Source : Times of India
The armed forces on Thursday gave just a 14-gun salute, instead of a full-blooded 21-gun salute, to the government for revisions in the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, with officers having more reason to cheer than jawans.
The mood in the officer cadre might turn a tad more cheery if PM Manmohan Singh announces the long-delayed implementation of Phase-II of the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee (AVSC) from the ramparts of Red Fort on Friday morning.
By creating 1,162 additional posts in the upper echelons, including 140 new two and three-star generals, AVSC Phase-II will reduce the "big bulge" formed in the middle ranks after implementation of Phase-I in December 2004, which led to faster promotions to the rank of Lt-Colonel and its equivalents in navy (Commander) and IAF (Wing Commander).
But even if this wish is fulfiled, the Army, Navy and IAF are not exactly jumping with joy over the modified pay commission. One of the major demands that PBOR (personnel below officer rank) get Rs 3,000 per month as "military service pay" (MSP) has been summarily rejected by the government.
The revision has only doubled the MSP for jawans, NCOs (non-commissioned officers) and JCOs (junior commissioned officers) from the Rs 1,000 recommended by the pay commission to Rs 2,000 now.
"This is highly disappointing because PBOR constitute the real backbone of the forces. They have been left high and dry, especially since officers will get Rs 6,000 as MSP. It should have been a graded MSP," said a senior officer. "Jawans feel their officers, especially the Service chiefs, have not taken their case of low MSP, coupled with the paltry increase in their gross salaries, forcefully enough with the government," he added.
The government, on its part, holds that further hiking MSP for PBOR is not feasible because of the sheer numbers involved, with officers numbering just around 53,000 out of the around 13-lakh strong armed forces.
The government's stand that the "anomalies" will be gradually resolved has also failed to cut much ice. "The Fifth Pay Commission gave rise to as many as 36 anomalies which took a decade to resolve," said an officer.
Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, also the chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, however, said: "Even as more details are awaited, prima facie, all the concerns of the defence forces appear to have been suitably addressed.""Increase in MSP of PBOR and compensation for middle-rung officers are particularly heartening. The decision to credit arrears with effect from January 1, 2006, is most welcome," he added.
Well, unlike the jawans, the officer cadre certainly has some reason to celebrate. Apart from the salary hikes, for instance, the middle-rung officers like Colonels and Brigadiers have been placed in the highest pay band of PB-4. "A part of this benefit, however, has been taken away by modifying PB-4 from Rs 39,200-67,000 to Rs 37,400-67,000," said an officer.
The government has also declared that senior Lt-Generals overlooked for promotion to Army commanders due to lack of residual service will now get the grade of Army commander or a secretary's grade
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Bonanza for Army
Thats the hype being heard from all quarters. Firstly let me admit that pay hike is quite good this time, but what is getting under the skin of army officers is that when 4th cpc agreed to give them rank pay, an equal amount was cut from thier basic. Later it was agreed that both would count for DA and seniority. Now however that argument has been set aside again and pay revised based on basic only. A fauji works for honour first and of course for money too, but here when you see civilians with easier jobs getting ahead on both counts it hurts. More than 85% of army officers are in ranks of Lt Col and below. But what is being hyped is Col and Brig. A jawan still gets paid less than an unskilled peon. Even premature retirement requests of officers are being turned down. Why would a capable person want to join this service anymore, specially son/daughter of a Fauji who knows the pain quite well.