We have objections, put pay hike on hold: 3 Service Chiefs again

‘Hike in soldiers’ pay welcome but disparity between our officers, civil servants’

Raising fresh objections to the Sixth Pay panel notification after the Cabinet cleared it on August 14, the three chiefs of the Armed Forces, in an unprecedented move, have written to Defence Minister A K Antony that implementation for officer ranks be “held in abeyance” until their objections are addressed.

Earlier, they had raised two broad objections: higher salary for Personnel Below Officer Ranks (PBORs) and parity with civil servants for officer ranks. While thanking the government for hiking salaries of PBORs, they claim the disparity has only increased between service officers and their civil service counterparts.

Their objections:

•Disparity in Pay Bands: The chiefs claim the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) moved the Director rank into Pay Band 4 but retained Lt. Col and its equivalent in other services in Pay Band 3. Earlier, they claim, a Lt. Col got the same pay as an IAS Director and Rs 800 more than a non-IAS Director. Now he gets Rs 14000 less than an IAS director and Rs 11000 less than a non-IAS director.

•Disparity in Grade Pay: The CoS agreed to their demand to an increase in grade pay across middle-rank officers but also increased the grade pay of civil servants, thereby retaining disparity, the chiefs say. For example, he Pay Commission recommended Rs 6600 for a civil servant equivalent to a Major who was to get Rs 6100. After review, a Major will now get Rs 6600 but his equivalent in the civil service will get Rs 7600.

•Restricting elite list: The new category of HAG-plus (Higher Administrative Grade) includes all DGs and DGPs but only Army Commanders and their equivalents in other services, the chiefs complain. Their demand: all Lt. Gen officers be included in this category. The Defence Ministry is said to have conveyed that the objections are being looked into and a response will be given soon.

Unhappy with pay hike, Army wants review

The military is unhappy with the pay hike cleared recently. And the discontent is so high that over the last couple of days, all three service chiefs have met the Defence Minister to ask for a review.

The cause of worry is the morale of about 25 thousand mid-level officers.

Before the Sixth Pay Commission report, IAS officers equivalent to Majors, Lieutenant Colonels all were on same pay-scale of Rs 15,100.

But after the report, IAS officers will earn Rs 11,000 more as basic pay. Due to this, strong resentment is brewing among Majors, Lt Colonels and equivalent ranks.

Over 25,000 Majors, Lt Colonels and equivalent ranks in three services are considered the forces’ cutting edge.

Earlier, at a pay scale of about Rs 15,000 Majors and Lt Colonels were at par with their IAS counterparts.

Another reason for resentment is the fact that Lt Generals, second only to the Army chief and in-charge of key fighting formations, are paid less than Director Generals.

Lt Gens who command more than 40,000 troops are kept lower than director generals of stationery, printing and equivalent who have no operational role.

Six Pay Commission – New Pay Scales of Defence Forces Officers

The Ministry of Defence has notified the new paybands along with grade-pay and Military Service Pay for Defence Forces Officers following the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission.

(in Rs.)

Post	Pay Band	Grade Pay	Military Service Pay #
Lieutenant / equivalent	15600-39100	5400	6000
Capt / equivalent	15600-39100	6100	6000
Major / equivalent	15600-39100	6600	6000
Lt. Col / equivalent	15600-39100	7600	6000
Colonel/equivalent @	37400-67000	8700	6000
Brigadier/equivalent @	37400-67000	8900	6000
Major Gen/equivalent	37400-67000	10000	Nil*
Lt Gen / equivalent	37400-67000	12000	Nil
Vice Chiefs and Army Cdr / equivalent	80000 (fixed)	Nil	Nil
Service Chiefs	90000 (fixed)	Nil	Nil

#          No arears on account of Military Service Pay shall be payable.

*           The element of Military Service Pay shall be taken on account for purposes of fitment at the time of promotion from Brigadier/equivalent to Major General / equivalent.

@         Colonels and Brigadiers to be placed in the Revised Pay Band IV (Rs. 37400-67000/-)

Anomaly in Reviewed Pay : IAF Chief; Immediate Action Sought

The government must take immediate steps to restore the parity in the pay scales of officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonels and equivalent with their civilian and Coast Guard counterparts who have been awarded more emoluments by the Sixth Pay Commission, says Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major. Major has made the plea in a letter to Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Indian Navy chief, urging him to intervene before the government implements the recommendations made by the pay commission.

