Armed Forces want Lt.Gen be equate with DGP level

With the issue of higher pay for Lieutenant Colonels resolved, the Armed Forces have written another letter to the Defence Ministry asking for clarification on their demand of equating Lt. Gen. and equivalent officers with Director General-level IPS officers.

The letter, sent to the Defence Secretary last month, says it is necessary to place Lt Gens in the Higher Adminis trative Grade (HAG) plus pay scales to give them parity with DG level officers of the IPS. The logic given is that till now, Lt Gen and DGP level offices had the same status and by moving the IPS officer to HAG plus, the status of the Armed Forces has been lowered.

The letter has been sent by the Principal Personnel Officers Committee (PPOC) to the Defence Secretary and contains a detailed argument, including the status of the two services from the Third Pay Commission onwards.

The Armed Forces say that level of work and responsibility shouldered by a Lt Gen is much more than that of a DGP and the two should at least be treated as equals.

“The senior-most DGP in a state has lesser number of people under his command and lower responsibilities than the junior most Lt Gen who will go and command a Corps. It is unfair that the Armed Forces officer will be treated lower than a DGP,” a senior officer said.

Indian Express dated 07/02/09 Delhi edition

New Year Bonanza for Armed Forces

The Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday approved a separate pay commission for the armed forces. The Seventh Pay Commission for soldiers would be delinked from the civilian pay panel.

The decision comes after a committee, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, submitted its report to review the concerns in the armed forces. The concerns were raised after the Sixth Pay Commission recommended placing lieutenant colonels and equivalent ranks in the Air Force and Navy at a lower pay band than their counterparts in the paramilitary/Group A services and IAS.

The government has also agreed to accommodate lieutenant colonels in a higher pay band (Pay Band 4) and increase their monthly salary by Rs 8000.

The PMO has has approved placing some 12000 lieutenant colonels in pay band 4. However, only lieutenant colonels performing a combat role would receive higher salaries. Another demand accepted by the PMO concerned personnel below officer rank, for whom the government would restore the 70 per cent pensionary weightage.

However, the government has not yet addressed the sweeping discontent in the military’s higher echelons over lieutenant generals and their equivalent being excluded from the higher pay band

Babus' getting first 6th CPC salary today

Babus' in Delhi are today going to get their first increased salary after implementation of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. Most of the detpartments have made fixation as per guidelines provided by the Ministry of Personnel. Babus' are laughing all the way to the bank.

As festivial season is near, Corporate sector is eying this increased salary and arears that Babus' are going to get.

Saperate Pay Scales for Armed forces

Concerned over officers leaving armed forces for lucrative employment in private sector, the government is looking at delinking pay scales of defence forces with those of central government employees.

The demand for delinking payscales, raised by armed forces and lawmakers, ''will be looked into,'' Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha.

Officers, particularly in the non-select rank who lead soldiers on the ground, leaving armed forces for lucrative employment in private sector was a matter of concern but not alarm, he said.

No equality in allowance with Centre in UP

UP Government said on wednesday in the Vidhan sabha that allowances of the State government employees can not be equal to the Central Government employee in UP. Therefore, the question of merging 50% of DA in the basic day does not arise. Finance Minister Mr. Lalji Verma in a written reply to question of Mr. Sudhir kumar of Samajawadi Party said that the economic condition of the state is not in position to bear this additional burden and hence HRA, CCA etc. can not given equal to the central government employees.

Financial Express estimates 150% hike in pay

A news article of the Financial Express predicts 150% hike in the salary of Government Employee by Sixth Pay Commission.

Fine points of the reports are :

• Pay Commission expected to submit its report next week.
• Basic salaries are likely to rise by over 150%
• Section officers will get a starting basic salary of Rs 20000, while their department heads, joint secretaries, would get a fixed basic salary of Rs 60000 a month.
• Secretaries to the government would earn a fixed salary of Rs 75000 a month. A cabinet secretary’s monthly salary would also be fixed at Rs 80000.
• Government officials will continue to retire at 60 years and will now retire on December 31 of the year they reach age 60.

The points seem same as earlier published by Dainik Jagran. You can read full article here.

News in Hindi Paper 'Jagran'

Hindi Daily 'Dainik Jagran' has come up today with a news about probable increse in the pay of the Central Government employee. According to its news article increase will be around 3.2 to 3.3 times of the current pay. 6th CPC is going to give better pay and facilities to senior officers. Pay commission wants report to be implemented from January 2006.

