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Queries on this blog, emails and on top the mainstream media – all have complicated things a bit. While one section of the media reported that the finance ministry had cleared the ‘demands’ of the defence services, another reported that the proposals had been shot down by the finance ministry. The fact though is that the demands have been neither finally accepted nor finally rejected. So where lies the truth (pun intended) ?
The finance ministry has not acceded to requests of the services and has shown its disinclination. There is no truth in reports of finance ministry accepting the services’ proposals. But was this unexpected ? No, not at all. The finance ministry is just a spoke on large govt wheel and in fact is not an authority to comment on past equivalence or relativity. The job of the Department of Expenditure in the finance ministry is just basically to analyse the ‘damage’ to the exchequer by agreeing to such demands. The issue is already much beyond the scope of influence of the finance ministry. Rest assured that the services and also elements in the Ministry of Defence including the Raksha Mantri and his officers including those from the civil services (I know what I am saying here, thank you !) are working overtime to ensure a better deal for men and women in uniform. It is just not fair to put the entire blame on our political leadership and bureaucrats.
A well respected newspaper has also tried to create a non-existent rift between PBOR and officers by saying that due to the logjam in officers’ pay, the payment to PBOR was being delayed : it was unfortunate yellow journalism to say the least. The issue of enhanced pensionary benefits to PBOR is one of the main agenda points of the Raksha Mantri and the service Chiefs and the same is on its way to resolution. Earlier, pensions of PBOR were calculated at the end point of their pay scales with an additional weightage of 10, 8 and 6 years for Havaldars, Naiks and Sepoys respectively. The system of end of pay scale reference however was discontinued by 6th CPC in light of the common running pay bands and this has led to depression in their pensions (on a percentage comparative basis).
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Queries on this blog, emails and on top the mainstream media – all have complicated things a bit. While one section of the media reported that the finance ministry had cleared the ‘demands’ of the defence services, another reported that the proposals had been shot down by the finance ministry. The fact though is that the demands have been neither finally accepted nor finally rejected. So where lies the truth (pun intended) ?
The finance ministry has not acceded to requests of the services and has shown its disinclination. There is no truth in reports of finance ministry accepting the services’ proposals. But was this unexpected ? No, not at all. The finance ministry is just a spoke on large govt wheel and in fact is not an authority to comment on past equivalence or relativity. The job of the Department of Expenditure in the finance ministry is just basically to analyse the ‘damage’ to the exchequer by agreeing to such demands. The issue is already much beyond the scope of influence of the finance ministry. Rest assured that the services and also elements in the Ministry of Defence including the Raksha Mantri and his officers including those from the civil services (I know what I am saying here, thank you !) are working overtime to ensure a better deal for men and women in uniform. It is just not fair to put the entire blame on our political leadership and bureaucrats.
A well respected newspaper has also tried to create a non-existent rift between PBOR and officers by saying that due to the logjam in officers’ pay, the payment to PBOR was being delayed : it was unfortunate yellow journalism to say the least. The issue of enhanced pensionary benefits to PBOR is one of the main agenda points of the Raksha Mantri and the service Chiefs and the same is on its way to resolution. Earlier, pensions of PBOR were calculated at the end point of their pay scales with an additional weightage of 10, 8 and 6 years for Havaldars, Naiks and Sepoys respectively. The system of end of pay scale reference however was discontinued by 6th CPC in light of the common running pay bands and this has led to depression in their pensions (on a percentage comparative basis).
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It is war of a different kind.Thanks for the post
ReplyDeleteguess its high time the armed forces take some kind of action on the disparity in pay and put and end to the step-motherly treatment to the armed forces going on since ages. the govt should be thankful that they have only decided to stick to the 5thCPCunlike the rest of the country as a mark of rebellion and not taken any impulsive action.
ReplyDeleteNavdeep, you are right when you say that there certainly are some good men in the rottening civil services but surely they are very few. Though India is considedred to be a soft power, why no body realises that our instituions have to be freed from the clutches of these corrupt and spineless schemers. This nation has unfortunately suffered at the hands of these bureaucrats who have kept it shackled to the pre independence mentality of license raj and red tapism. A shining example of this is the forcing these Babus to loosen their grip over the private sector especially the IT and ITES over the last decade and you have India arriving on the world stage with a growth rate of 9%.The inference that can be drawn from this is that keep these Babus away from professional organisations and rest assured, India will hurtle towards the developed nation tag at full speed. Defence is also a very professional organisation and civil service simply does not qualify to sit over its destiny and run its affairs. Let the affairs of service be run by the services themselves. And so be with all other professional departments of the govt.If this is done( I wish) then I can assure you that you will find that we will have these Babus jobless. They no longer will need an institute in Mussoorie to teach them the skills of red tapism and bureaucratic obduracy and the small number really required for the govt can be picked up from the IIM's. Sooner or later this has to happen if this country has to realise its inherent potential. Jai Hind.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what do these babus gain by humilitaing and demoralizing our soldiers
ReplyDeleteThis is a very informative blog. The army too must have such informative blogs so that latest correct information regarding military matters are easily available to avoid rumours and gossip
ReplyDeleteNavdeep, Your views are balanced. Keep up the good work and do keep us informed .Thankyou
ReplyDeleteI have come to know that accepting demands of armerd forces will be additional 'BURDEN ' of 300-400 crores . Only God can save a State where psych is such that paying its security forces is a burden.
ReplyDeleteRANBIR
Keeping a tag on the comments on the blog leaves a person saddened.
ReplyDeleteThe country wants its soldiers to give supreme sacrifice but is shy to give them its rightful dues. The civil control tries to systematically degrade and demoralise its Defence Forces. The reasons are best known to them.
The Defence Forces are called to do the duties of Administrative services and the Police as they are unable to perform their task. Mind you the Defence Forces have let down the nation - wheather it is defending the borders, Internal Security or Natural Disaster.
If they are being downgraded the share of duties should also move to the organisations in which the goverment reposes faith.
We should also open up the pre matured retirement avenues so that if somebody is not satisfied he can quit and look for a job somewhere else. the same is the case with other government departments. The government is fully aware that if the above recommendation is put in place there will be a mass exodus of middle ranking officers Majors and Lt Col and it will directly affect the combat preparedness of the country. As the armed forces chip in for all civil tasks the bureaucracy should take up the vacant posts.
@ Col Venkatesh
ReplyDeleteSir,
Although your comments on other blogs such as "pragmatic Euphony" are great you are casting your pearls before swine. May I request everyone to blackout "Pragmatic Euphony". No posts - no clicks. Let that IAS chap (or planted by IAS) starve. Navdeep, that includes you too. Let us show them what info warfare of another kind is.
@rajax
ReplyDeleteRequest heeded. Thanks. Will ignore that bum.
@rajax & others
ReplyDeleteIs that the way to do?
Let him have his views and opinion.
I think we can beat him in his game at his own turf.
MOST OFFRS RETIRE AT 54 YEARS. THUS AT A DISADVANTAGE VIS A VIS CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS FOR PENSION AS CIVILIANS WOULD DRAW 50% OF LAST PAY AS PENSION AND WOULD THUS GET BENIFIT OF SIX ADDITIONAL INCREMENTS.PENSION FOR DEFENCE OFFRS BE FIXED BY ADDING ADDITIONAL INCREAMETS FOR NOTIONAL SERVICE UPTO 60 YEARS
ReplyDelete