Parties hail move, but cautious

SIXTH PAY COMMISSION: SOME HAPPY, SOME WARY

The Left parties today struck a cautiously optimistic note to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement for constitution of the Sixth Pay Commission.

CPI leader D Raja said the new pay commission was due to be set up in any case and so the government's move did not come as much of a surprise to him. "The setting up of this pay commission was long overdue," he said.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) President M K Pandhe welcomed the announcement, but said much depended on the way the terms of reference of the pay commission were framed.

"The pay commission was overdue for sometime; the prime minister has only announced his intention; let us see when it is constituted," he said. "A lot will depend on the terms of reference of the commission. Whether it is fair to the employees," he added.

It is no secret that the government decided to go against the recommendations of the 12th Finance Commission over setting up of a new pay commission, in large part to pacify the Left allies after taking unfriendly decisions on retail FDI and airport modernisation.

The Congress, on its part, welcomed the move. Party spokesperson Rajiv Shukla said, "It is a good announcement and has come almost 10 years after the last pay commission. Employees needed something and I am sure the government must have taken care of all the consequences of the move."

The BJP, too, appeared happy with the decision, but made the same point as the Left. BJP President Rajnath Singh said constitution of the new pay commission was long overdue.

"This had to happen; the government need not take credit over it," he added. Asked about the burden that this would place on state governments, he said all that could be worked out.