Kolkata, Aug 10 (PTI) The West Bengal government’s Seventh Pay Commission on Monday decided to launch a dedicated website to put out its proceedings and official information, while clarifying that it has not made any recommendations on pay, allowances or pension so far, a senior official said.
The decision was taken at the Commission’s first meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, days after the government notified its terms of reference, he said.
The website, which is expected to be launched shortly, will carry official notifications, information on the Commission’s work, invitations for views and data, and facilitate submission of memoranda, the official said.
The Commission also cautioned government employees and other stakeholders against
relying on documents and information circulating on social media, saying no recommendations had yet been made, he elaborated.
The official further added that the decision to create a separate website was aimed at ensuring that all information relating to the commission was available from a single, authorised source.
“The Commission is at an initial stage of its work and has not made any recommendation so far. The website will help ensure that only authenticated information reaches employees and other stakeholders,” the official told PTI.
The meeting also reviewed the present position of various government services, organisations, corporations and undertakings coming within the commission’s purview and discussed the broad roadmap for its work.
The Commission has been tasked with examining the existing pay structure, dearness allowance (DA), special allowances, travelling allowance, promotion policy, pension and other retirement benefits of state government employees.
It will also examine the fixation of initial pay under a revised structure and the method of revision of pension for retired employees.
The state had recently notified the Commission’s terms of reference, including examination of the annual increment, currently at three per cent, and the possibility of raising it to five per cent.
The panel will also examine the scope for greater alignment between the pay levels of state government employees and those under the Centre, besides reviewing allowances such as house rent, transport, children’s education and hostel subsidy.
Issues relating to retirement benefits, including restoration of commuted pension after 11 years, leave encashment at retirement and an additional increment for employees retiring on June 30, are also within its remit.
The Commission is headed by retired IAS officer Atanu Chakraborty.
Partha Mukhopadhyay, senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, and Parthapratim Pal, professor of economics at IIM Calcutta, are members, while IAS officer Debiprasad Karnam is the member-secretary. PTI SCH RG
