One look at the report and it seems like a darn nice B-school exercise. Another look at the 6th Pay Commission Report and you can fathom so many fundamental and basic mistakes in the report while dealing with the armed forces that you wonder how the future pay and allowances of the forces were dealt with a panel so ill-informed, not just about the conditions in which the services perform, but also about the existing pay and pensionary benefits. Three examples :-
1. Chapter 2.3, Page 73 onwards : - The 6th CPC has articulated equivalence tables as established by the earlier pay commissions. Now this is a self created imaginary interpretation of the Sixth Pay Commission. The earlier pay commissions never established or put forth any such equivalence or relativity. In fact, the rough equivalence established by the 5th CPC is as below :-
CIVIL GRADE / STARTING PAY / MILITARY RANK / MILITARY STARTING PAY INCL RANK PAY
1. Chapter 2.3, Page 73 onwards : - The 6th CPC has articulated equivalence tables as established by the earlier pay commissions. Now this is a self created imaginary interpretation of the Sixth Pay Commission. The earlier pay commissions never established or put forth any such equivalence or relativity. In fact, the rough equivalence established by the 5th CPC is as below :-
CIVIL GRADE / STARTING PAY / MILITARY RANK / MILITARY STARTING PAY INCL RANK PAY
Junior Time Scale / 8000 / Lieut / 8250
Senior Time Scale / 10000 / Capt / 10000
(Under Secy to Govt of India)
Junior Adm Grade / 12000 / Major / 12800
(Dy Secy to GoI)
Non Functional / 14300 / Lt Col / 15100
Selection Grade
(Director GoI)
DIG (Unique to IPS) / 16400 / Colonel / 17100
2. Chapter 5.1, Page 349 onwards :- While dealing with the demand for grant of disability pension to voluntary retirees, the 6th CPC has stated that defence personnel who are retimed in service despite disability are granted a ‘disability lumpsum compensation in lieu of disability pension’ and hence if on voluntary retirement the disability pension is also released, it would amount to double benefit for the same disability. The 6th CPC then goes on to recommend that Yes, disability pension needs to be provided to voluntary retirees but only if such individuals choose to forgo the lumpsum compensation. The above observation of the commission is absolutely incorrect since disability lumpsum compensation is not provided to all individuals on getting disabled, it is optional. As it is, a person who opts for disability lumpsum compensation is not eligible for disability pensionary benefits on retirement as per existing rules. Hence the entire commentary of the commission in this respect justifying the earlier bar on disability pension on voluntary retirement on the pretext of avoidance of double benefit, is redundant and makes no sense. Also it seems that it was unknown to the commission that even this disability lumpsum compensation is taken back by the govt on voluntary retirement as per existing rules, an issue which needs to be addressed. Bar on disability pension on voluntary retirement has already been held to be ‘bad in law’ by Hon’ble Courts.
3. Chapter 5.1 (sub para 68) on Page 349 :- The Pay Commission has rejected the demand of the Armed Forces that disability pension should be released even to soldiers, sailors and airmen with less than 20% disability. The Commission has opined that a disability below 20% cannot be treated as a disability and the existing provisions need to be retained. With all due respect, the 6th CPC has failed to appreciate that in the civil services, there is no bar on disability pension to employees suffering a disability below 20%. In fact, a person suffering even 1% disability in the civil services is entitled to a disability element by taking his disability as 50%. Hence in the opinion of the commission, below 20% disability is ‘no disability’ for armed forces personnel but for civilians, even 1% disability is a disability deserving the release of disability pension.
4 comments:
Would it be possible for someone to take the Government to court for the folowing issues:-
1. discrimination in disability pension vis a vis civilians.
2. discrimination due to non grant of one rank one pension when such a provision already exists for MPs etc.
Yes to first, No to second.
