Tuesday, September 30, 2008

SCPC: Defence Forces Pay Packet and Honour Decapacitated

The crux of the defence forces’ grievances has to do with the manner in which they have been downgraded in relation to the civil services. A lieutenant colonel who drew Rs 800 more than his civilian counterpart now draws Rs 11,000 less. Similarly, other bands have been created which put even higher-level officers at a disadvantage vis-a-vis their civilian counterparts. The forces had been demanding an integrated pay scale till the rank of major general, in order to reduce the feeling of stagnation. This was accepted in the Fourth Pay Commission, removed in the fifth, and has now been restored in the sixth (while introducing a similar facility for other services), but the way in which the scale has been fixed ensures that civilian employees draw higher salaries. The wonder of it all, if you go by the calculations submitted by the defence forces, is that the total cost of what they ask for is under Rs 250 crore. It is obvious that the issue is not the money, but a needless act of oneupmanship by the civil services. The group of ministers that has been constituted will have to make up now for past government insensitivity.
Editorial: Extreme step

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 29 : The armed forces have agreed to implement revised pay scales and arrears from October 1 but in a highly controversial move last Friday, the Army top brass, taking a cue from the Navy, cited “the larger interests of the services” to justify their defiance and “delay” in implementing revised salaries.
Army brass defied Govt on pay hike by citing ‘larger interest of the services’
Respect and honour the Forces

Comment: Leadership and Command and Control of Troops entails fighting for their rights; Rank, Honour, Status and also for Just Wages from a Government saddled with excessive Bureaucratic control and rightly called the "License Raj or Permit Raj".

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