State govt employees to push for Eighth Pay Commission

Maharashtra's state employees push for an Eighth Pay Commission after the Union cabinet's approval, but the government resists due to financial burdens.

MUMBAI: With the Union cabinet approving the constitution of the Eighth Pay Commission for central government employees, the 1.15 million state government employees are expected to push for a similar commission in Maharashtra. The state government, though, doesn’t seem inclined to approve such a proposal, as it would entail a burden of over ₹20,000 crore on the exchequer every year.

State govt employees to push for Eighth Pay Commission

Previous state governments had implemented the Sixth and Seventh Pay Commissions ahead of assembly elections in 2009 and 2019, three years later than the recommended deadlines. This time too the state government is expected to drag out the matter till the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in 2029.

“The Sixth and Seventh Pay Commission payouts were given in 2009 and 2019, just ahead of the state elections, to reap benefits during the polls. Moreover, the state commissions were constituted only after the central commission submitted its reports. This time we expect the report to be submitted by mid-2026. The state commission can be set up only after this, and it will submit its report in early 2027,” said an official from the state finance department.

“The state usually picks up most of its recommendations from the central Pay Commission reports. The government may, thereafter, take its time to implement it as the financial burden it huge.” The salaries of government employees are revised every ten years on the basis of the Pay Commission recommendations.

The officer said the last salary increase was between 20% and 25%. “We expect a similar rise in salaries and pensions as the pay bills will increase at least by ₹20,000 crore a year, excluding the natural growth from ₹2.3 lakh crore in 2024-25. When we implemented the Seventh Pay Commission report in 2019, the pay bills for salaries and pensions went up to ₹1.36 lakh crore in 2019-20, from ₹1.06 lakh crore the previous year,” another official from the department said.

Maharashtra has over 1.15 million employees against a sanctioned strength of 1.8 million across the state. Even if the government delays the implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission, it would have to pay arrears with effect from January 1, 2026. It has already paid arrears for three years in three instalments in two years.

G D Kulthe, founder and chief advisor of the Maharashtra State Gazetted Officers’ Federation said, “We expect the state to constitute the commission and implement the recommendations as soon as possible, as agreed upon during our meetings in the past. The state government is positive about it.”