Justice B N Srikrishna, 67, was the chairman of the sixth Pay Commission that submitted its recommendation to the government on March 24 this year.
Just over four months later, the Union Cabinet on August 14 accepted the award, and bettered it. Siddharth Zarabi spoke to the Mumbai-based jurist for his reactions. Excerpts:
Do you feel vindicated with the government accepting the award?
I am glad that the government has politically solved the grievances of various sections of employees. We had worked on the numbers that the ministry of finance had given us. My job was to give the award within those parameters and we did that. As I can see, the government seems to have improved on our numbers and had they only told us then that they have more to give away, we would have given a better award.
Never mind if they have done some diplomatic jugglery, there is nothing wrong in that. It is the privilege of the government to accept the recommendations. I am happy that at least one report of mine has been accepted. My earlier reports were rubbished (laughs).
The outgo on account of the award is higher than what the report had projected. What do you have to say to that?
Yes. They have said that they would spend Rs 15,700 crore on the Central Budget and Rs 6,400 crore on the Railway Budget in 2008-09. We had taken Rs 21,591 crore as the total impact this year. Now it seems that it has increased a little. The finance ministry kept telling us, we have no money and now if they have found it, so be it. Ultimately, the burden will be passed on to taxpayers like you and me. The government gives with one hand and takes away with another.
What about the other recommendations to improve government functioning and efficiency?
They have said the recommendations have been broadly accepted. The point is that you must take work from people and separate the deadwood. If they improve government functioning, that would be fine.
Note: Justice Srikrishna also headed a commission of enquiry on the Mumbai riots of 1992-93. Its report is yet to be accepted by the Maharashtra government.
