Central Govt Employees Demand Redefining 'Family' to Link with Rs 69,000 Pay Proposal New Delhi: Central government employees have called for a significant increase in their basic salary to Rs 69,000 under the 8th Pay Commission, arguing that the current system of defining a family as three units should be revised to account for five units, including parents. The proposal, submitted by the National Council of Joint Committee (NC-JCM)—the apex body representing communication between the central government and its employees—aims to address the growing disparity in living standards and ensure fair compensation. The memorandum, presented to the Pay Commission on Tuesday, highlights the need to adjust the fitment factor, a multiplier used to revise basic pay during transitions to new pay structures. The NC-JCM has urged the Commission to set the fitment factor at 3.83, which would raise the minimum basic pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 69,000. This factor is critical for achieving uniform revisions across all levels of employment, as it replaces the Seventh Pay Commission’s fitment factor of 2.57, which had increased the minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 17,990. The push to redefine family units stems from the argument that the current system underestimates the financial responsibilities of employees. The NC-JCM proposes treating a family as five units: one for the employee, one for the spouse, and two children (each counted as 0.8 units) along with parents (also 0.8 units). This adjustment is framed as a necessary step to align pay structures with the legal obligations outlined in the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act and the Social Security Code, 2020.#8th_pay_commission #central_govt #nc_jcm #shiv_gopal_mishra #maintenance_welfare_parents