Navdeep
CommanderKumar said:-
KALIDAS AND ARMED FORCES PAY CELLS
1. Defence Services Pay Cell recently gave a presentation to Cabinet Secretary on “Anomalies in VI Central Pay Commission Report”. The contents of the presentation prove that Faujis are busy in saying ‘Yes Sir” and their brains are definitely below their knees. Kalidas was spotted as the biggest fool in the ancient times as he was seen cutting the same tree branch on which he was sitting. Service officers also appear to be no different and keeping the great culture of this country continuing by seriously damaging their status, “aan and shaan”, pay and allowances. They always ask for peanuts, perhaps they enjoy this with the two pegs of Rum. And finally when they get peanuts, they criticize Govt., the I.A.S. lobby for their woes. No wonder the SSBs select the most un(intelligent) officers for defence and the canteen facility of providing subsidized liquor further numbs their thinking power. Again no wonder, the successive pay commissions have always reduced the status, pay and allowances but never the facility of subsidized liquor. Do you want to know the answer to the riddle? Then read below:-
2. Military Service Pay(MSP): In the presentation, surprisingly the hike in MSP for officers has not been asked. A Lieutenant at the start of payscale (Rs 15600+ Rs 5400 grade pay) will get a MSP of Rs 6000 which works out to be 28% of the pay. A Brigadier at the top of payscale (Rs 39100+Rs 8400 grade pay) will also get the same MSP of Rs 6000 which works out to be just 12%. Thus a defence officer while growing in rank and service will be progressively getting lower and lower MSP. MSP is supposed to cater to peculiar tough conditions of defence service. What a logic! As commitments ( family, children and their education) of an individuals increase in life, reduce his pay by giving him lesser and lesser MSP.
MSP should be not Rs 6000 for officers and Rs 3000 for PBORs. MSP should be 30% of total pay for all ranks of both officers and PBORs. Why leave officers above Brigadier! O.K., give officers above Brig a MSP of 20% since they get more perks and often sit in Headquarters/Air-Conditioned Offices.
3. Arrears of MSP Pay Commission has recommended Nil arrears for MSP since it wll not be given from 1.1.2006 but will be given from the day the Govt. accepts the recommendations. This is absurd. Were defence officers not military officers on 1.1 2006? If they were military officers, then the MSP arrears should be given from 1.1.2006.
4. Allowances: Services Pay Cell has asked for increasing the risk allowances like Saichen, Flying, Submarine, Sea-giing, MARCOS etc. by 4.5 times and CI (Ops) by 5.5 times.. Why leave other allowances!
All defence service allowances (High Altitude, Gallantry, Technical Pay etc.) should be increased by 5.5 times for both the officers and the PBORs.
Caution!
Have we forgotten what havoc the indisciplined engineers and the technicians of the Air Force played when the flying pay was increased from Rs 1200 to Rs 7000 and technical pay was just doubled from Rs 375 to Rs750? Do we want to again disturb and destroy the brotherhood among different branches and their established relativities in the armed forces by asking hike for only certain allowances for certain branches only and ignoring others and the PBORs?
Clever Game Played by Pay Commission
(a) All allowances will be paid prospectively i.e. from the date the Govt. accepts the recommendations.
(b) As on 1.1.2008, on Basic Pay of Rs 100, Dearness Pay(DP) of Rs 50 and Dearness Allowance(DA) of Rs71 is given. Thus pay of Rs 100 recommended by the previous pay commission w.e.f. 1.1.1996 is today equivalent to Rs 221. This has been done to cater to inflation.
(c) But Pay Commission has recommended all allowances to be doubled not even 2.21 times. Thus Pay Commission has actually reduced all allowances in real terms by almost 10%. Ever heard of a Pay Commission which actually reduces the allowances of the employees! Thanks to our great Prime Minister and Finance Minister who are both great Economists. And thanks to the great justice done by (In)Justice B.N. Srikrishna. This time you have done equal (in)justice to both the civilians as well as the defence personnel. Now at least defence personnel should not crib that they have been left out or ignored.
