General Budget 2013 : NFIR Proposals for General Budget – 2013

NFIR writes to Finance Minister some proposals to consider for inclusion in the General Budget 2013. The proposals are as follows…

General Budget-2013 — Consideration of NFIR’s proposals.

The NFIR requests the llon’ble Finance Minister to kindly consider following proposals for inclusion in the General Budget-2013 which would provide relief to over 34 Lacs of Central Government employees (including 14 Lacs of Railway employees) and also other workers.

1.Annual income amounting to Rs.5 Lacs may be exempted from the purview of income tax in view of steep rise in prices of essential commodities.

2. Since the percentage of Dearness Allowance has crossed 50% of pay long ago there is thus immediate need for setting up of VIIth Central Pay Commission, Aflernalively, the Government may consider setting up of Permanent Wage Revision Board.

3. 50% DA may be merged with pay as was done in the year 2004.

4. Bonus Act may be amended for ensuring payment of Bonus including that of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) on actual monthly wages, alternatively, the limit may be enhanced to Rs.10,000 for payment of PLB to Railway employees.

5. Since New Pension Scheme is anti staff and does not carry safe guards admissible under the Pension Rules (1993), the New Pension Scheme needs to be scraped.

6. Additional pension be allowed to the retired Central Government employees on attaining 70 years of age.

7. In the wake of mass retirements during the coming years it is possible that there may be shortage of skilled and qualified personnel. NFIR proposes upward revision of retirement age on superannuation from 60 to 62 years.

8. Thousands of contract workers have been engaged in the Public and Private Sector industries with a meager salary. This way, the exploitation of poor labourers is going on unabatedly. We are demanding abolition of contract labour system in all the industries, particularly the Government owned sectors. Till such time a policy is framed, we propose that the same remuneration as that of permanent workers be paid to the contract workers as well as outsourced workers.

9. The perks/fringe benefits presently being availed by the workers including private sector workers as incentive be considered for exemption from the taxes.

10. Transport Allowance paid to the Central Government employees including Railway employees may be exempted from the purview of income tax.

11. For adequate career growth of Teachers and Lecturers of Central Government Institutions, the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) may be made applicable to them.

12. Earned Leave & LHAP to the Teachers and Lecturers of Educational Institutions under Central Government:-

The VI CPC had recommended half pay leave to Teachers, Principals, Headmasters etc., The Government while allowing half pay leave as recommended by VI CPC had withdrawn the privilege of 10 days leave average pay which action was injustified. Hence leave average pay be restored.

NFIR is confident that the Hon’ble Finance Minister would give serious consideration to the above proposals for making Budget announcements.