SCPC: Status of Armed Forces Officers degraded and eroded at the behest of bureaucrats?

'I feel cheated' published 18 months ago... revisited

Lt Col A K Rai (Retd) 2008-12-19 12:49:47
My father Daroga Prasad Rai, who was Chief Minister of Bihar in 1970, motivated and encouraged me to join Sainik School Tilaiya with a view to make me join Armed Forces as an officer.

He always spoke of the Indian Armed Forces with the highest regard. At that time I was only about nine years old. At that impressionable age I became highly motivated. I do not deny that I was thrilled by the prospect of joining the most noble profession, where one gets a chance to make the supreme sacrifice for his country.

Accordingly I competed and joined Sainik School Tilaiya. But I did not want to leave any stone unturned in my ambition to become an Army Officer. When I came to know about Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun (RIMC), which was considered to be the best, I competed and joined the RIMC in January 1973. Even though my initial enthusiasm had not waned, by the time I reached 11th standard, with whatever understanding I had, I started enquiring about a career in the Armed Forces.
Also Read: Unsung heroes: Part I Unsung heroes: Part II Unsung heroes: Part III

My seniors who were at the Indian Military Academy by then, fed me some comparisons. First, they showed me that all the Class-I Services officers (including IAS and IPS) started their career at a basic salary of Rs 700/- per month, whereas in the case of Armed Forces officers it was Rs 750/- per month. (I later came to know that this extra Rs 50/- was special disturbance allowance, which was merged with basic pay by the Third Pay Commission).

Second, they also showed me the orders where a Major was equated with an IAS Officer with not less than 12 years of service. The obvious conclusion, which will be drawn by any 16 or 17-year-old boy, would be that the Army as a career was almost equal to the IAS, and certainly better than the IPS or other Class-I central services.

Having convinced myself, I put in my best in the NDA exam, and ranked eighth in the final merit list. After successfully completing my training at NDA Khadakwasla and IMA, Dehradun, I was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in June 1981 in the 7th Battalion the Sikh Regiment, on my own choice i.e., after exactly 11 years of hard training and spartan living. But due to an injury, attributable to Military Service, I was placed in a permanent low medical category. Consequently, I was transferred to the Army Ordnance Corps in 1988 i.e., after seven years of regimental service in Infantry. On transfer I was posted to the Ordnance Depot, Shakurbasti, Delhi.
Also Read: The IAS cannot dictate pay scales

It was here I learnt that whatever I had been thinking about the career in the Indian Army was wrong. In the Ordnance Depot, I discovered that the JCOs who are Gazetted Officers (I have seen the Gazette Notification of JCOs) are equated with non-gazetted civilian employees and that too of Class-III i.e., Group-C. The point has only been made to emphasise the arbitrariness and irrationality of orders regarding the relativity of ranks. And as the de facto equation stands today, there cannot be any service with worse career prospects than the Army except some Group-B services. But is this the result of a “steep pyramidal hierarchy” as is often claimed? No.
Also read: Are our forces lower caste?

It is the result of a conscious effort by the bureaucracy to degrade the services ever since independence. To undo this, i.e., if the Government is sincere, the solution is to revert to the pre- A V Singh Committee implementation stage and reintroduce the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and to offer one-rank one- pay scale in the standard pay scales as was applicable to all the Organised Central Group-A Civil Services (erstwhile allied services).

Till recently, the Warrant of Precedence stated that a Major is equal to an IAS Officer with not less than 12 years of service and a Superintendent of Police with not less than 15 years of service. The status of Army officers was further degraded as per the underlying thrust of the Sixth Pay Commission, at the behest of bureaucracy. Why are these facts not disseminated to the young aspirants to the Armed Forces? If bureaucrats and policemen are higher in rank and status, then why are Army officers debarred from taking the IAS and IPS exams? I do not think that anyone today, if he is aware of of these facts, would join the Army, except to earn hsi bread. As for myself, had I known this, forget the Sainik School or RIMC, I would have never joined the Army.

