8th Central Pay Commission’s visit to J&K begins today

Jammu, May 30: Eighth Central Pay Commission is arriving on its 6-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow (May 31, 2026) to hold deliberations with concerned stakeholders including the Government of J&K.

Commission’s deliberations in the Union Territory (UT) will begin with the interaction (presentation) with the J&K government on June 1, 2026 from 11 am to 1 pm at Meeting Hall CR3 at SKICC, Srinagar.

As per J&K Finance Department’s communique, the Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo will lead the J&K officers during the interaction with the Commission.

All Additional Chief Secretaries of Jal Shakti Department, Power Development Department, CM Secretariat, Tourism, Agriculture Department, Finance Department and Public Works (R&B) Department will be part of the J&K team.

Besides them, all Principal Secretaries to the Government – Home Department, LG Secretariat and Election Department; Commissioner Secretary General Administration Department; Commissioner Secretary Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department and all Heads of Departments (HoDs) of Finance Department will also participate in the deliberations.

During its J&K visit, the commission is scheduled to interact with various stakeholders like government employees, Unions and Associations etc.

Earlier in its notice issued on May 1, 2026, the Commission Director Md Shahnawaz Akhter had notified about its (Commission’s) visit to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir from June 1 to 4, 2026.

Through the notice, all the concerned stakeholders including organisations, institutions of central government as well as Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Union or Associations desirous of interacting with the Commission at Srinagar were asked to submit memorandum at Commission’s website (http://8cpc.gov.in).

They were given time to submit their request seeking an appointment till May 16, 2026.

All those, who submitted their memorandum, were intimated about venue details and meeting schedule.

It was specified that the commission would be holding separate meetings at cities in other states and UTs in due course.

Following its J&K’s visit, the Commission is scheduled to visit its twin Union Territory of Ladakh on June 8, 2026.

MANDATE OF 8th CENTRAL PAY COMMISSION

The Central Pay Commissions are periodically constituted to go into various issues of emoluments structure, retirement benefits and other service conditions of central government employees and to make recommendations on the changes required thereon. Usually, the recommendations of the pay commissions are implemented after a gap of every ten years.

Eighth Central Pay Commission, comprising Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai (chairperson); Prof Pulak Ghosh member (part-time) and Pankaj Jain (member-secretary), has been constituted by the Government of India vide its notification issued on November 3, 2025.

The Government had announced its formation in January, 2025 to examine and recommend changes in the salaries and other benefits of central government employees.

As per its terms of reference, it has been asked to make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. It may consider, if necessary, sending interim reports on any of the matters as and when the recommendations are finalised. The Commission has been asked to keep in consideration certain specified factors while making the recommendations.

The factors to be considered include: the economic conditions in the country and the need for fiscal prudence; the need to ensure that adequate resources are available for developmental expenditure and welfare measures; unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes; likely impact of the recommendations on the finances of the state governments which usually adopt the recommendations with some modifications and the prevailing emolument structure, benefits and working conditions available to employees of Central Public Sector Undertakings and private sector.

As per its terms of reference, the Commission is mandated to examine and recommend changes that are desirable and feasible in the emoluments including pay, allowances, and other facilities or benefits, in cash or kind, having regard to rationalization, contemporary functional requirements and the specialised needs of various departments, agencies and services in respect of various categories of employees.

These categories of employees will include central government employees – industrial and non-industrial; personnel belonging to the All India Services; personnel belonging to the Defence Forces; personnel of the Union Territories; officers and employees of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department; members of the regulatory bodies (excluding the RBI) set up under the Acts of Parliament; officers and employees of the Supreme Court; officers and employees of the High Courts whose expenditure is borne by the Union Territories and judicial officers of the subordinate courts in the Union Territories.

The Commission will work out an emolument structure conducive to attracting talent to government service, promoting efficiency, accountability and responsibility in the work culture and will examine the existing schemes of bonus with a view to improving performance and productivity and

make recommendations on the general principles, financial parameters, productivity and performance-linked parameters for an appropriate incentive Scheme to reward excellence in productivity and performance.

EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEES UNIONS/ASSOCIATIONS

Many employee unions and associations which have submitted their memoranda to the Commission are seeking streamlining the current 18 pay levels to 7; fixation of minimum basic pay at Rs 69000; increase in lowest House Rent Allowance slab to 30 percent; adoption of fitment factor of 3.83; structured system for revision of pension after every five years; annual increment of 6 percent and restoration of Old Pension Scheme.