SCPC: Antony knocks at PM’s door

New Delhi, September 24
The issue of restoration of pay parity for the armed forces after the implementation of the sixth pay commission has taken a new turn. Union defence minister A.K. Antony has now made a strong case for the forces and written a formal letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking restoration of parity for the forces saying all four demands of the forces were genuine. The finance ministry was in concurrence on the matter and the same has also been conveyed.

Antony, in his letter sent yesterday, had demanded restoration of parity as there was resentment among the forces. The forces see this as a “wrong” that their status has been lowered vis-à-vis their civilian counterparts. The armed forces have also informed the minister that the matter should not be referred to the anomalies committee.

To bolster their claims, the forces have pointed out how the anomalies committee of the fifth pay commission was given 42 anomalies of the armed forces and in 12 years only 11 were sorted out.

Separately, a suggestion within the ministry of defence to implement the pay commission for the forces, even as the pending four issues are being sorted, had been cold-shouldered by the forces. The three chiefs have made it clear that the pay hike will be implemented only when the anomalies are sorted out. The chiefs have also made it clear that a reference of the issue to the anomalies committee is not acceptable.

Meanwhile, the finance ministry is convinced that the demand of the forces was genuine. It has also reportedly given a go ahead saying the financial burden, about Rs 110 crore, can be absorbed. Sources said everything is likely to be okayed. The finance ministry has also not taken it kindly as to how such a matter was left out by the group of secretaries.
Pay Disparity: Anthony knocks at PM's door

Comment: How the Pay Parity gets skewed wilfully and by whom and to whose advantage? One needs to get to the bottom of wilful tampering of the recommended formulation for implementation. The Fifth Central Pay Commission anomalies with respect to the Armed Forces still haunt us to this day with no remedy in sight. It has been heavily screwed up by chain of bureaucrats linked to reams of rules yet to be deciphered! The court rulings in favour of ESM in most cases are thwarted by bureaucrats. The bureaucrats need to be identified and heavily penalised for contempt of court.