The relativity in rank and status is irrational and arbitrary, against the letter and spirit of the Constitution and violates my fundamental rights.

Lt Col A K Rai is alumnus of Sainik School Tilaiya, Rashtriya Indian Military College, Deharadun, NDA, Khadakwasla, the author was commissioned into the Sikh Regiment in Jun 1981. he was transferred to the AOC in 1988. He took premature retirement after serving the mandatory period, he now works as the Chief Administrative Officer of a 150-bed hospital in Patna.
I feel cheated: sify.com

What is the resultant outcome?
The Armed Forces career is not attractive precisely for the degraded honour (not for pay and salaries as projected by the media) inflicted on the Personnel subject to Army Act which literally silences them! End result acute shortage of Officers now averaging and hovering around 25% deficiency.

Indian legal tangle a blast from the past

Why should the 50% of military recruits be given a special weightage? Should not all entrants into the DSS (Deputy Superintending Surveyor) be treated alike without being afforded a handicap in the race? We see no difficulty in upholding this weightage, once we accept the reality that the military portion of the Survey is a compelling factor for national defence. We hold, on a study of the materials already adverted to, that sans they army engineers the Survey of India will become a functional failure in discharging its paramount duties in times of war and in spells of peace, defence spreads beyond hot war or cold war and sustains the sense of security by a state of ever readiness. There is enough literature to establish that the work done by the army wing of the Survey is far too important to be played with and such work is best done by that wing. The military recruits, as has been already observed, are commissioned officers with 3 to 6 years of service. They have a certain salary scale and period of service when they are baptised into the Survey of India. Giving due weight to these factors, Rule 5 lays down the criteria for seniority as between the military sector of recruits and the civilian counter-parts. What needs to be appreciated is that for the very efficiency of the Survey of India, a substantial army element is structurally essential. Army engineers are invited into this Service not because this department historically belonged to the Defence Forces but because it cannot minister to one of the major objectives of its creation if it does not have engineers with military training, aptitude, courage, discipline and dare-devilry in hours of crisis. The necessity of the Survey, not opportunity to the armymen, has determined the need to attract and, therefore, to allot a quota in the upper echelons, viz., Class I, for military engineers. This, in turn, has desiderated the offer of reasonable terms and conditions for army men to join the Survey of India. The military engineers belong to the Corps of Engineers. They are commissioned officers with service of 3 to 6 years before coming into the Survey which needs, not raw engineers, but men with some experience. They have prospects and scales of pay in the Defence Department. Why should they look at the Survey if on entry they are to lose their commissioned service and begin the rat race with civilian freshers? Why should they suffer pay cut by walking into the Survey of India? It is, therefore, fairly intelligible and basically equitable to allow military engineers credit for commissioned service and protection of already earned higher salaries. The reasoning is simple. The functional compulsions of the Survey of India require army engineers to be inducted, say half its Class I strength. These engineering officers have to possess some years of experience. How, then, can they be attracted into the Survey except by assuring them what they were enjoying in their existing service, viz., credit for the years under commission in reckoning seniority and fitment of their salary at a point in the scale of Class I officers so that, by way of personal pay or otherwise, a cut may be obviated. This is not discrimination or favoured treatment but justice to those whom, of necessity, you want and must, therefore, pay what they were being paid in the Army and give service credit for the years on commission because you need men with specified years of commissioned service. To equate them with unequal civilian freshers is precisely the Procrustean exercise which is unconstitutional equality anathematised by Article 14."
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 4:54 AM 16 comments

False statements are made by the Union of India by misleading their own counsel and then unethical appeals are filed if the case still goes against the Govt. The observations of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Urban Improvement Trust Bikaner Vs Mohan Lal on 30 October 2009 were apt :

