By IANS
New Delhi : The Sixth Pay Commission has recommended a fixed monthly salary of Rs.90,000 for the heads of the army, navy and air force, while suggesting huge across-the-board benefits for armed forces personnel.
In its report submitted to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday, the commission has suggested that the minimum salary at the entry level be Rs.6,600 – Rs.4,860 being the pay in the pay band and Rs.1,800 as grade pay.
Judge B.N. Srikrishna headed the three-member panel that was established in October 2006 and was given 18 months to submit its report – a target it met.
The report will now go to the cabinet for its consideration.
The defence forces have also been given running pay bands and grade pay on par with those recommended for civilians.
In addition, Rs.6,000 per month has been recommended as military service pay for all defence personnel till the rank of brigadier and equivalent. For Military Nursing Service personnel, the service pay will be Rs.4,200 per month, while personnel below officer rank (PBOR) will get Rs.1,300 per month.
The panel has suggested that the existing rates of allowances be doubled in the case of both defence personnel and civilians.
It says that the encashment of earned leave by defence personnel should be de-linked from the number of years of service and that all defence personnel should be eligible for encashment of up to 300 days at the time of retirement or discharge.
The panel has also suggested the lateral movement of defence personnel – short service commission officers and PBORs – in the central police organisation and central paramilitary forces.