and All India Services, allowing vertical and horizontal movement ? Or should there be two distinct streams, one embracing all the technical services and the other for non-technical services?
Technical and non-technical stream should be two distinct entities.
Do you feel that the pattern of pay scales for all Group A Services should be redesignated so as to attract candidates of the requisite caliber? Keeping in view some of the compensation packages being offered to fresh professionals by the private sector, what emoluments would you suggest for an entrant to a Group-A Service in Government?
Pay and perks should be within the paying capacity. There is no famine of talents and let the private sector attract some of them.
Professional personnel
Should there be a higher compensation package for scientists in certain specialized streams/departments like Department of Space, Department of Atomic Energy? If so, what should be the reasonable package in their case?
They should be given due weightage and there pay and packages should be higher than others but within the required and relational limit.
Classification of posts
Presently, civilian posts in the Central Government are classified into four Groups (A, B, C and D) with reference to their scales of pay. The Fifth Central Pay Commission had recommended their reclassification into Executive, Supervisory, Supporting and Auxiliary Staff. Would you suggest any changes in the existing classification or should the classification recommended by Fifth Central Pay Commission be adopted with/without modifications?
With the emergence of new era and in the global perspective, the recommendation of Vth Commission with regard to classification of posts viz. Executive, Supervisory, Supporting/Subordinate and auxiliary staff appears more attractive and should be adopted.
Restructuring of Group C & D posts
Should all lower Group C functionaries in the Secretariat be replaced by multi-functional Executive Assistants, who would be graduates and well versed in office work, secretarial skills and use of modern office equipment including computers? Should Similar arrangements can be evolved for Group C posts in other organisations of Government?
Yes, All lower group C functionaries in the Secretarial as well as in the other organizations of Government should be replaced by multifunctional Executive Assistants who would be graduates and well versed in office works secretarial skills and use of modern office equipments including computers.
Should a similar regrouping of Group D staff into fewer categories capable of performing diverse functions also be carried out?
Management of change is every where in the new era of computerization, group ‘D’ should not be exception to it provided there is any scope.
Pay Scales
How should a pay scale be structured? What is a reasonable ratio between the minimum and maximum of a pay scale?
Keeping in mind, minimum basic requirements and status a pay scale should be restructured in such a manner that the ratio between minimum and maximum should be at least one and ten.
The successive Pay Commissions have progressively reduced the number of distinct pay scales. The number of scales has therefore come down from more than 500 scales at the time of the Second Central Pay Commission to 51 scales before Fifth Central Pay Commission, which was brought down to 33 scales by the Fifth Central Pay Commission. The reduction in the number of pay scales brings in attendant problems like the promotion and the feeder grades coming to lie in the same pay scale, etc. Do you feel whether the existing number of pay scales should be retained or increased or decreased or whether the same should be replaced by a running pay scale?
Previous pay commissions has reduced number of scales to 33 but still it is too large. The pay scale should be rationalized and should be related with the nature of works. For different work, different pay scales but for same work, there should not be different grades/scales. It should be decreased to the extent possible without affecting promotional avenues. A time scale promotion instead of vacancy related promotion should be preferred.
Increments
What should be the criteria for determining the rates and frequency of increments in respect of different scales of pay? Should these bear a uniform or varying relationship with the minima and/or maxima of the scales?
Previous Pay Commission has recommended increase in pay scales to 3 times higher or more than existing one. The increments should also be proportional to the increase in pay scales. If pay scale increase is 3 times, the increments should also be 3 times.
Revision of pay scales
Is there any need to revise the pay scales periodically especially when 100% neutralization for inflation is available in form of dearness allowance?
Yes, Periodical revision of pay scales is needed by the pay revision committee, especially when 100% neutralization for inflation is available in the form of DA.
How should pay be fixed in the revised pay scales? Should there be a point-to-point fixation? If not, please suggest a method by which it can be ensured that senior personnel are not placed at a disadvantage vis-ŕ-vis their juniors and due weightage is given for the longer service rendered by the former
A formula should be worked out for fixation of pay in such a way that none are placed at a disadvantage vis-ŕ-vis their juniors.
Compensatory Allowances
Is City Compensatory Allowance a sufficient compensation for the problems of a large city? If DA and HRA provide full neutralization, do you think CCA should continue? Is there a need for changing the basis of classification of cities and the rates of CCA? If so, please suggest the revised basis and rates.
Reclassification of cities is needed for p[providing CCA & HRA. Only population should not be the base factor but the religious and tourist importance of the cities should also be taken into account. Haridwar, Mussoorie, Shimla and other likewise places are less populous but highly expensive. Due to the mounting pressure and regular inflow of tourists, consequently, price rise is no less than metropolitan cities.
Pay and perquisites for Armed Forces
What should be the basis for determination of pay scales for Armed Forces Personnel? What percentage weightage should be assigned to (i) parity with civil services, (ii) comparison with private sector, (iii) special and hazardous nature of duties, (iv) short career span and (v) restricted rights?
The duties of the Armed Forces Personnel is no doubt special and hazardous in nature hence due weightage should be given to them in comparison with Civil services and private sector. Their salaries in terms of packages should be higher.
How should the pay of a soldier, sailor and airman be determined? How should it relate to the minimum wage in Government and the pay of a constable in paramilitary or internal security forces?
