IndianBox

As the government readies itself to notify the amended Sixth Central Pay Commission (CPC) report, IAF chief Fali Homi Major has raised a note of dissent on behalf of the Armed Forces, shooting off a letter to Defence Minister A.K. Antony, pointing out anomalies.  Top government sources said the notification implementing the CPC recommendations was likely “in a day or two”, with the Cabinet already approving it at its meeting a fortnight ago.  However, Air Chief Marshal Major, in his letter to Mr Antony, sought his immediate intervention to rectify the “anomalous situation” arising out of the amended CPC recommendations before it is promulgated by the government.

In a letter dated August 25 this year, the ACM, who is acting as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee as incumbent navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta is out of the country on a visit to Korea, said if the anomaly was retained in the government notification on the CPC, it could “lead to demoralisation” of the armed forces as a whole.  He said it was “unfortunate” that the finance ministry was ready to implement the CPC “by introducing yet another anomaly, lowering the extant parities of officer of the Armed Forces of the rank of Lt Colonels (and equivalent) by retaining them in the Pay Band-3, while raising similarly placed civilian and paramilitary officers to Pay Band-4”.  Since the time the government set up the Pay Commission, the forces have sought a higher pay that matched the risk they faced in the line of duty.