7th Pay Commission: On this big point, cop challenges 7th CPC recommendation

7th Pay Commission: The tribunal will hear the case on May 21, taking into account the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission, which reportedly asked the government to abolish Family Planning Allowance, as awareness regarding small family has gone up.

The 7th Pay Commission has recommended allowance be abolished, which was duly done from July 1, 2017. Image source: Reuters

7th Pay Commission: Protesting against the recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission, which recommended abolition of the Family Planning Allowance, a Delhi Police constable, Babu Lal Mitharwal, who had undergone a vasectomy, dragged the central government to court for abruptly abolishing this allowance, which is given to government employees who opted for the population control procedure. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) therefore, issued a notice to the Centre and the Delhi Police on his plea. The 7th Pay Commission has recommended allowance be abolished, which was duly done from July 1, 2017. Reason behind move was that it was no more needed as the level of awareness regarding a small family has gone up, The Hindu reported.

Babu Lal Mitharwal, who is currently posted with the 3rd Battalion of Delhi Armed Police (DAP) unit of the Delhi Police, contended that he had undergone a permanent change in his body to avail benefits of the scheme, and that the government cannot stop the benefit midway. He also sought to quash the July 2017 notification of the Finance Ministry, which abolished the Family Planning Allowance to the extent that they apply to existing central government employees who are already drawing a monthly allowance in lieu of sterilisation.

Representing Mitharwal, Advocate Gyanant Kumar Singh pleaded that the scheme had commenced in 1979 with the aim to give incentive, in the form of Personal Pay every month for the entire service, to those who would undergo sterilisation after having two or three children to promote small families.

Mitharwal reportedly joined the Delhi Police as constable in 2003 and opted for vasectomy operation in 2011 after having two children. He was granted a Family Planning Allowance of Rs 210 per month under the heading Personal Pay in his salary since then.

The advocate, therefore, submitted before the court that the allowance was granted in lieu of sterilisation and was neither a one-time payment nor a monthly payment for any fixed number of years, but it was for entire tenure of service.

The tribunal will hear the case on May 21, taking into account the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission, which reportedly asked the government to abolish Family Planning Allowance, as awareness regarding small family has gone up.