In yet another move aimed at earning some goodwill before the general elections, the UPA Government on Tuesday approved the composition of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, paving the way for revision of salaries of over 50 lakh Central government employees, including the Railways and Defence. The panel will also revise the remuneration for 30 lakh pensioners.

The Commission will be headed by former Supreme Court Judge Ashok Kumar Mathur. The other members of the panel are Petroleum Secretary Vivek Rae (full-time member), National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Director Rathin Roy (part-time member) and Officer on Special Duty in the Expenditure Department Meena Agarwal (Secretary), a Finance Ministry release said here on Tuesday.

The Commission has been mandated to submit its report in two years’ time and its recommendations would be implemented from January 1, 2016, sources said.

The announcement comes ahead of the model code of conduct which is likely to come into force once the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May, are notified.

Incidentally, a majority of railway workers recently voted in favour of a strike in March, protesting against the new pension scheme and demanding filling up of vacancies as well as salary revision among other things.

The setting up of the Seventh Pay Commission was approved in September 2013 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations were implemented with effect from January 1, 2006.

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