India, Oct. 29 -- There's good news for nearly 50 lakh central government employees and 69 lakh pensioners, the Centre has formally approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Central Pay Commission, marking the beginning of the next big revision in salaries and pensions.

Headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, the commission will submit its report within 18 months and its recommendations are expected to be implemented from January 1, 2026.

Announcing the decision, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters, "The specific date (of implementation) will be decided once the interim report comes in. But mostly it should be January 1, 2026."

The timing of the announcement, just ahead of t...