“It is a matter of concern that such frivolous and unjust litigation by governments and statutory authorities are on the increase. Statutory Authorities exist to discharge statutory functions in public interest. They should be responsible litigants. They cannot raise frivolous and unjust objections, nor act in a callous and highhanded manner. They cannot behave like some private litigants with profiteering motives. Nor can they resort to unjust enrichment. They are expected to show remorse or regret when their officers act negligently or in an overbearing manner. When glaring wrong acts by their officers are brought to their notice, for which there is no explanation or excuse, the least that is expected is restitution/restoration to the extent possible with appropriate compensation. Their harsh attitude in regard to genuine grievances of the public and their indulgence in unwarranted litigation requires to be corrected. This Court has repeatedly expressed the view that the governments and statutory authorities should be model or ideal litigants and should not put forth false, frivolous, vexatious, technical (but unjust) contentions to obstruct the path of justice”

Even way back in 1973, the Hon’ble Supreme Court had this to say in Dilbagh Jarry Vs UOI while quoting the Kerala High Court :

“The State, under our Constitution, undertakes economic activities in a vast and widening public sector and inevitably gets involved in disputes with private individuals. But it must be remembered that the State is no ordinary party trying to win a case against one of its own citizens by hook or by crook; for the State’s interest is to meet honest claims, vindicate a substantial defence and never to score a technical point or overreach a weaker party to avoid a just liability or secure an unfair advantage, simply because legal devices provide such an opportunity. The State is a virtuous litigant and looks with unconcern on immoral forensic successes so that if on the merits the case is weak, government shows a willingness to settle the dispute regardless of prestige and other lesser motivations which move private parties to fight in court. The lay-out on litigation costs and executive time by the State and its agencies is so staggering these days because of the large amount of litigation in which it is involved that a positive and wholesome policy of cutting back on the volume of law suits by the twin methods of not being tempted into forensic show-downs where a reasonable adjustment is feasible and ever offering to extinguish a pending proceeding on just terms, giving the legal mentors of government some initiative and authority in this behalf. I am not indulging in any judicial homily but only echoing the dynamic national policy on State litigation evolved at a Conference of Law Ministers of India way back in 1957.”

That was 1973, this is 2010, but sadly, the story remains the same. Mr Moily, are you there???
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh

SCPC: Recommendations Skewed by IAS manipulators

Sixth Pay Commission comments dated Oct 2008 reproduced for the information of our Readers
Air Marshal Savur has, indeed, done eveyone of us a great service by correctly analysing and very cogently articulating the perfidious role played by Ms. Sushma Nath in skewing up the recommendations of the VI Pay Commission, aprops the Armed Forces and the Veterans, while concurrently feathering the nests of the IAS or the Indian Anomalies Service and the Indian Farce Service. Thank you, Air Marshal.

Unfortunately, in the heat of discussions and the scramble to get the wrongs righted, all of us have overlooked the root cause of all the trouble, the Armed Forces and in particular the Veterans, are now saddled with. In order to set things right and surgically lance the abscess of IAS fiddling and fudging, it is necessary to make an example of the Committee of Secretaries and Sushma Nath, in particular. Concurrently, it is also necessary to point out that, in failing to reconvene the VI Pay Commission to consider and decide upon the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries, the implemented VI Pay Commission award is legally untenable.

Logically, therefore, it appears that matters can only be set right by filing a Writ, in either the Delhi High Court or the Supreme Court and bring out the entire perfidious role played by Sushma Nath and the Committee of Secretaries (COS). Here, it wll be necessary to bring out the increases the IAS and the IFS have given themselves over and above what had been recommended by the VI Pay Commission and as approved by the Union Cabinet.

