Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Military’s unhappiness over pay is justified - By Harsha Kakar


Posted at: Jul 12 2016 3:51AMthumb

The military was justifiably unhappy when the initial recommendations of the pay commission panel was released in November 2015. However being a disciplined force the bickering remained in-house and on social media. It was the veterans’ community and well-wishers who raised their voice in defence of the serving, who are bound by silence. The grievances and anomalies were such that it compelled the service chiefs to jointly meet the defence minister. Subsequently, a committee of secretaries under the cabinet secretary was nominated to study the report and forward recommendations. As before there was no military representative on the committee. The military was given an opportunity to present its views to the committee. However, most anomalies remain even to this day. The fight is not about a higher pay packet for the military, but about equality in status and allowances, being a central government organization. 
The statement in the initial pay commission about higher allowances for Guwahati than Siachen was absurd. The logic that if allowances are low no bureaucrat would be willing to serve is laughable. Till date no bureaucrat has faced a bullet in the region. He is secure while the military battles on. They also form a part of the government and therefore should be willing to serve where ordered. If the military is bound by law to serve anywhere on land, sea or air, why not other services. If they cannot serve, they should resign. I wonder if the pay commission was aiming to prove that Guwahati or the North East is not a part of India?
The government has logically maintained status quo on allowances for the present, while having them reassessed by a committee under the finance secretary. One major anomaly has been the pay matrix, where the military has twenty-four pay bands as compared to the rest, which have forty. Therefore the military loses out in both pay and pensions. Further, the status of a government employee would now be determined by his pay matrix. This lowers the standing of the military versus others.
The military serves alongside members of other central services in many locations, most being trouble spots or in aid to civil authority. When the military’s pay matrix is lowered, the working environment fails and egos rise to the fore. Even central service officer of a lower rank would refuse to function under military directions as his pay matrix is higher. This results in each service functioning separately and independently. The end result - Pampore type incidents or disjointed efforts in aid to civil authorities. Difficulties also arise in semi-military organizations. Military personnel are on deputation with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Quality Assurance, Ordnance factories etc. Similarly, civilian members of the Military Engineering Service (MES), Defence Estates and Military Farms work alongside the military. Their pay matrix is not governed by military conditions but by their own service, which creates an imbalance in seniority. In simple terms, while civil services gain in seniority, the military comes down.
Functioning at every level becomes difficult and nobody seems to care. The battle for OROP was based on a simple logic. All organizations retire their staff at sixty. Therefore, the longer you serve, the more increments you obtain, hence more pension you draw. Maximum responsibilities of an individual are between the age of thirty-five to fifty. Responsibilities include growing children and ageing parents. In the military, 92 per cent retire between the ages of 35 and 45, at the peak of their financial responsibilities. They have served for a period of only 17 to 25 years as compared to 30 to 40 years prior to retirement in other services, thus earn lesser pension. With no second career option, they only have their pension to survive on.
Therefore, logically, till the third pay commission, military pensions were 70 per cent and when reduced to 50 per cent, OROP was promised. For those retiring at 60, there is genuinely no requirement of OROP. This is why only the military was affected. Ideally the government should reconsider this additional expenditure of granting it to other central services also. The military has the steepest pyramid. Only .01 per cent rise to the senior level, while it is almost 100 per cent for the IAS and fairly high in others. Thus the military was fighting for the Non Functional Upgradation (NFU), already given to every other service. It would benefit over 99 per cent who cannot proceed up the ladder due to steepness of the pyramid. It was rejected. It may be under re-consideration at present, however unless voices are raised, it would as usual be denied.
The battle for supremacy between the bureaucracy and the military has been going on since independence. At every opportunity, the status of the military has been systematically eroded. The seventh pay commission has taken the cake, relegating it to the level of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). This affects joint functioning, when forces operate together as in J and K and the North East. The defence minister also admitted his failure when he stated, “Some of their demands have been accepted, some haven’t”. In times of crises while other government services have failed, the military has been the saviour. The recent Jat agitation and subsequent Prakash Singh committee report bear testimony. It is the bureaucracy which has fuelled the fear of a coup into the minds of politicians hence delayed and diluted the possible appointment of a much needed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). There is always a tinge of jealousy which a non-uniformed civil servant has towards a uniformed one. The military earns more respect from the public than a bureaucrat or the police.
A military man stands out by his behaviour and gait and is easily distinguished. Hence, jealousy has reason and creates a desire to downgrade. It is for the national leadership to understand this shortcoming and set issues right, before it boils over and becomes an embarrassment. Therefore, military resentment is justified and should be expressed in every forum, by veterans and its wellwishers, till the government rectifies its follies.
(Source- The Statesman article via e-mnail from Col A Sunder Rajan (Retd)

15 comments:

  1. Instead of beating around the bush, the bureaucrats supported by their political bosses (or slaves) can clearly say that none of the service's demands can be met as they are second rate citizens of this nation. Committee after committees are instituted only to confuse the real issue. Why can't they kill the age old organisation once for all? The existing Armed a Forces can be disbanded and the police and paramilitary forces can take charge of the boarder security, internal security, the critical disaster management and lastly the sundry work on yoga day etc.

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  2. I would like to make a humble request to the Honourable President of India to tàke
    back the Indian Gazeete wherein I was granted the commission. Having Gazeete mounted on the room wall, no use since all the Army Capt and LT are forced to draw the same OROP what their subordinate class (PBOR) are drawing. They are denied the OROP on the pretext that there is no pension data in 2013 for the same rank with same length of service.

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  3. I would like to make a humble request to the Honourable President of India to tàke
    back the Indian Gazeete wherein I was granted the commission. Having Gazeete mounted on the room wall, no use since all the Army Capt and LT are forced to draw the same OROP what their subordinate class (PBOR) are drawing. They are denied the OROP on the pretext that there is no pension data in 2013 for the same rank with same length of service.

