Tag Archives: approve

Business

8th Pay Commission approved for central govt employees; salary, DA hike expected

Money rupee

Reuters

The Union Cabinet has given the green light for the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission, a move that will significantly impact millions of Central government employees and retirees. The announcement was made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on January 16, 2025. This decision is expected to lead to a substantial increase in salaries, along with an adjustment in the Dearness Allowance (DA).

The 8th Pay Commission, once established, will revise the pensions and allowances of Central government retirees. This move has been long anticipated by government employees and retirees who have been expecting a revision of their pay scales. The announcement comes just days ahead of the Budget 2025 announcements, adding to the significance of the decision.

While the approval of the 8th Pay Commission has been confirmed, the exact date for its setup has not been announced yet. However, the Union Minister has indicated that the commission will likely be formed by 2026 and will come into force on January 1, 2026.

Impact of the 8th Pay Commission

To oversee the rollout of the 8th Pay Commission, a chairman and two members will be appointed soon. The decision to set up the 8th Pay Commission was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Minister stated, “For your awareness, our Prime Minister has approved the establishment of the 8th Central Pay Commission for all Central government employees.”

PM Modi to inaugurate, lay foundation stones for multiple projects in Delhi

IANS

The 8th Pay Commission is expected to ensure that its recommendations are received well before the completion of the term of the seventh pay panel. Consultations will be held with central and state governments and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.

The 7th Pay Commission, set up in 2016, brought significant changes to the salary structure of government employees. Employee unions demanded a 3.68 fitment factor for salary revision, but the government decided on a fitment factor of 2.57.

Anticipated Changes and Benefits

This led to the minimum basic pay for government employees being raised to ₹18,000 per month, compared to the ₹7,000 in the 6th Pay Commission. The minimum pension also rose from ₹3,500 to ₹9,000. The maximum salary became ₹2,50,000 and the maximum pension became ₹1,25,000.

The pay commission plays a crucial role in determining salary structures, allowances, and other benefits for government employees. Its recommendations significantly impact millions of workers and pensioners across the country. There are over 49 lakh central government employees and nearly 65 lakh pensioners.

The formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission marks a crucial step towards revising pay, pensions, and allowances for central government employees. This proactive measure ensures that the recommendations will be reviewed and implemented in time, well before the 7th Pay Commission tenure concludes in 2026.

Finance

NATO Summit: Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges US to approve use of long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets US President Joe Biden
Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets US President Joe Biden. Photo Courtesy:  Volodymyr Zelenskyy X page

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met US President Joe Biden, has urged the United States to approve the use of long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

Speaking at the end of this week’s NATO summit in Washington DC, Zelenskyy praised the alliance for its pledges of military support to Ukraine as it fights Russia, but said battlefield restrictions must be lifted if his country is to succeed, reported The National News.

“If we want to win, if we want to prevail, if we want to save our country and to defend it, we need to lift all the limitations,” Zelenskyy said.

A statement released by the White House said Joe Biden and Zelenskyy met and discussed the state of the battlefield and ongoing US efforts to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself.

Additional package

During the meeting, President Biden announced an additional package of security assistance for Ukraine, which includes a Patriot air defense system, air defense interceptors, and artillery and HIMARS ammunition, the White House said.

This is the eighth security assistance package authorised by President Biden since he signed the national security supplemental.

“The leaders reviewed the concrete outcomes for Ukraine at the NATO Summit, including announcements on F-16s, air defense, and the Ukraine Compact, a shared pledge among more than 20 countries to support Ukraine both now and for the long-term,” the White House said in a statement.

Newly elected UK PM promises USD 3.87 bn aid a year to Ukraine

Meanwhile, newly elected British PM Keir Starmer has said his government will spend at least £3bn (USD 3.87 bn) every year on military support for Ukraine for “as long as is it takes” in its conflict with Russia.

Following his first meeting with Zelenskyy, the PM said military aid would continue until at least 2030-31.

The UK has to date promised almost £12bn in support to Ukraine since February 2022, of which £7.1bn is for military assistance. The rest is for humanitarian and economic support, The Guardian reported.

UN General Assembly demands immediate end to Russian aggression in Ukraine

The UN General Assembly on Thursday demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all military forces from Ukrainian territory.

The Assembly also called for an immediate end to attacks against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, following weeks of escalation.

The resolution entitled Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was adopted with 99 countries in favour and nine against (Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria). Sixty Member States abstained.