8th Pay Commission for pensioners: The 8th Pay Commission is probably going to bring significant transformation for central government employees and pensioners. Nearly 50 lakh employees and 65 lakh pensioners have an impact by it.
It sometimes creates an atmosphere of anxiety and concern as it generates excitement with the expectation of a hike in salary and pension.
Will Pre-2026 Pensioners Be Excluded from the 8th Pay Commission Benefits?
Recent rumors have suggested that pensioners who retire before January 1, 2026, may not be able to draw the benefits of the 8th Pay Commission, creating confusion all around. Speculations were that the government might form the pensioners into two groups – the one retiring before 2026 and the other after.
But, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took away much of the confusion in Rajya Sabha assuring pensioners that no one will be left out. She said that the changes made in the Finance Bill recently were only formal to validate the existing pension rules and were not reducing any benefits.
Equally for All Pensioners
While the 6th Pay Commission had discrepancies, all pensioners will have the same pension benefits according to the 7th Pay Commission with difference regarding the date of retirement. This is what Sitharaman confirmed concerning the 8th Pay Commission as well, as per which all employees and pensioners will be treated fairly and uniformly.
What to Expect from the 8th Pay Commission?
Discussions are still going on regarding the fitment factor. The experts are predicting possible multipliers of 2.00, 2.08, or maybe up to 2.86. So, with approval of 2.00x fitment factor:
- Minimum salary, which could be raised from ₹18,000 to ₹36,000.
- Minimum pension may rise from ₹9,000 to ₹18,000.
However, the government hinted at the fact that the 8th Pay Commission would be beneficial to everyone. Further, action concerning the time for implementation and the final numbers is awaited.