By Bernama,
New Delhi : A hefty pay hike of 20 percent and even above appears to be in the offing for armed forces personnel in the proposals likely to be firmed up Thursday in a crucial meeting of the tri-services chiefs with the empowered group of secretaries, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
The meeting, which is likely to be attended by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, is being held in the background of reported dissatisfaction among the services over the recommendations made by the Sixth Pay Commission.
This will be the last meeting between the armed forces chiefs and the empowered group set up by the government after Army, Navy and Air Force raised objections over the anomalies in the pay commission report.
Under the proposals, the ordinary jawans (soldiers) and all personnel below officer rank may be given a hike of up to 40 percent over and above the eight percent hike recommended by the commission. This would come in the shape of raising the military service pay to Rs 3,000 against the recommended Rs 1,000.(RM1 = Rs13.0914).
The mid-level officers could expect a raise of 30 percent, while those in the ranks of Brigadiers and above and equivalent posts in the Navy and Air Force could get a 20 percent hike, if the proposals submitted by the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta are accepted.
“A quantum jump is sure to be there,” senior defence ministry officials said, as the government wants to check any officer exodus from the armed forces and also attract new talent to the services.
After the meeting, the empowered group of secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, are expected to submit their proposals to the Cabinet, which would announce its decision on implementing the pay commission recommendations.
Besides, these hikes the services personnel are also likely to receive more remunerative allowances for hardship duties, clothing, and personal maintenance.
Other demands raised by the three services include giving arrears of the military service pay from January 1, 2006, which the pay commission had earlier turned down, grade pay in parity with the civil services, and rectification of pay band anomalies.
As part of the bonanza, the government is also expected to decide on creation of about 4,000 more posts of Army Generals, Brigadiers and Colonels and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force to address the issue of resentment due to stagnation in the forces under the Phase II of the A.V. Singh Committee report on cadre restructuring.
The Defence Ministry has already submitted a Cabinet approval note on the issue after working out a compromise formula agreed to by the three services.
Besides creating more posts of generals, the new formula lays down more promotion avenues for officers of the ranks of Brigadiers and Colonels, and their equivalent in the Navy and Air Force.
With the number of applications for premature retirement from mid-rung officers from the services touching the 1,000 mark this year, a quicker decision on implementing the two decision on pay and promotions is likely, as a measure to stem the exodus.