: Members of the Puducherry State Government Employees Central Federation today staged a demonstration here, protesting against recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission which they said was 'most retrograde'.
Led by Federation President, P Lakshmanasamy, they protested the 'disappointing' recommendations and said the hike in backwages of Group C category of employees was only 14.29 per cent, though it was claimed it was 16 per cent hike.
There was a vast difference in minimum pay between the present pay commission and its predecessor panel. "We are totally disappointed with the recommendations, Lakshmanasamy said while addressing the demonstrators.
He also flayed the reduction in house rent allowance recommended by the pay panel.
President of the Confederation of Associations of Government Employees here C H Balamohanan also crticised the recommendations as most disappointing.
Government staff in Puducherry are governed by the pay structure adopted for the Central goernment employees and hence they are automatically covered by the ecommendations of the Pay Commission.
