8th Pay Commission to benefit 36 lakh employees, pensioners

On March 19, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the 8th Pay Commission will benefit over 36 lakh central government employees and pensioners. This includes civilian workers and defense personnel, along with their families. Employees are eagerly anticipating a significant increase in their basic pay. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the establishment of the 8th Pay Commission in January, which was also supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sitharaman noted that as of March 1, 2025, there are approximately 36.57 lakh central government employees and 33.91 lakh pensioners. The government is gathering input from several ministries and stakeholders to finalize the Terms of Reference for the commission. The financial impact of the new pay commission will include salary and pension adjustments for inflation. These recommendations will be shared once they are finalized. The commission is formed every ten years, and Sitharaman stated that the government has decided to proceed with it. She added that the timeline for the commission's report will be determined in due course.