In My Gov Portal, the Pay Commission has released a charter of 18 questions regarding our views towards 8th Pay Commission. But we are not at liberty to place an elaborated text on the website itself and not allowed any form of communication except this website only and that too within 200 words.
Within this constrained position, I have submitted a report as noted below:
· Fitment Table: Pensioners should be granted an identical fitment table equal to active employees to maintain equity. A projected factor of pension raises from old 2.57 to more would sustain the purchasing power since 2026.
· Health Care is the new burden: For pensioners, healthcare costs have replaced housing as the primary expenditure. The Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) should be significantly hiked or replaced with a mandatory, cashless, and comprehensive nationwide health insurance that includes private hospitals.
· Restoration of Commuted Pension: The period for restoration of commuted pension should be reduced from 15 years to 12 years, as the government recovers the principal and interest much earlier due to current interest rate structures.
· Tax-Free Pension : The Commission should recommend for a total income tax exemption specifically for pensioners, and the fiscal deficit, due to implementation of the above all, may easily be controlled, if the heavy tax concessions and rebates to the corporate Companies and big business houses are limited or curtailed.