The Government has accepted recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission with higher increases than suggested. Finance Minister P Chidambaram has claimed that this additional expenditure will not impact the finances of the Government adversely. India is been downgraded because of anticipated deterioration of the fiscal situation which is already in doldrums because of oil subsidy and loan waiver. Nevertheless it must be admitted that the finances of the Union Government are better today. But can the increase in salaries of Government employees be justified on the grounds of sound fiscal situation?

What is the objective of the economy? For whom do the farmers and workers of this country toil for earning more income for themselves or for making more money available to the Government employees? Salaries of Government employees are already huge. The income of the common man is much less in comparison. The daily wage of an unskilled worker was Rs 100 or less in that year. The salary of Government employees is about 10 times that of common man.

The incomes of Government employees from corruption were about four times their official receipts. The old pucca house in any village most likely belongs to the landlord. The new pucca house almost always is made by some retired Government employee. Jewelers tell that the purchase of gold is mostly being made by Government officers. Property agents in metros tell likewise about purchase of plots and fiats. The whole economy is working like a tornado that is pulling every rupee from the nook and corner and reaching to the pockets of Government employees. The Government is making further increase in salaries of these employees despite such a huge differential already prevailing.

The Government wants to pass on all the benefits of economic growth to the officials if the fiscal situation of the Government is good. The Government is providing 100 days employment at Rs 75-a-day to the common man. This payment should be increased if the fiscal situation of the Government was good. The British rulers of India paid hefty salaries to ICS and police officers who shot bullets at followers of Gandhi. Similarly, the Government is paying huge salaries to Government employees to buy their loyalty in controlling the unrest among the common man. Proof lies in the fact that the Government is increasing expenditures on police to control Naxalite unrest rather than increasing expenditures on providing relief to the disaffected.

The sole objective of the economy is to provide maximum benefits to Government employees. Just as the economy of Nepal was being run to provide money to the royal family; similarly the economy of India is being run to provide salaries to Government employees. As member of the Pay Commission one is beneficiary of the recommendations made by him. Truly, members of Pay Commission should not be appointed from among the officers judicial or non-judicial. They should be appointed from independent persons who will not be benefited from the recommendations.