This was, very lucidly and in great detail, brought out and documented by 'Outlook India' immediately after the announcement by the PM regarding the VI Pay Commission. This will set the 'Cat among the Pegions' and then, the IAS, IFS, Sushma Nath, and the COS, will really have to scramble to effect damage control, as things start unraveling, without let or hindrance. A request will have to be made to the Court to appoint a Court Commission under a Judge of the Apex Court or the High Court to conduct an enquiry and report back for action, as deemed fit by the Court. And, that is the time to push for the Defence Services Pay Commission apart from other matters!

Here below, I am extracting the details rgarding the 'Outlook India Article' ibid from the reply given by me to Shekar Gupta of Indian Express, in response to his preposterous article on the Sevice Chiefs, way back in October 2008:

Quote
"Having said my piece, out of anguish and deep hurt, it is time to bring to your kind notice the fraud that the IAS and the IFS Mandarins have perpetrated on the nation by giving themselves fat raises, not authorised by the Union Cabinet! I am furnishing herewith, a link: click here that I have taken from OUTLOOK INDIA Online which I had accessed yesterday, 04 October 2008. In addition, a copy of the contents of the link, is also separately furnished as a document and given as an Attachment. Your paper has earned a very good and well earned reputation for investigative reporting. Kindly, therefore, investigate the facts as brought out in the article in OUTLOOK INDIA and pursue the issue like a bloodhound, for inquiry by a Commission of Enquiry, headed by a Judge of the Supreme/High Court, known for his independence and professional integrity and thereafter, for such accountability, as may be necessary, under the Law of the Land. Here, it is very necesssary that, all those bureaucrats involved in the VI Pay Commission process, irrespective of their status or pre-eminent position, be made answerable, so that such a fraudulent act is never, never attempted again by any other person, howsoever high he/ she may be.

In doing this, you will be doing a great service, not only to the the country and the Armed Forces but more definitively, redeeming yourself from the wrong that has been done by your article ibid to the Services, the Veterans and the Indian Republic.
Veteran Christopher D'Silva

Comment: Now that the Anomalies Committee has been laid to rest, the IESM and all other Ex- Servicemen Organisations need to jointly expose the Fraud Committed on the Nation by the IAS Predators though the Judicial and Legal route confirming to the rules of the land. The opportune time has also come for activating the Military Pay Commission immediately to address all the anomalies created by the SCPC in respect of Pension for the Veterans

IV Pay Commission Rank Pay Anomaly Case

Wed, 23 December, 2009 6:36:55 PM
Dear Sir,
The case has been listed for hearing on 04 Jan 2010 in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in the court of Justice Mr Markandey Katju & Justice RM Lodha (Court No 8).

It is requested that this information be put on 'Report my Signals' for info of the environment. Case in brief is given as:
In the case of Maj AK Dhanapalan Vs Union of India in OP 2448/96, The Hon’ble High Court of Kerala allowed the plea of the officer and held that the deduction of the rank pay was not correct and directed to re fix the basic pay of the officer from 1.1.1986. Appeal filed by the Union of India before the larger bench of the High Court & SLP in the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the judgment was dismissed. Although Govt sanction to pay arrears to Maj AK Dhanapalan were issued, the benefit was not extended to similarly placed officers of the three Services.

Similar cases were filed by a large number of officers in various courts throughout the country. The Supreme Court of India directed that such of the cases be transferred to the apex court. Retired Defence Officers Association (RDOA) has been able to transfer one of the ‘lead cases’ from Kerala to the Supreme Court.
Col Satwant Singh (Retd)
Secy RDOA

SCPC: Indian Military downgrades MNS Pay Band

Dear Colonel,
Let me express my heart felt thanks to you, for publishing the articles submitted by my team members. We the MNS Veterans, have also started a blog, the title is 'Indian Army Military Nursing Service'. The URL is mnscorps.blogspot.com

The reason for starting this forum is to spread awareness among the armed forces personnel about the 'Military Nursing Services' in India as well as abroad. Due to the general lack of understanding about 'army nurses', there is always a reluctance from the authorities side, for any progressive change to our Nursing Services.

