7th Pay Commission Anomalies Committee should take into account views of defence personnel & Ex-Servicemen: HC
Military men will have their say on 7th Pay Commission
On Wednesday, the Punjab & Haryana HC issued notice to the Central govt, directs the Anomalies Committee to take the views of defence personnel.
All central government employees have the right to represent and air grievances against the awards of the 7th Central Pay Commission (7th CPC) to an “Anomalies Committee” set up for this purpose — all except the military, which ironically constitutes the bulk of central government employees and pensioners.
Now servicemen, in uniform and retired, will have their say too. On Wednesday, the Punjab & Haryana High Court issued notice to the Central government, directed the Anomalies Committee to take into account views of defence personnel.
Ruling on a petition by a serving officer, Colonel Preetpal Singh Grewal, the High Court notice could go some way in easing the vitiated civil-military relationship, and the trust deficit between civil servants and the military.
The 7th CPC recommendations, which were handed over to the government in last November, aroused bitter resentment within the military. On March 11, the three service chiefs made a presentation to the “Empowered Committee of Secretaries”, a 13-member panel headed by the cabinet secretary, which was looking into the recommendations. After that brought no changes, the chiefs held the implementation of the 7th CPC in abeyance, forcing the defence minister to order them last month to implement the award.
In his petition, Grewal pointed out that the Anomalies Committee granting hearings to civil employees, their associations and the civil establishment but not to defence personnel or even the military establishment. He pointed out that the defence services were not even informed about the institution of the Committee and only discovered through press reports that several meetings had been held with civil government employees.
The petition admits that military employees cannot be allowed to form associations. However, there was a need for sensitivity within the system toward defence personnel, and the opportunity to present their views and demands.
Denying this would violate the principles of natural justice, the petition pleaded. It also pointed out that the Supreme Court has already held that defence personnel should not be treated in a ‘shabby manner’ or denuded of rights that are available to other citizens.
Besides pleading for the opportunity for serving and retired military personnel to be heard, the petition asked for an alternative participative mechanism that would compensate for the statutory bar on forming associations.
The petition pointed out that the defence ministry’s Standing Committee on Welfare of Ex-Servicemen, which Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had himself ordered to hold meetings every three months, has not yet held a single meeting. The petition argued that this amounted to lower officials undermining political authority.
The petition suggested that differences be resolved in a conciliatory manner, instead of implementing ham-handed measures that created a gap between various services. It stated that the standoffishness of high government authority created a trust deficit that could be exploited by anti-national elements, which might spread discontentment through the social media.
The 7th CPC has raised baseline military salaries by about 15 per cent, taking the pay of a lieutenant (the entry grade for officers) to Rs 56,100 per month; and that of a sepoy (the entry grade for ratings) to Rs 21,700 per month. This was significantly lower than the 40 per cent hikes handed out by the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions. But the greatest resentment has taken place through the relative dilution of status, with the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service having been granted allowances that the military believes places them on a higher level.
Read at: Business-Standard
COMMENTS
Army kalia Bjp govt jo ve kar raha hai thik hai.lakin ex army ko sabi ko bakri milna chaia.
The military is continuously getting various grievances redressed through courts, and not through Ministry of Defence. Very unhealthy trend, which was started by Late PM Indira Gandhi who reduced the percentage of Army pension from 75% to 50% of Basic pay last drawn. Ironically, this was done at the first opportunity after victory in Bangladesh war.
This apart, the awards geanted by the armed forces tribunals and Supreme court are not being implemented for defence pensioners by the beaurocrats and i feel they are not interested to issue orders even for defence pensioners and concerned Ministers are also very silent on the issues and dont understand the reasons whereas the orders for civilian employees of central government were issued and payments already made. why this discrimination?
Sir, Now is the right time to protect the status off forces & also the status of ranks within the forces created by 6th & 7th CPC.Apart from mns v/ s j c o -& in navy lowering status of Artficer lll to l rank CPO,by introducing separate G P of 3400.separating from GP-4200.like ommiting rank of fly-sergent in air force,now cortected by circular-566.
TRAGIC/PATHETIC SITUATION!! DO WE HAVE A DEFENCE MINISTER AND GOVT. IN PLACE? WITH THIS INDIFFRENT ATTITUDE/TREATMENT, WHAT MESSAGE THEY WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO DEFENCE SERVICES; OUR COUNTRYMEN AND ADVERSARY COUNTRIES? FORTUNATELY JUDICIARY IS ENDEAVOURING TO BRING SOME SENSE AND FAIRPLAY INTO THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER THE OVERALL SITUATION IS SUCH THAT U CAN TAKE A HORSE TO WATER BUT CAN'T MAKE IT DRINK. PRAY GOOD SENSE PREVAILS; DEFENCE PERSONNEL BE RESTORED/ACCORDED DUE STATUS/SALARY/DIGNITY WITH NO FURTHER PROCRASTINATION AND GOVT;MOD;SERVICES MUST PRESENT, AS A WELL GEARED/INTEGRATED DEFENCE SYSTEM OF THE COUNTRY TO SCARE HELL OUT OF THE ENEMY WITHIN/ACROSS THE BORDERS. JAI HIND.
Please intimate the Defense Pensioner's pension as per 7th CPC . When the official notification will be published . Defense pensioners are still waiting . Thanks .
Perhaps our MoD is waiting for Supreme Court,s Order against the warning of Defence Minister to Army personnelfor receiving their salary according to 7th CPC without awaiting for any result of discussion. However there is no progress on issue of Defence Pensions when to be paid except dry pleasing
GOOD INITIATIVE