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1. Lt. Col. K L Jaspal Says:
   April 8th, 2008 at 10:02 pm

   THE OBSERVATIONS ON THE 6TH PAY COMMISSION REPORT.
   The observations given here under are the barest minimum. In fact, such observations should be circulated through internet and media and more observations should be directly invited from the defense services officers, retired ones, luminaries, eligible candidates and public. Also, it should be frequently investigated by the public, the Govt. as well as various agencies as to why the real talent is not coming forward to join defense services, rather than going for IAS and private services.
   There is lot to be done for the defense services and retired soldiers. It is most important for the Govt., the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Finance Minister, the entire Cabinet of Minister, Parliamentarians and all politicians to ponder over the matter and take immediate steps in the matter. It is rather in the best interest of the nation and its security to give better deal to the defense officers in comparison to any other civil services to attract the real talent thereby assist in making up huge deficiency of officers. Also, the morale of all the services will be high if their and their families present future is full secures.
   1. Giving increments at the rate of 2.5% is much less than what was recommended and given by earlier Pay Commissions and Govt. If at all, it is to be given on the percentage basis it must be minimum 5%.
   2. Recommending variable increments to the officers is absolutely uncalled for. Rather, it is going to be very difficult to decide to whom to give and to whom not to give this type of variable increment. Such a system must not be thought of for such senior officers who fall in the category of PB3. In fact it seems that such senior officers are not putting their best efforts in discharging their duties, rather, they are doubted to be shirkers. Further, this system will give a handle to the authorities to do favouritism to some and may result in heart burning to others who are not given this type of increment.
   3. The wide disparity exists between civil services officers and defense services officers. In fact, it is due to this disparity as well as, due to precarious, rough, tough, hard, grueling, arduous, ruthless, strenuous, severe, brutal, vigorous, rigorous, exhausting, backbreaking, troublesome, horrifying, scary, petrifying, risky, terrifying, frightening, harsh, perilous, death-defying, dangerous, hard-hitting, insecure, hazardous, treacherous, terrorizing, and unsafe service conditions, because of which the real talents do not come forward and the present huge deficiency which is prevailing since decades, will never be made up. This disparity can only be removed by giving the higher pay to defense officers commensurately to their service conditions.
   4. It may be seen that initially, an IAS officer and Defense service officer start on equal footings so far their salary is concerned. But after a year or two, an IAS officer is promoted to the post of under secretary which is equivalent to the rank of a Major or equivalent ranks in other wings of defense forces; where as, the officers in defense services attain the rank of a major after seven years. As such, a wide gap is created in the salary of an under secretary and an officer of the rank of major and equivalent ranks in the defense forces. Due to quick promotions for all the civil services officers and inordinately delayed promotions in defense services, this disparity keep increasing and persists till the rank of Brigadier/Major General.
   5. It may be well understood that all the facts of unfavourable service conditions as brought out at item 3 above and pay and perks what the defense officers get are well known to the public and eligible candidates, because of which just a few ones are attracted towards defense services. It is because these reasons, a huge deficiency of officers has been existing in all the wings of defense services since decades. It is still high time that the Govt. must find some way out to eliminate this disparity at least in giving better and attractive pay and perks to the defense services officers. Rather, the defense services officers must be paid commensurate to their job and their miserable service conditions. If the requirement is looked into adequately, this will prove in the best interest of the nation and its security. The only way out to solve the problem of huge deficiency of officers is to give suitably and adequately better edge to them that will attract the talent.
   6. Recommending Military Service Pay is one of the measures to remove the disparity. However, giving the single/fixed Military Service Pay (MSP) from Lt. to Brigadier is absolutely uncalled for. It is not understood, how the Chairman of the commission who has occupied a top judicial chair in his service could recommend the same MSP for the junior most officer and the most senior officer. Presumably the commission could not seem to have appreciated the factual requirement due to the fact that there was no service officer as a member of the commission to advise them on the matter.
   7. Even otherwise, Rs. 6000/- giving MSP is too meager and negligible even for the officers of the rank of Lt. The minimum MSP for the Lt should be Rs. 12000/-. And for brigadier, it must be Rs. 22000/-. There should be an increase of Rs. 2000/- for each higher rank from Lt to Brigadier.
   8. The MSP must be paid with effect from the date of implementation of the Pay Commission report as is being done in the cases of all other allowances.
   9. The MSP must be included for giving increments and also the MSP should be increased periodically.
   10. The DA should be entitled on all the allowances or all the allowances should be automatically doubled after every five years.
   11. The lateral shifting of defense personnel should be permissible for all officers and PBOR, irrespective of type of entry/commissioning in service and minimum/maximum service. This is more important for the officers who cease to get further promotions. However, the lateral shifting should be optional.
   12. Low Medical category officers and PBOR should be permitted for lateral shifting, but it should be optional.
