7th Pay Panel push gives cabinet secretary more pay than President

NEW DELHI: The Union home minister is reworking salaries of the President, Vice-President and governors in view of seventh pay commission award raising the pay-packet of all government employees. In fact, the latest pay-revision has created an anomaly in that the salary of the President is Rs 1 lakh less than that of the cabinet secretary.

At present, the President gets Rs 1.50 lakh per month, the Vice-President Rs 1.25 lakh and governor of a state Rs 1.10 lakh. After implementation of the 7th pay commission's award, the cabinet secretary, who is the top-most bureaucrat in the country, gets Rs 2.5 lakh per month and a secretary in the Union government draws Rs 2.25 lakh per month. The home ministry is now working on a proposal to set right this anomaly and raise the emoluments of the President, Vice-President as well as governors of states. Official sources said the home ministry proposal may be submitted for the Union Cabinet's approval next week. After the Cabinet gives its nod, bills to this effect will be tabled in Parliament.

Salaries of the President, Vice-President and governors were last hiked in 2008 when the Parliament approved a three-fold increase. Till 2008, the President's salary was Rs 50,000, the Vice-President's Rs 40,000 and a governor's Rs 36,000.

In addition, proposals are also expected to be moved for raising the pensions of former Presidents, spouses of deceased Presidents, former Vice-Presidents, spouses of deceased Vice-President and former governors.