News Paper reports suggests that the salary of the officers of Join Sec. will be around 60 thousand and for Additional Secretary it will be 70 thousand. Officers of the Secretary will get 75 thousand while Cabinat Secretary will get salary around 80 thousand. Apart from this increase HRA will be around 40% of the basic pay.

One more recommendation is to change of name of the junior level posts. Commission wants name of post of the LDC and UDC to be changed to Junior Executive and Executive respectively.
If this report is to be believed, one thing becomes sure that there will be no further increase in the pay of President, Vice President and Governers and Government is having inside news of these recommendations therefore Government increased salary of President to Rs.one Lac.

This news can be read in Hindi here.

Another pay hike for President?

Reports in the media suggest that there could be a second hike for the salary of President, Vice President and Governers etc. if the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission push the salary bar of the government officials above the President or Governers. It is to be recalled that President/ Vice President and Governers etc. got last week a good pay hike. This hike will come into force after the relevant law will be passed out by parliament. So the chances of getting salary more than a lakh for senior bureaucrats is doomed , because of the convention that since government officers serve on presidential pleasure, their salary cannot exceed that of the occupant of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Sources in the Reports suggests that this hike for the Presdient and Governers is an interim measure and once the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission comes, there may be another hike if needed.

This last week hike had sugggested that the salary of the Government Officials will not be much as was anticipated, so this proposal of another hike in salary of President, Vice President etc. will keep Babu's in good anticipation mood as they may expect a good hike in the salary around one lakh for the top posts and relative increase for lower cadres.

Taxmen want corporate salaries

Encouraged by an unprecedented 40% growth in direct tax collections, the income tax officials have sought salaries at par with corporate sector from the Sixth Pay Commission.

"In order to have the best minds in public sector the pay scales and perquisites should be at par with private sector" income tax employees said in their representation to the pay commission, which is expected to submit its report to the government early next year.

Referring to high salaries of tax officials at international level, the IT department officials said though a well-paid bureaucracy may not eradicate corruption, it would certainly remove the perceived feeling of discrimination.

"There is no full neutralisation in respect of HRA anywhere in the country" the IT officials said. They have also reportedly asked that annual confidential reports be made open documents.

Sources said over 60 Class-I officials have already left the IT Department, which is facing shortage of staff due to restrictions on recruitment and unremunerative salary packages in comparison to the private sector.

The officials who left government service to join private consultancy firms or corporates are earning more than double the salaries then their counterparts in the department.

Although Finance Minister P.Chidambaram has announced one per cent incentive to the tax employees out of tax collections over and above the budget target, and said over 7000 posts would be filled, the IT Department is losing revenue due to shortage of competent staff, the source said.

They said though government is ready to pay better salary packages to the tax employees, it will wait for the recommendations of the Pay Commission.

Since it was hopeful to surpass the budget target of tax collection at the Rs.548000 crore in 2007-08, it would not find it difficult to pay high salaries to attract better talent in the tax department, they said.

(PTI news published in News papers 15/10/07)

Another News Item about CPC

These days Newspaper across the country, publishing News item about Six Pay Commission and its recommendations. Speculative reports about how much increase in the pay of the Central Government Employees will be as well other allowances and other effects are being continuously published. After Deccan Herald and Malayala Manorama in Kerala, its now turn of the Hindi News Papers Amar Ujala and Rajasthan Patrika. Amar Ujala has published a special report yesterday and Rajathan Patrika has published article on the same line today. These News item in Hindi News Papers only confirm various information already in the circulation among employees. Some of the Fine prints of the reports are :

• Retirement Age is going to be 62 years
• Basic salary will be increased by 100-150%
• Net effect will be 30-40% only
• Lowest salary will be more than Rs.10000
• Government has asked the commission to give its report early
• Child Education allowance will be Rs.200-300
• HRA increased by 15% i.e. 45%
• Less Government Holidays
• Six day week office working
• Pay of Cabinet Secretary will be One Lac

Till final report comes, you will see more and more such News Items in various news paper.

