8th Pay Commission: Odisha, West Bengal Meetings Scheduled Next

The 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) is in the final stages of formulation. The pay commission set up by the government is to review and revise the pay structures of government employees, and invites associations, unions and other stakeholders to present their views, opinions and suggestions regarding the upcoming pay structure. Currently, the CPC has completed nearly one-third of the timeline set. The process is unfolding steadily as the outcome of the 8th CPC is wide and sensitive, while it also depends on various internal and external matters of the committee.

The 8th CPC has intensified its consultation process by announcing stakeholder meetings in Odisha and West Bengal, among many other cities, as part of its nationwide outreach programme. One of the most significant developments is the Commission’s visit to Bhubaneswar and Odisha on July 6 and July 7, 2026. These meetings, like many others, are aimed at receiving feedback from the central government, institutions, and employee associations for formulating the new draft of the 8th CPC. An official notification issued on May 26, 2026, has invited the eligible organisations, institutions, unions and associations to participate in this interaction with the commission. Stakeholders who wish to participate in this interaction are required to submit their memoranda within the prescribed timeline to be considered for appointments.

As per a report by LiveMint, the commission is most likely to visit Bhubaneswar and Odisha on July 6th and July 7th. The commission is also visiting Kolkata and West Bengal on July 9th and July 10th. Similar to the previous meetings, the stakeholders who wish to participate in this conversation are required to submit their memorandums within the prescribed timeline to be considered for appointments.

The commission has also extended the deadline for submitting memorandums. Stakeholders interested in this meeting had to submit their responses by June 15, 2026. Before the state visits, the Commissions had already scheduled consultations in Lucknow on June 22 and June 23, 2026. These meetings are a part of the commission’s broader effort to conduct nationwide consultations.

What Employees And Pensioners Should Look Out for?

Employee Unions have placed a fresh set of demands for the 8th CPC. They are seeking significant changes to the benefit of career progression, pay structure and even retirement benefits for central government employees and pensioners. The proposals were presented by the representatives of the National Council (Staff Side) of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), with the aim of acknowledging stagnation in service and aligning compensation with rising living costs.

Financial Upgrades

The key demand of the body was the introduction of five assured financial upgrades at regular intervals of six years, during the employees' service years. As per a report by Livemint, employee representatives believe that this would ensure regular financial progression even for those who haven't received a promotion. This proposal is aimed at reducing stagnation and providing financial advancement throughout the career span of the employee.

Annual Increment

Aside from this, the employee body has recommended a proposal of an annual increment from the current 3 per cent of basic pay to 6 per cent. This was argued as it was noted that the current increment rate does not compensate for inflation and rising expenses.

Allowance Increase

As for allowances, the body has proposed a threefold increase in Children's Education Allowance (CEA), House Rent Allowance (HRA) and risk allowance. It was further advised to link these benefits to Dearness Allowance (DA) so that it automatically adjusts with inflation and rising living costs.

Leave and Retirement

The employee body has sought a proposal to increase leave encashment to 600 days from the present 300 days. They have also asked for menstrual leave, parental care leave, and paternity leave for the employees.

In addition, the employee body has highlighted that enough consultation meetings haven't been held, hence, they have requested more such meetings in order to seek more feedback and review them accordingly from various stakeholder bodies.

The Centre has announced these additions to the list of places where the meetings are to be held. The 8th CPC will be visiting these cities to interact with the employee unions, government stakeholders, institutions and associations to gather more feedback and insights into the demands of the employees.