J & K to release 50% arrear of pay commission increase

The state cabinet on Wednesday approved release of 50 percent arrears of the 6th Pay Commission to its employees. The government would start the process of releasing arrears from the beginning of next financial year.

However, following stiff opposition from some Congress ministers, the cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of the chief minister Omar Abdullah had to defer any decision on the much talked about rehabilitation policy for facilitating return of the Kashmiri youth, who had crossed over to Pakistan administered Kashmir to receive arms training and are now eager to come back.
The decision on the release of the arrears which are due to employees following implementation of 6th pay Panel report in January 2006, follows a meeting between the top officials of the government and representatives of employees here on Tuesday.
Sources said the 50 percent of the arrears would be released to the employees as per the roadmap drafted by the government. Another 50 percent of the arrears has to come from the centre and would be released as and when the money is disbursed by the government of India.
In case of class IV employees, the portion of arrears would be released for next four years with an equal instalment of 12.5 per cent per year. For class II and III employees, the arrears would be released in five instalments for five years, and for higher grade employees the instalment period for releasing the arrears has been fixed at six years.
“The arrears will be deposited in the GP Fund and the lock-in period will vary from three to five years,” sources said.
For class IV, III, II and I class employees the lock in period would be three years, four years, five years respectively.
Class-II and I employees shall be paid in six annual instalments starting from 2011-12. First five instalments shall be of 15 percent each whereas the last instalment shall consist of balance 25 percent.
In case of pensioners, they have been grouped into different categories as per their age which would be the parameter for releasing their pension.
“For a pensioner whose age is 80 or above, the arrears would be released in three instalments. The instalments will four, five and six respectively for the pensioners belonging to the age group of 70 years to 80 years, 65 years to 70 years and 58 years to 65 years,” sources said.
Source : Greater Kashmir
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