WHAT NEXT FOR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES? 7th Pay Commission: No hike in minimum pay, No change in fitment factor and No change in retirement age [Modi’s I Day speech] There was a bitter disappointment in store for fifty lakh Central government employees and an equal number of retirees, who have been waiting for a hike in minimum pay and fitment factor beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. There was lot of speculation that PM Narendra Modi may give some good news in his last Independence Day budget in this term as PM. Many believed that looking at good monsoon and positive economic factors, a positive announcement may come months before the general elections. While PM Modi spoke about how Indian economy will be a powerhouse in next three decades, he didn’t have any news to offer for the government employees. Minister of State for Finance P. Radhakrishnan earlier in Lok Sabha had said that the Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi government is not planning to give any...