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These days there is a tremendous stir among the central employees regarding the 8th Pay Commission. Everyone just wants to know how much their salary will increase, what will be the fitment factor and what will be the mathematics of DA. But this time there has been a big twist in the story. Now your salary can be determined not just by paper figures but by the milk, vegetables, pulses and household ration coming to your home.

Yes, don’t be surprised! Now, to decide the next salary of the employees, the amount of food and nutrition required by an average family every month is also being seriously considered. Employee organizations have clearly stated that the old salary calculation formula does not reflect today’s back-breaking inflation and real cost of living. This is the reason why these days the new formula of ‘3490 calories’ is in the headlines everywhere.

Why is food expense included in salary calculations?

After all, what is the connection between salary and food? In fact, whenever a new pay commission sits, its first task is to decide the minimum amount of money a government employee and his family will need to live a respectable life. For this, food, clothing, house, children’s education, health, fuel and transportation expenses are made the basis.

In all these too, the cost of food is kept at the top, because this is the real foundation for determining the minimum salary. The basic thinking of the pay commissions has always been that if nutritious food items become expensive, then the basic salary of the employees should also increase accordingly.

What is the whole matter of 3490 calories and the new uproar?

The staff side of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has made a big disclosure in its memorandum submitted to the 8th Pay Commission. The organization says that the salary calculation done till now was based on a very old standard of around 2700 calories, which has become completely useless in today’s times.

Citing the new report of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the employees’ organization has demanded that the daily requirement of at least 3490 calories should be considered for an adult doing heavy physical work. According to ICMR, the calorie requirement for people aged 19 to 39 years has been determined as follows:

• Less Active (Sedentary): Men 2110 kcal, Women 1660 kcal
• Moderate Activity: Men 2710 kcal, Women 2130 kcal
• Heavy Activity: Men 3470 kcal, women 2720 kcal

Employee organizations argue that in many government jobs, employees have to do long duty, constantly be on field work and tours, which causes a lot of mental and physical stress. Therefore, the base of salary should be based on ‘heavy activity’ i.e. the standard of 3490 calories for heavy activity.

How did the demand for minimum salary of Rs 69 thousand arise?

NC-JCM, the organization representing the employees, has not just made empty statements, but has given complete accounts to the government based on the current market rates of rice, wheat, pulses, milk, fruits, vegetables, edible oil, fish, eggs, spices, sugar and LPG cylinders.

When house rent, education and medicine expenses were added to these food expenses, the organization claimed that it has become impossible to support a family in the current salary structure. On the basis of this strong calculation, the organization has made a strong demand of giving 3.833 fitment factor and increasing the minimum wage directly to around Rs 69,000.

AINPSEF also cited inflation, asked for this much salary

In this series, All India NPS Employees Federation (AINPSEF) has also sent its demand letter to the Pay Commission. The Federation also believes that in front of today’s inflation, the current minimum wage is like a drop of cum in a camel’s mouth. He said that according to ICMR rules, a working person needs about 3490 calories to stay healthy and the cost of achieving this nutrition is skyrocketing.

In its calculations, the Federation calculated a base cost of Rs 30,000 by applying the formula of Rs 6000 per unit expenditure and a family of 5 members. After this, when about 58 percent DA was added to it, this figure reached Rs 47,400. Finally, combining the needs of health, children’s education and modern lifestyle, the organization has demanded that the minimum wage should be fixed between Rs 55,000 to Rs 60,000.

Definition of family should change, demand for 5 units instead of 3

Employee organizations have raised another very practical issue. He says that the government’s old ‘3 unit family formula’ (husband, wife and one child) is far away from today’s reality. In today’s time, an employee has the full responsibility of taking care of his spouse and children as well as his old parents. Therefore, while calculating the salary, the family unit should be increased to at least 5.

Overall, this debate on the 8th Pay Commission is no longer limited to just normal salary increment. Now the contest boils down to how much money a government employee’s family actually needs to live with dignity and eat nutritious food in today’s modern India. Now it remains to be seen to what extent the government approves this ‘calorie demand’ of the employees.