5. Grade Pay: The services pay cell has asked for enhancement of grade pay of Lt Col from Rs 6600 to Rs7600. They should have asked for Rs 8300 grade pay for Lt Col. Why? The pay of Lt Col is Rs15100-400-18700. The almost similar pay scale on the civil side is S-25 scale i.e. Rs 15100-400-18300 given to the IAS officers after 12-14 years of service (including training period). Lt Col rank is also granted after 14 years of service (including I year part of pre-commissioning training). The officers in the S-25 payscale have been given grade pay of Rs 8300. Therefore all Lt Cols should also be given Rs8300 as grade pay.
A Major has a payscale of Rs 12800-16050. The nearest equivalent civilian payscale is S-22 i.e Rs 12750-16500. The civilians in this payscale have been given grade pay of Rs 7500. But Majors have been given grade pay of Rs 6100. Services Pay Cell has asked for a grade pay of Rs 6600 for the Majors. What a foolish thing! Majors should be given a grade pay of Rs 7500 and not Rs6100.
How many young Majors and I.A.S officers died in the Kargil War? Who is keeping India integrated? A young Major on the tiger hill or the babu with big bloated stomach and paan in his dirty mouth while sitting in the air conditioned office in New Delhi serving the equally filthy minister? India should not be so ungrateful to young Majors. At least grade pay of Rs 7500 instead of Rs 6100 can definitely be given.
Going by the similar logic, Grade Pay of Captain should be Rs 6100 instead of Rs5700. Services Pay Cell has asked accordingly. Thank God!
After the third pay commission the starting pay of Lieutenant was Rs 830 compared to Rs 700 for an I.A.S officer. After the fourth pay commission, the starting pay of Rs 2500 was given to Lieutenant compared to Rs2200 given to an I.A.S officer. This edge was negated by the fifth pay commission by giving Rs 8250 as starting pay to Lieutenant compared to Rs 8000 given to an I.A.S officer. The I.A.S officer after 1 year of training got Rs 8275 whereas the Lieutenant got Rs 8250 after 1 year of training.
Keeping the edge in the starting pay of Lieutenant as accepted by the Govt. in the past (III and IV Pay commission), the grade pay of Rs5400 given to the Lieutenant is absurd since the same grade pay has been given to the civilians who are presently having starting payscale of Rs 8000. The grade pay of Lieutenant should be placed between Rs 5400 and the next rate of grade pay i.e. Rs 6100. Thus Lieutenant should be given grade pay of Rs 5700 and not Rs5400. How come the Services pay Cell has not asked for enhancement of the grade pay of Lieutenants!
A Colonel has a payscale of Rs 17100-19350. The equivalent civilian payscale is that of Rs16400-20000 i.e. S-26 scale. S-26 scale is given to a D.I.G after 15 years of service. In Army, an officer picks up the rank of Colonel after 18-26 years of service. The civilians in the S-26 payscale have been given grade pay of Rs 8400 whereas Colonels have been given Rs 7600 as the grade pay. A grade pay of Rs 8400 instead of Rs7600 should be given to Colonels. Services pay cell has asked for grade pay of Rs 8300 for Cols by some absurd logic.
A Brigadier has a payscale of Rs 19100-20450. There is no equivalent payscale on the civilian side. The starting pay of Brigadier is more than that of Joint Secretary who has a payscale of Rs18400-22400. The Pay Commission has given Joint Secretary grade pay of of Rs 9000. Joint Secretary rank is picked up by an I.A.S officer after 17 years of service. Whereas a Brigadier rank is given in the Army after at least 27 years of services. Thus the grade pay of a Brigadier should be higher than the grade pay of a joint Secretary. It should be between the grade pays of Joint Secretary and next higher rank of Additional Secretary (Grade pay of Rs 11000). Hence a Brigadier should be given grade pay of Rs 10000 and not Rs 8400. But the Defence Services pay cell has asked for grade pay of Rs 8900 only.