Read Amar Ujala news article at http://www.amarujala.com/Vishesh/detail.asp?newsid=4962518

BSF Presentation to CPC

Recently, while surfing the internet, I found a web page exclusively for BSF's demand and presentation to the Sixth Pay Commission (CPC). This page has a presentation and suggestions made by the DG BSF to the CPC and I found it very interesting and informative. It has some facts which probably none of us might be aware of. The best part is the page is the 101 point recommendations to the Sixth Pay Commission by the BSF. Some of the points are very interesting and applies to other categories of the employees also. It also has employees perception survey and a questionnaire about the hardship of the policemen face.

Visit this page here.

More Army Officers wants to leave

According to the some reports in media, if recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission are not up to the expectations of the Officers in the Armed Forces, there will be a problem of shortage of officers and staff in all 3 Armed forces and to the security of the country. Thousands of officers in the forces are ready to apply to leave the service of the armed forces if salary is not raised up to satisfactory level.

According to the reports, high placed sources in the Army has said that in Army itself, around 1000 to1500 officers from the rank of Lt. Col to Col. level can resign. Some of the desperate officers are just waiting for the final report of Sixth Pay Commission only, so that they can decide. Army requires at least 46 thousand officers, where only 35 thousand are serving currently, so there is a shortage of 11 thousand officers. So if some of these officers, specially young and experienced officers, leave the forces then there will be a big blow to the army. It would have been more shortage if the recommendations of the Ajay Vikram Singh Committee would not have been accepted. Young Officers are more prone to resign and wants to leave.

The recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission are being seen as "Time Bomb" in the forces, because if salary is increased up to the mark, then it is ok, otherwise there will be a rise in the resignations. This situation is same for Scientist and Technical manpower of the civil organisations also.

To deal with this situation, the resignations of the officers will be rejected as has happened in the Air Force. More than 250 pilot left Air Force in just one year, so now pilots are not allowed to leave. For the last 2-3 years, there is a spurt in the attrition rate in the Army. Those officers who think that there will not be much increase in salary by the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission or salary will not be increased up to their desired level, wants to leave Armed Force as of now so that if their resignation would be accepted. The number of officers who wants to leave army in the year 2006 rose to 811 in comparison to the year 2004 when 436 officers applied to leave.

40 percent jobs may be cut

Sixth Pay Commission may recommend reduction in the work force by 40% to compensate the probable increase in the payments to the employees.

According to a news published in the Dainik Jagran News Paper, Center for Economic Studies and Policy, which is going to give its report to the Pay Commission, finalising its suggestions that the employee strength should be reduced. Sixth Pay Commission has enthrusted the responsibility to the Centre to study the various financial implications for Terminal Benefits to the employees, in which analysis of the the financial burden on the Government in present and for the the coming 2-3 decades is to be done and to suggest the ways to come out of the the financial mess after implementing the recommendations of the pay Commission are included.

The Centre is of the opinion that financial burden on the government after implementing the possible increase in the salaries can be nullified by cutting employee strength by 40%. Additionally, specialists of the Centre are in the favour of reducing specialist jobs in the Government. They want to abolish the vacant posts in the government. Centre has not finalised its opinion about the nature of the posts to be abolished. Specialists of the Centre will give its report to the Pay Commission with some examples. It will be clealy mentioned that if only the recommendations of the improvement of the financial increment are accepted then it can be disastrous. According to the sources of the Centre, some State governments have directly approached the Centre and given it opinion.

Double our salary, asks forces

A news article has been published in the The Times of India dated 18/04/2007, which says that Security forces wants inclrease of at least double in the salaries, giving reasons "High Risk, Trauma and Turbulence of Services".

the exceprts of the articles are here.

Armed Forces are seeking a hike of over 400% in their salaries and allowances from amounts fiexd by the 5th Central Pay commission, wchich came into ieefect on january 1, 1996."

Since 1996, our salaries have gone up by almost two times, with 50% of the DA being merged with the basic pay and other things. Hence we are looking for a hike by another 200%, roughly double of what we are getting now", said a Fauji.

The three Service chiefs made a joint presentation to Defence minister A K Antony for recommendations to be made to the 6th CPC. Seniors officers say that they have come up with "a mathematical formula" for the pay hike, keeping the country's GDP growth and the rise in the prise index in mind.
Armed forces are pressing for a hike of "4 to 4.5 times" in the 6th CPC over the 5th CPC, with a special "military servicce pay" for the hardship they face.

