7th Pay Commission: Good news keeps coming in big steps for these employees

7th Pay Commission: PM Narendra Modi has put the humble postman back in an important position, months after they protested against their meager salaries and demanded wage revision as per 7th Pay Commission report recommendations, and went almost on the verge of becoming obsolete in the age of e-mail and social media. 

In May this year, Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) had gone on a nation-wide strike after their demands for hike in pay as per 7th Pay Commission recommendations went unheeded. Around 1000 staff of the postal department in Coimbatore district boycotted work over the non-implementation of the 7th pay commission recommendations, media reports had said then. GDS in other areas too participated, causing work to come to a grinding halt.

The main problem behind dak sevaks not getting the benefits recommended by 7th CPC was their categorisation as extra-departmental employees, which practically makes them indirect employees of the postal department and hurting their chances of pay hikes.

7th Pay Commission recommendations were implemented for regular employees of the postal department but not for the Gramin Dak Sevaks. 

However, good news came for the GDS soon. In June this year, GDS called off their strike after the Union Cabinet approved the revision in their wage structure and allowances. In an official release dated June 6, 2018, Press Information Bureau (PIB) had said the decision would benefit 3.07 lakh GDS. The basic salary of GDS was hiked to Rs 14,500 per month. The salaries of GDS was raised by up to 400%. For those getting Rs 2295 per month, the salary was increased to Rs 10,000/month; and Rs 12,500/month for those who were getting Rs 2775/month. Salary of as many as 4115 staff was raised to Rs 14,500 per month. 

"The revision in the wage structure would entail an estimated expenditure of Rs 1257.75 crore (Non-recurring expenditure - Rs 860.95 crore and Recurring expenditure of Rs.396.80 crore) during 2018-19," the PIB release had said. 

Three months later, more good news came for the dak sevaks, who mainly serve rural India, from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

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On September 1, 20018, PM Modi put the postman in the spotlight once again, making them, responsible for taking the government financial inclusion agenda to every citizens of the country. With the launch of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), lakhs of Gramin Dak Sevaks have become moving and living banks that will provide financial services to all citizens at their doorstep. 

"There are over 1.5 lakh post offices and over three lakh postmen or 'Gramin Dak Sevaks' who are connected to the people of the country. Now they shall be empowered with smartphones and digital devices to provide financial services," PM Modi said.