20 services demand fair share in Seventh Pay Panel

Rising against IAS dominance, a confederation representing officers of 20 civil services, including Indian Police Service, has sought fair representation on an empowered committee constituted to examine the Seventh Central Pay Commission recommendations. The confederation in a memorandum submitted to Cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha and expenditure secretary Ratan P. Watal recently has demanded to cap the representation of any service to 25 per cent of the total strength. The Union Cabinet on January 13 had approved setting up an empowered committee of secretaries under the Cabinet secretary to examine recommendations of the pay panel. The confederation is apparently miffed against career benefits enjoyed by officers of the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

The Confederation of Civil Services Association highlighted the “apprehensions” shared by a majority of officers and requested for a fair representation to other services on committee, said senior IRS officer Jayant Misra, who is the convener of the group. It had forwarded a memorandum and sought an appointment with the Cabinet secretary to explain the “concern” of these officers last month.

“We are still waiting for an opportunity to meet the Cabinet secretary. We have submitted fresh memorandum to the Cabinet secretary and also to the expenditure secretary. We have reiterated our demand of equitable representation.”

The confederation also maintained “that officers from various services continue to maintain excellent interpersonal relations and serve the government with full devotion”.