Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Defence Federation Proposes ₹72,000 Minimum Pay Under 8th CPC
A defence employees’ group has suggested a much higher starting salary for central government workers.
It wants the minimum monthly pay to rise from ₹18,000 to ₹72,000.
This proposal is for the 8th Central Pay Commission.
The group used national income growth to help calculate the increase.
It also said salary calculations should consider a family of five people instead of three.
This includes the employee, spouse, children and dependent parents.
The full calculation reached about ₹88,524 per month.
The group chose ₹72,000 because it considered that amount more affordable for the government while still helping workers cope with inflation.
The Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh proposed ₹72,000 as the minimum monthly pay under the 8th Central Pay Commission.
The proposal would raise the current 7th CPC minimum pay of ₹18,000 by 300%, using a four-times fitment factor.
Its calculation linked pay growth to an 86.76% rise in per-capita net national income between 2016-17 and 2024-25.
The federation proposed increasing the assumed family size from three units to five, including dependent parents.
Although its formula produced ₹88,524.24, BPMS recommended ₹72,000 as a more fiscally moderate figure.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS), circulated by General Secretary Rabindra Kr Mishra.
- What
- A draft proposal recommending ₹72,000 as the minimum monthly pay and a four-times fitment factor under the 8th Central Pay Commission.
- When
- The draft was floated and circulated on 16 April; its calculation uses income data from 2016-17 to 2024-25.
- Where
- The proposal concerns central government employees in India.
- Why
- BPMS said pay should reflect national income growth, a five-member family structure and inflation relief while remaining fiscally sustainable.
- Current minimum pay
- ₹18,000 under the 7th Central Pay Commission.
- Proposed minimum pay
- ₹72,000 per month under the 8th Central Pay Commission.
- Proposed fitment factor
- Four times the existing minimum pay.
- Per-capita net national income
- Rose from ₹1,03,219 in 2016-17 to ₹1,92,774 in 2024-25, an increase of approximately 86.76%.
- Initial calculation
- ₹18,000 basic pay plus 58% dearness allowance produced ₹28,440; applying the income-growth increase resulted in ₹53,114.54.
- Family-unit calculation
- Using five units instead of three raised the calculated amount to ₹88,524.24.
- Recommended calibrated amount
- BPMS proposed ₹72,000 instead of the full calculated figure to limit pressure on government finances.