A Major General’s starting salary is fixed at minimum of Rs 19900, Rs20400, Rs 20900 and Rs 21400 (after serving as Brigadier for 1,2,3,4 years respectively) in the payscale of Rs 18400-22400. A civilian officer with starting pay of Rs 18400 has been given grade pay of Rs 9000 and so has been the Major General who has a higher starting pay as well as much higher service of 33 years compared to a Joint Secretary having just 17 years of service. Therefore grade pay of a Major General should be fixed between that of Joint Secretary and Additional Secy and also above that of a Brigadier. Hence a grade pay of Rs 10500 and not Rs 9000 should be given to a Major General. Surprisingly the Defence Pay Cell has not asked for enhancement of the grade pay of a Major General.
Previous Pay Commissions upgraded DG’s of BSF, CRPF and of smaller states to Rs 26000 (fixed) scale. This lowered the pay and status of Lt Gens (except Army Commanders) who were left in the scale of Rs22400-24500 only. Many other civilian posts in the pay scale of Lt Gen have been upgraded to the scale of Rs24050-26000 and given the grade pay of Rs13000. But Lt Gens have been denied the grade pay of Rs 13000 and instead lowered in status by giving grade pay of just Rs11000. Hence Lt Gens should also be given grade pay of Rs 13000.
6. The Ultimate Reality and the Gross injustice
As per para 3.3.12, page 174 of the Pay Commission report:
‘whenever any IAS officer of a particular batch is posted in the Centre to a particular grade carrying a specific grade pay in pay bands PB-3 or PB-4, grant of higher pay scale on non functional basis to the officers belonging to batches of organised Group A services that are senior by two years or more should be given by the Govt’
This means that if an I.A.S officer picks up a rank of Joint Secretary at the Centre after 17 years of service, then all Group ‘A’ officers posted at the Centre would be given the pay scale of a Joint Secretary after 19 years.
Govt. of India has passed a notification early this year (2008) according to which now an I.A.S officer can pick up the ranko Joint Secy after 14 years.
Thus all Group’A’ officers posted at the Centre will get a PB-4 payscale of Rs 39200-67000 + grade pay of Rs 11000 after 16 years.
However defence officers would continue to be in the PB-3 payscale of Rs 15600-39100 + max grade pay of Rs8400 till 32 years of service. 94 % of officers will retire in this payscale since only 6% will pick up Major General or higher ranks.
Logical Conclusion
All defence officers should be placed in the PB-4 pay scale of Rs 39200-67000 + grade pay of Rs 11000 at least after 14 years so as to have parity with I.A.S and if not so, then at least after16 years of service so as to have parity wth lesser cousions of the I.A.S i.e the group’A’ services.
7. The Final Solution
If the above recommendations are not accepted, let Deepak Kapur and the other two service chiefs resign. This will be a homage to the souls of armed forces martyrs who sacrificed their lives for this country. Let Deepak and his other two fellows resign for the honour and integrity of the country, the great India.
8. The Great impending Danger
If the India gives peanuts to armed forces, soon the monkeys will infest the services and the country’s zoos will be empty. No brave young men will join defence services and country will once again be a slave for future centuries.
Wake up country men whether you are civilians or faujis and save this country from future slavery. Otherwise, you will repent later. Do not be another Kalidas of Kalyug. Do not cut the armed forces the branch of the tree , the great Mother India.
there is complete lack of awareness about the problems of service personnel. our political parties in general and congress party in particular have only one aim to stay in power by creating vote bank . as defence personnel do not constitute a vote bank the govt is not bothered about defence personnel .to create awareness in general public exservicemen in particular war widows and disabled defence personnel who are retired should explain their genuine problems to the press. exservicemen should try to create awareness by communicating their problems by every means(mail / e mail /phone etc )to political leaders of every party starting from sonia gandhi to max no of ministers / mp / all news papers .
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