The armed force are also looking for the implementation of the long-sought one-rank one pension principle, which every political party promises in the run-up to elections but the junks soon after.

The main contention of the armed forces, who are finding it difficult to attract bright youngsters to join as officers due to "poor pay packages and hard lives" is that they deserve to be treated better since teir terms and conditions of service are totally different from other government jobs.


Link : See original articel in ToI here.

DRDO seek four times salary hike

According to a news article published in the Daily Hindustan Times dated 19/04/2007, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) expects a 400 percent hike in the salaries of the scientists from Sixth Pay Commission to check the rising attrition and to attract talent.

This is the content of article, which I am reproducing here.

In presentation made to Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, DRDO raised demands including "intellectual capital" pay, enhancing study leave from three years to four years and a provision for sending scientists abroad to attend international conferences every two years.

Arresting the exodus of its best brains - over 1400 scientists have quit the DRDO in the last 10 years - has surfaced as big challenge for the organisation. Attrition was particularly high last year when 501 scientists left the DRDO. Led by its head and scientific advisor to the defence minister, M. Natarajan, the DRDO pressed its case for more incentives showcasing the "impressive qualifications" of its scientists in the presentation.

DRDO has sought a share of monetary benefits accuiring from commercialisation of products for scientists, apart from a special incentive for papers published internationally.

In its 14th report tabled in the Parliament last month, the Standing Committee on Defence had advocated formulating a comprehensive national policy to recruit and retain talented scientists.

"The government will have to loosen its purse string for that", a scientist said.

It is clear that at lesat 400% hike is sought by Scientific organisations as salary has been almost double from 1996 so only 200% more required to be increased.

Link : Kindly see original article in HT here.

Pay commission wants to punish Balck Sheeps

According to a article published in Hindi Daily 'Dainik Jagran', Sixth Pay Commission is considering concept of 'Performance based Salary'. Six Pay Commission can be little tough for pay increment hopeful Central Government employees. In the Performance base Pay structure, pay can be reduced for non-committed and irresponsible employees. Pay commission is consulting Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad in this regard.

It is first time in the history of Pay Commission, that a Management Institute is being consulted for fix the responsibility of the employee for their work. IIM in its part has constituted several team, which are visiting various Central Government Ministries and analysing working pattern and salary structures of the visited Ministry. According to the report, these teams may suggest financial fine for non-performing employees.

The IIM teams may give its recommendations at the end of the June after studying all aspect of Pay structures based on the performance of the employees. Pay Commission will decide how to incorporate these recommendations in its final report.

Sources says, teams of Management experts from IIM wants to adopt Corporate Culture in the Ministries to improve the capabilities of the employees of the various Departments and Ministries. They want that while performing and responsible employees should be rewarded, those who are non-performing should be punished as well. IIM teams have discussed these matters with employees and officers in the ministries. Management experts are of the opinion that employees should have the fear of losing some thing if they do not perform well.

According to the report IIM experts have not reached the conclusion whether concept of 'Performance base Pay' should be introduced at the top level or should be implemented for all classes of the employees.

Our sources in the Ministries have also confirmed that IIM team are visiting their Ministries these days.

Link : Article published in 'Dainik Jagran'

Babus' having new pay scale charts

lo! Pay Commission is still discussing with various organisations and studying various reports and meanwhile Babus' in the departments are having a ciculation of imaginary expected New Pay Scales from Sixth Pay Commission. We have received one such copy from our sources and putting this for you to download and see it your self.

Defence Ministrer wants more pay

Banagalore 22/12/06

Worried over brain-drain, Defence Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony on Friday said the Government will urge the new Pay Commission to hike the salaries of employees of the armed forces and scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

It is to be recalled that recently it was disclosed by the Army and Air Force that there is a huge shortage of the officers and those officers in the service are demanding to leave the forces and want to work for corporate. Except for the love to the country and dedication to work directly to the country nothing else is attractive about the armed forces to join. Bright young students of the Universities are joining corporate world for better opportunities and pay packaets.

It is not clear whether Minister wants more pay for Scinetists of the DRDO only or he wants more pay for scientists of all other 500+ scientific organisations.

The statement of the Minister also reflect that somewhere in the Governemnt corridor it has been learnt that to attract best tallent, pay structure and service conditions has to improve.