   13. The lateral shifting should be permitted in all civil services including IAS, IPS or any others services including Judiciary, provided required qualifications for the posts are met.
   14. The defense officers are given just three chances for getting selection grade promotions which is a great injustice to them. Rather, they should be considered for promotions as is being done in case of civil services officers. Alternatively, they should be latterly shifted if it is so opted by them.
   15. As per present price index, the kit maintenance allowance of present Rs. 7000/- for defense services officers is recommended to be doubled i.e. 14000/-, which is most insufficient. The defense officers since do not air their voice, they are being befooled by neglecting them in this manner. Will the Pay Commission or the Govt. answer “Does the price index get doubled in ten years?” If it is not so, why justice is not being met to the defense officers? The initial cost of all the items of uniforms as on date is not less than Rs. 70000/-. However, if the Govt. cannot afford to give Rs. 70000/-, it must not be less than Rs. 50000/-. Further, most of the items of uniform have to be replaced after 6 months to one year. Hence, the renewal grant should be raised minimum to Rs. 25000/- after every three years.
   16. It is mentioned that there are large number of uniform items of officers, which are required to be maintained to keep a very high standard by the soldiers. The Pay Commission has recommended to double the monthly kit maintenance allowance of officers, which presently is Rs. 200/- only. This allowance too is meager. The monthly kit maintenance allowance should be minimum Rs. 1000/-
   17. Likewise as explained above, doubling of all allowances after ten years is highly illogical. The allowances should be increased commensurate to the price index in ten years. Rather, all the allowances should be increased periodically/more frequently.
   18. The period of training of defense services officers and PBOR is not counted for their pay, allowances, promotion, pension or any other purposes, where as in the case of all the civil services officers and other employees of Central Govt. as well State Govt. too do the training but entire period of their training is being counted for their pay, allowances, pension, seniority for promotion, and all other purposes. This too is a disparity and discrimination. The seniority of the defense services officers and PBOR should be accounted for from the day they join the service and full pay and allowances as well other facilities should be paid/provided to them as is being done in the case of all the civil services employees.
   19. Some posts should be reserved for defense officers and PBOR for lateral shifting in state govt. services too.
   20. There should be no restriction to travel by govt. agencies nor any permission to travel by any such agency be made mandatory in all cases, especially when the defense personnel have to travel during their transfers/postings, temporary duties, courses or leave. However, if any one travels by any mode other than the govt. agency, including, air, rail, road; he should be permitted to claim the re-imbursement as per the fare of his entitlement of the mode or actual expenditure incurred, whatever is less.
   21. Fitment formula for fixation of pay and pension of all the defense personnel should be minimum 60% after adding DP, and DA in the existing basic pay as on the date of implementation of the Pay Commission report for all employees which will assist in removing the disparity up to some extent.
   22. The disability pension must be given irrespective of percentage of the disability, only if the disability is attributable to military service.
   23. In case of low medical category, all defense services officers and PBOR should be considered for all promotions. In case, this suggestion cannot be accepted, all the effected personnel should be laterally shifted, but only if it is so opted by them.
   24. All defense personnel be considered for foreign postings even in case any eligible officers or PBOR are placed in low medical category if the disability due to low medical category is less than 50%.
   25. The higher rate of pension should be given to all the defense services personnel starting from the age of 65 years and be enhanced after an interval of every five years. The present recommendations starting higher rate of pension after 80 years is just befooling the people since there are just few handful lucky ones who survive till the age of 80 or thereafter. It should be understood that the health problems normally start increasing year after year from 65 years onwards. However, the rate of initial enhancement at the age of 65, 70 and 75 years may start at the rate of 5% keep increasing at each interval of five years at the rate of 5%. The rate of increase of pension starting from the age of 80 years should be 10% and further enhancement should keep increasing at an additional 10% at the interval of each five years.
   26. The subsidy on house building advances recommended by the Pay Commission is too meager, rather it is negligible. It should be minimum 5% of interest rate to encourage the employees to construct their own houses. This will relieve the burden of the Govt. to construct the houses for its employees and further keep incurring expenditure on their maintenance. Also, life of such houses keeps decreasing because of depletion of constructional material and maintenance cost of the houses keeps increasing. Even otherwise, the Govt. on an average has to spend almost Rs. 2500000/- to 7000000/- for construction of the houses for various categories of its employees. If one calculates cost of construction, interest there upon, and maintenance of the houses, it will be colossal. In case the subsidy of 5% of interest rate is given for house building advances, it still will be most economical to the state and encourage maximum employees to build their own houses.
   27. Further, to encourage the employees to construct their own houses, the Govt. in addition to giving higher subsidy in interest rate, it should give additional 10% HRA to its employees for all stations especially for those who live in their own houses. Such measures will solve the house problems of Govt. employees which is the biggest one after their retirement.

   K L Jaspal

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