Any attempt for the upliftment of the Nursing Services are being projected as an attempt by the Nursing Officers to claim equality with the AMC Doctors. Let me borrow the words of an anonymous reader, "There is no such thing as 'Nurse-Doctor equality'. It exists only in the 'wildest imaginations of some AMC Doctors'. The only real issue is the 'integration of Military Nursing Service as a Corps of regular Army'; not imaginably equating Nurses with the Doctors". It is being made out that the army nurses are plotting to take over the Armed Forces Medical Services. But on our part, we just want to nurse our soldiers and families as we did for the past 121 years; but with a little more pride. Presently, we are nothing but aliens in the Army, being treated as mere scum on which anybody can ride over.

Just one example. The 6th Pay Commission recommended the MNS cadre the same pay band and grade pay as other officers. However, the COAS and CNS had written to the RM to reduce the MNS Officers pay. The govt. had succumbed to their pressure tactics and now we are placed on a lower grade pay and even pay band for certain rank.

There is no one in the Army who is willing to listen to our problems. They all claim that, the Nurses are given Commissioned Officer rank only in the Indian Army, no where else in the world the Nurses are Commissioned Officers! We don't want to prove anybody wrong. Our aim is let everyone knows the truth and the change will come gradually.

I request your help in educating the armed forces personnel about the Nursing Services.
Thank you, with regards
Brig Jasbeer Kaur (Retd)
MNS Blog

Question
Why should Director General Medical Services downgrade the MNS Pay Band which has been recommended by the Sixth Central Pay Commission and approved by the Government? This seems to be an self inflicted injury of the Military Services, the scars of which will remain scathed forever. ESM fighting for Pension Parity and Armed Forces Medical Services cutting their own feet. Let the Armed Forces upgrade not degrade themselves- Ajai Vikram Singh Committee recommendations in reverse gear. A sad commentary indeed!

Retired MNS Officers are ideally suited for manning ECHS Polyclinics
MNS Officers are truly dedicated, technically sound and Nursing professionals. They are the most competent to provide health care for all veterans. I am yet to see a single retired MNS officer employed by ECHS!

After Lt Cols, govt approves higher pay for Lt Gens

Three days after implementing higher pay for Lt Cols, the government on Friday night approved of higher wages for lieutenant generals under the Sixth Pay Commission putting them at par with director generals of police, a key demand of the armed forces.

The defence ministry conveyed the government's decision to the Armed Forces headquarters in a letter which comes nearly seven months after the union cabinet approved the Sixth Pay Commission implementation in August last year, sources in the services' headquarters told PTI here.

Nearly 50 three-star officers, who are Lt Gens in the Army, Air Marshals in the IAF and Vice Admirals in the Navy, would benefit from the government move to place them in the Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) Plus scales.

About 33 per cent of the total number of Lt Gen-rank officers would be receiving the new pay scales at par with the DGPs of state police and central paramilitary forces.

There are approximately about 150 Lt Gen-rank officers in the three services. Among them, the Army, Navy and Air Force Commanders, who are chiefs of the Service's Commands, and vice chiefs of the respective forces are already in a special category of pay scales equivalent to secretaries in the civilian services. The HAG Plus scales would be for Lt Gens who are not Commanders or Vice Chiefs.

"The armed forces are extremely happy with the government's decision to accord the HAG Plus pay scales to Lt Gens. With this, the government has restored the three-star rank officers' their status. This will surely help in resolving the seniority issue in areas where officers from the armed forces and the civilian services work jointly," a senior armed forces officer said.

By accepting this demand, the government has resolved three of the four "core issues" raised by the armed forces with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after the government approved the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations last year.

Other issues already solved to the satisfaction of the Services included according Pay Band-4 scales to 15,000-odd Lieutenant Colonel-rank officers, who form the backbone of the armed forces' fighting units and restoring 70 per cent weightage in pensionary benefits for the over a million-strong jawans.