“The finance ministry is introducing yet another anomaly by lowering the extant of parities of officers of the armed forces, of the Lt. Col. (and equivalent), by retaining them in pay band-3, while raising similarly placed civilian and paramilitary officers to pay band-4,” Major wrote in the letter sent Monday. A copy of the letter was made available to IANS.

“It is reliably learnt that civilian and paramilitary officers in the extant pay scales S-24 (Rs.14,300-400-18,300) and S-25 (Rs.15,100-400-18,300) will be placed in pay band-4, whereas the same is being denied to the armed forces officers (Lt. Col. and equivalent) who were already in S-25,” Major said.

The IAF chief has pointed that because of this the civilian officers who were in the lower pay bracket (S-24) and were hitherto drawing lesser pay than Lieutenant Colonels and officers of equivalent ranks would now draw a higher basic salary.

At present, the India Army, the Indian Navy and IAF have 11,187, 3,528 and 4,216 officers, respectively, of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent.

“This is not just affecting a Lt. Col. Because of this the pay of Coast Guard’s commandant with 23 years of experience will be equivalent to a Rear Admiral with 30 years of experience,” a senior army official said.

The cabinet Aug 14 cleared the revised recommendations of the pay commission, granting huge hikes to five million government employees, with special attention paid to military and paramilitary personnel.

According to the government, the revision translates into a 20 percent hike over the 40 percent across-the-board increase the pay commission had recommended.

The government promised at least three promotions for defence personnel and civilian employees under the modified assured career progression (ACP) scheme.

Civilians will be assured of promotions after 10, 20 and 30 years of service. Junior and non-commissioned officers and personnel below officer rank (PBOR) will be eligible for this after 8, 16 and 24 years of work.

The Military Service Pay recommended by the pay commission has been doubled to Rs.2,000 for PBORs and retained at Rs.6,000 for officers up to the rank of brigadiers.

Middle level officers – colonels, brigadiers and equivalent – are now placed in the highest pay band of PB-4. Lieutenant generals overlooked for promotion as army commanders due to lack of residual service will get the grade of an army commander.

The report of the Sixth Pay Commission, headed by Justice (retd) B.N. Srikrishna, was submitted to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram March 24.

It led to protests from both civilian and defence personnel, following which the government appointed a committee under Cabinet Secretary K. Chandrashekhar to study the various demands for financial corrections.

The three service chiefs also made a joint representation to Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

Grade Pay for Armed Forces Enhanced

Source : The Tribune

The central government has upwardly revised the grade pay for armed forces officers, but the key question remains whether the enhancement would do away anomalies created by the Sixth Pay Commission (SPC) in the status of military officers vis-à-vis civilian officers.

According to information available with The Tribune, the increase in grade pay for armed forces ranges from Rs 400 per month to Rs 2,000 per month at different levels (see chart). 

 

Sources reveal that though the grade pay for the armed forces has been raised, similar enhancement has also been done for civilian officers, which may not give the former any benefit as far as status is concerned. After the SPC recommendations, grade pay remains the sole determinant of status.

The basic pay scales of the armed forces as well as civilian officers as recommended by the SPC were increased after a review committee put in fresh suggestion. This, however, did not give any edge to armed forces personnel vis-à-vis their status.

To cite an example where the revision has further eroded the status of armed forces officers, lieutenant colonels and equivalents in other services have now been granted a grade pay of Rs 7,600.

The SPC had recommended a grade pay of Rs 6,600 for officers at this rank, while recommending Rs 7,600 for the equivalent non-IAS directors of central government and Rs 8,300 for ones from the IAS cadre.

The Army had accordingly sought a raise of grade pay for lieutenant colonels to at least Rs 7,600 since traditionally Lieutenant-Colonels(Lt- Col) had been enjoying a pay more than even directors from the IAS cadre.

Moreover, the time frame for promotion to Lt-Col and director was the same, thatis, 13 years. However, while acceding to the demand of raising the grade pay of Lieutenant Colonels to Rs 7,600, the government has, on the other hand raised the grade pay of directors to Rs 8,700 resulting in the same anomalous situation prevailing prior to the revision.

Though complete details are yet to filter down, officers fear that the same situation may crop up at other ranks. The services are expected to take up the issue with the central government.

While the arrears for the salary will be paid with effect from January 1, 2006, revised applicable allowances will be admissible from September 1, 2008.