'Nothing In The Offing Regarding Setting Up Eighth Pay Commission': Union Finance Secretary

In a significant announcement, Finance Secretary TV Somanathan declared that the government currently has no plans to establish the eighth Pay Commission for the around 5.4 million central government employees and pensioners.

This statement comes amidst the upcoming national election next year.

As reported by NDTV, Somanathan, addressing the media on Thursday (30 November), stated, "There is nothing in the offing regarding setting up the 8th Pay Commission. It's not due at present."

This departure from the past norm raises eyebrows, as historically, governments have used the establishment or implementation of Pay Commissions as a strategic tool to garner support from central government employees, armed forces personnel, and family pensioners during election campaigns.

Contrary to the approach taken by previous administrations, the current government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is steering clear of initiating a new Pay Commission.

Instead, the focus appears to be on a comprehensive review of the controversial new pension scheme that has been a point of contention for both state and central government employees.

To address the concerns surrounding the pension scheme, the government established a committee headed by the Finance Secretary.

"We have completed consultations with all concerned, and our report should be submitted soon," Somanathan said.

As the specter of elections looms, there is growing political pressure on the Finance Ministry to announce and implement the 8th Pay Commission, irrespective of the outcomes in the upcoming state polls.