They have an edge over rest of the services hence pay and perquisites or other allowances should be determined accordingly.
Abolition of feudalism
Should all vestiges of feudalism in the country like huge residential bungalows sprawling over several acres, large number of servant quarters, retinues of personal staff, bungalow peons, use of uniformed personnel as batmen or on unnecessary security or ceremonial duties etc. be abolished? Please make concrete suggestions.
All should be abolished. We are a citizen of democratic country and ranked Lind amongst most populous countries where in large sections of community are less privilege and many of whom live below poverty line. Just we should imagine extreme desert of Rajasthan and dense forest of middle India where there is no food to eat for at least a day, no drinking water, no electricity, no proper shelter to cover their heads, no proper roads and no means of communication. Under such circumstances to lead a princely or monarchic life style at the cost of national exchequer in the name of perks/packages should not be provided and stopped forever. These are supposed to be the wasteful expenditure in a saner & civilized society. Hence all vestiges of feudalism in the country like huge bungalow sprawling over several acres, large number of servant’s quarters, retinues of personnel staff, bungalow peons, and use of uniformed personnel as batman or unnecessary security should be stopped. In addition Saloons and RA to the classes A and B officers of railways traveling alone on visits or inspections should also be banned. Only party inspections comprising all departmental officers and expert committee should be allowed special trains and saloons, R.A. etc.
Specific proposals
In what manner can Central Government organizations functioning be improved to make them more professional, citizen-friendly and delivery oriented?
Honesty, accountability & transparency would be key to make them more professional, citizen friendly and delivery oriented in addition time limit under the head accountability must be fixed for every work to avoid inordinate delay, causing frustration and dissatisfaction.
Please outline specific proposals, which could result in: (i) Reduction and redeployment of staff, (ii) Reduction of paper work, (iii) Better work environment, (iv) Economy in expenditure, (v) Professionalisation of services, (vi) Reduction in litigation on service matters, (vii) Better delivery of service by government agencies to their users.
(i) Staff should be reduced where there is no work and their redeployment wherever required. Reduction and redeployment process should be carried out correctly, just and in fair manner, but certainly not with the political eye. (ii) Computerization and dependence on Modern office management should be carried out every where which only cam minimize paper work. (iii) Honesty, accountability, transparency and time bound work can create better work environment. (iv) By cutting the wasteful expenditure and banning unnecessary and uncalled for official tours and travels. (v) By creating a competitive environment and resorting to quality work. (vi) Where there is work there is complaint but if requires patience hearing deft handling and quick disposal on departmental level, can reduce litigation. (vii) Better delivery of service by government agencies to their users.
New concepts
Do you think the concepts of contractual appointment, part-time work, flexible job description, flexi time etc. need to be introduced in Government to change the environment, provide more jobs and impart flexibility to the working conditions of employees?
I am totally opposed to contractual appointments being synonym to unemployment, social insecurity and total uncertainty to livelihood and inflationary as well.
For improving punctuality/introducing new concepts like flexi time, should biometric entry/exit be introduced?
Yes, it should be introduced.
What steps should be taken to ensure that scientists, doctors, engineers and other professionals with sophisticated education and skills are retained in their specialized fields in Government? Should they be appointed on contract with a higher status and initial pay, advance increments, better service conditions, etc.?
They should be retained as per defined norms in their field of specialization. Not agreed with contractual appointment for the reasons described in Para 17.1.
Should there be lateral movement from Government to non-Government jobs and vice versa? If so, in which sphere(s) and to what extent ?
I have emphasized need of a National Pay Scales in Para (1.1). There is total discrimination in pay scales of Govt., PSU and Private Sectors, hence under the diverse situations lateral movement from Govt. to non-Govts. jobs and vis-ŕ-vis cannot be ensured till there is similarity to some extent in respect of nature of work, pay and working conditions. Under similar situation staff can be death with single hand.
It has been suggested that existing Government employees should be encouraged to shift to employment on contract for specified periods in return for a substantially higher remuneration package. Would you agree?
Not at all.
Performance Appraisal
In what way should be present system of performance appraisal be changed? Should be ACR be an open document?
Self assessment of performance appraisal should be discouraged for no body comes forward for his own criticism. Accountability of every individual should be fixed in just and fair manner and performance itself would be self explanatory, no need for self appraisal. It is sheer wastage of time.
How far has the introduction of self-assessment helped in the process of appraisal?
Dismal.
Should appraisal be done for an entire team instead of for individuals?
Every individual should be held accountable for his acts of errors and omissions, bad of good performance.
In what manner can Government employees be made personally accountable for their acts of omission or commission, without any special safeguards? Would you recommend any amendments to Article 311 of the Constitution, Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Section 17 and 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and various rules relating to conduct of Government servants and disciplinary proceedings?
No comments.
Holidays
Kindly comment on the appropriateness of adopting a five-day week in Government offices when other sectors follow a six day week. Please also state whether the number of Gazetted holidays in Government offices should be reduced? Please also comment on the appropriateness of declaring Gazetted holidays for all major religious festivals.
I am totally opposed to five day week, instead six day week as usual should be restored considering that there are plenty of leaves of different descriptions. Only holidays of nation importance should be declared Gazetted holidays and other as restricted.
What do you think is the state of work ethics and punctuality in Government offices? Kindly suggest ways of improving these.
The work ethics and punctuality has gone down badly.