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  4. In fact Indian Gov't do not need any Armed Force. They need only IAS APS IFS and the bureaucrates. They should invariably be posted on the orders and high altitudes and guard the nation. After all they are also the sons of the motherland.

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  5. Rightly said sir,according to Cpc all soldiers r sahayaks n even our sahayaks r serving d beauracrats orders.Remember last years Yoga day����

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  6. Manohar AM ji Namaskar you are right sir no one bother about army men

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  7. See this clip https://youtu.be/kPmXJ8JE9cA
    how the J & K Police & CRPF are dealing with situation in Kashmir.
    How can they control the crowd with such tactics.
    Did not find a single IPS officer leading the police now or anytime in past but yet see them sitting in reserved top chairs.
    If there are any collateral damages or loss of life, the police will be blamed. Babus and / or IPS safe inside Ac offices .
    Ultimately they will turn to Army for Solution.
    In military a young officer and JCOs lead their team and this is followed as a team upstream too . Nationalism , professionalism and self sacrifice are the core ethics.
    Shame that after Uttrakhand deluge , Haryana riots , Kashmir flood , Chennai cloud burst and series of such aid to civil , in past 70 yrs have repeatedly exposed the hollowness of civil babu & Politicians nexus and caucus .
    Just because military inside a cantonment cannot satiate the hunger inside belly , below belly and the lust for riches in the cashbox which police surely can , has relegated military to a sacrificial lamb. It is hundred times better than being an IPS , a political agent and being in AC offices when rest of the team is risking its life.

    Now Pay Commission wants to equate police forces with Armed Forces , wants bounty for a posting in Guwahati .... a sorry state of affairs.
    Hope this reaches the Babus & Politicians in Delhi too but less chance to knock their conscience.

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  8. Sabhi Assam aur glacier ke risk allowance ke bare me baat kar rahe hai joki officers ke liye 31000₹ fix kiya hai aur pbor ke liye 21000₹ but ias and ips ko pay ka 30% milega jisse hamare officers naraj and sad Ho Gaye hai aur kah rahe hai hamara status maintain nahi Ho raha article likhe ja rahe hai military is not happy media bhi kah rahi hai military is not happy koi ye baat bhi bataye ki jaan ki keemat to same hoti hai fir vo chahe officer ki Ho ya jawan ki fir officers ko 31000₹ aur jawan ko 21000₹ kyo Sab kah rahe hai anomalies hai is pay commission me kya anomalies only officers ke liye hai pbors ke liye nahi hai for example MSP ek bichare jawan ko milegi 5200₹ aur MNS joki non combotant hai unko milegi 11000₹ kya vidambana hai but pbor apni aawaj kaha uthaye kise bataye kis platform pe apni baat uthaye aur ek baat jab military ki baat hoti hai to sirf officers ki hi baat hoti hai joki only 5% hai jawan jo bichare 95% hai unki koi baat hi nahi karta. Moreover officers ko defense me itni facilities milti hai aur ye luxuries life jeete hai fir bhi inko MSP 15500₹ aur example batata hu officers ki royalty ke for example officers mess inka alag se csd me inke liye alag se counter kyoki sahab log que me nahi lagege washroom sahab ke liye alag se aur kisi social gathering me ya function me officers ke liye khane ka counter alag se aur aise bahut sare example hai dosto joki batate hai ki officers ek tanasah raja hai aur jawan unke bandhua majdoor sarhad pe ya war ke time dushman ki goli jab officer aur jawan me difference nahi karti to hamari forces me kyo Ab OROP ko hi le lo jawan bichare khush hai ki OROP mil gayi lekin mere dosto isse jawan ke hath aaye hai only 2000₹ se 3000₹ but officers ko mile hai 15000₹ se 25000₹ aur ha yaha mai ye batana chahta hu ki mai ye nahi kahta ki officers aur jawan me difference nahi Hona chahiye difference Ho but JAMEEN AASMAN KA NAHI ONLY MINIMUM HONA CHAHIYE

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  9. @ Gurdas singh baba - dear sir you must know that Hony officers get on the merit and dedicated service better than Lt & Capt so there is no comparison at all . you must fight for other thing rather than pointing out the JCO"s and Hony offrs.

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  10. Every defence officer is comparing with IAS/IPS . Who have hold you quit the def service and be IAS/IPS . No one cry in 6th cpc when SubMaj and Sep get equal MSP Rs 2000/- . No one cry when grade pay of Sub Rs 4600/- and SubMaj Rs 4800/- deference by only 200/- . Def offr wants every thing for them . have you ever cry for the comparison of JCO's with civil counter parts.

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  11. Sanjay Kumar SinghJuly 14, 2016 at 8:38 PM

    Mukesh ji, you rightly said. Any anomaly raised by Services, addresses only officers concerns. This is the reason why services are being degraded and loosing respect. What officers are doing to their subordinates, same thing is being meted out to them by IAS lobby.

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  12. karunakaran a ex havildarJuly 15, 2016 at 10:03 AM

    Dear sir,

    tier upon tier of creation of empowered committee to deal the anomaly which will never end in this century, delaying tactics is adopted by the finance minister , he is the man who put hurdles in the way of implementation of OROP , to the truth he is not a full fledged parliamentarian who gained entry through back door, this is the mockery of democracy that a man who was defeated by the people of india, he is the number one minister in the cabine

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  13. on this blog if you write in officer's line only then published . If u write the truth and may be against the offr cadre will not be published . Officer Sahi ki jai ho .

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  14. As prr 6th CPC max lenth of service for granting max pensionery benefits was 28 year now as OROP from where 40 yrs or so has been taken to degrade PBORs . This should be reconcile as heithre to for

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