WB govt sets up Pay Commission

The West Bengal Government has constituted the 6th Pay Commission for its own staff members and certain other categories of employees in the state to revise their salaries.
Economist Abhirup Sarkar, who is a professor of the Indian Statistical Institute, has been appointed chairman of the eight-member Pay Commission, which is scheduled to submit its report within six months.
The state Assembly elections are slated for next year and the setting up of the pay panel was made eight days after the Central Pay Commission submitted its report.
A Finance Department resolution yesterday said the decision was taken considering changes taken place in the structure of emoluments of state government employees in several respects since the 5th Pay Commission submitted its report.

The Commission will also cover employees of local bodies, panchayats, public undertakings, teaching and non-teaching staff of government aided and sponsored educational institutions.
As per its Terms and Reference, the Pay Commission would examine the present structure of pay and conditions of service, among other things.

It would examine the existing promotion policies and related issues and suggest suitable changes.
It would also examine various allowances, besides issues relating to retirement benefits.
To make recommendations on each of the above, the factors which will be considered included the prevailing pay structure under Central government, PSUs and other state governments, the economic condition of the country and the resources of the state government.

The Pay Commission will devise its own procedures and may take help of other departments and make estimate of the cost involved in implementing their recommendations.
"The Commission will submit their recommendations as expeditiously as practicable but preferably within a period of six months from the date of order notifying the constitution of the Commission," the resolution said.
The Pay Commission may submit interim recommendations if found necessary or if so desired by the state government, it added.