Just days after the institution of the fifth Pay Commission, a document about the clean wage system has been circulating on social media. The document is a proposal for the clean wage system supposedly by the Finance Ministry and is dated April 2022. BBS tried to check the authenticity of the document with the Finance ministry but the ministry refused to verify the document.
The document contains the objective to replace all public servants’ pay packages with one that is based on a clean wage system. As per the document, the current pay system has numerous allowances, a lack of transparency, and corrupt practices among others.
The document states that agencies organise workshops and meetings mainly to claim allowances. As per the document, participants claim daily allowances even if they drive to the venue in the morning and return home in the evenings.
It also states that some carpool to the venue and yet claim individual vehicle mileage. Some also claim TA/DA for additional days of travel when meetings and workshops are organised in another district. The document also talks about table tours and government drivers colluding with workshops.
The document says the clean wage system can enhance accountability and transparency and drive systematic accountability by differentiating the good performers and the under performers.
It proposes removing allowances that have a negative effect on the efficiency and efficacy of a public servant and incorporating some. It states that only a handful of allowances will be retained.
BBS contacted the Pay Commission but they said the document is not authorised and that most of the information in it is not true. They said the Commission will be giving an update on the pay revision next week.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