While the government has already notified the amended pay order in the case of Lt Cols, the notifications for the Lt Gens and the jawans are yet to come, sources said.
After Lt Cols, govt approves higher pay for Lt Gens
Related Reading
Armed forces want cabinet to consider pay revision

Armed forces still await enhanced pay

New Delhi, March 18
The long wait of the 13 lakh strong armed force for better salary and status continues as no orders have been issued, so far, to implement the decision that was taken on certain issues of the forces.

Four core issues still remain unresolved despite directions of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) in this regard.

Since the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has not issued directions, the central defence accounts (CDA) cannot implement any hike or change that was cleared by the PMO, resulting no change at the ground level.

The Armed forces had raised four core issue after the Sixth Pay Commission submitted its report.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh formed a three-member ministerial committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee, which submitted its report in the last week of December. Subsequently, Chief of Staffs Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta took up the matter.

A Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence issued a letter some time in the last week of January, clarifying that Lieutenant Colonels, with a few exceptions of those who are on deputation to public sector units, will be placed under the enhanced pay-band IV structure.

That was the last written word on the subject. In a normal course, instructions are issued and conveyed to the CDA informing it that Lt Cols and their equivalents in the IAF and the Navy, are now placed in pay-band IV and not pay-band III as suggested by the pay commission.
Armed forces still await enhanced pay

Time has come for armed forces' reforms: MPs panel

The Hindu- Tuesday, February 24, 2009 : 1935 Hrs
New Delhi (IANS): Saying it was "high time" reforms were brought in the armed forces to address "undesirable discriminatory practices" based on rank and gender bias, a parliamentary panel has also urged an "attitudinal change" in the mindset of the higher echelons of the military in view of socio-economic changes in society.

In a series of far-reaching recommendations, parliament's standing committee on defence has also asked the defence ministry to also "devise an effective training strategy" to meet the long term requirements of the armed forces and said it was "perturbed" that the measures taken to address the staggering shortage of officers "have not proved efficacious enough".

This apart, the committee, in its 34th report tabled in parliament on Tuesday, noted that the recruitment procedure for officers had remained virtually static during the last three decades and that no attention had been paid to promotional avenues for personnel below officer rank (PBORs) like what had been done in the case of officers.

Turning to the huge shortage of 14,666 officers in the armed forces, with the army alone accounting for 11,807 of these, the committee said it was "not inclined" to accepting the defence ministry's view that this was mainly due to the youth according to low priority to a military career.
Full Article:
Time has come for armed forces' reforms: MPs panel

SCPC: Armed forces form panel to resolve pay matters

Ajay Banerjee, Tribune News Service, New Delhi, February 18
Realising that the forthcoming general elections would put their pending demands on hold, the top brass of the armed forces have formed a high-powered committee to seek early resolution of the two remaining pay and status-related issues that have had the troops worried over the past six-eight months.
The committee was formed following directions from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in December last to sort out the four-core issues raised by the armed forces after the Sixth Pay Commission was implemented. While two issues had been resolved, the rest remained.
As the model code of conduct was impending, the armed forces fear that their two demands needed immediate attention, a senior officer said. One is that grade pay for all ranks of officers to be at par with the their counterparts in the civil services. Presently, the committee of secretaries that was looking into the anomalies of the Sixth Pay Commission had created difference by raising the grade pay of civil service officers. This means the salary of person on civil side, including the police, would be higher and was affecting the entire lot of officers.
The other pending issue is putting all lieutenant generals at par with director generals of police. In the previous Fifth Pay Commission, the DGPs were at par with lieutenant generals. Now, the Sixth Pay Commission has bifurcated the lieutenant generals and the equivalent ranks in the Navy and IAF into two. The GOC-in-C, their Naval and IAF equivalents and few other officers at the headquarters are in a grade that is higher than that of the DGPs while other lieutenant generals are in a grade lower than the DGPs. This anomaly is affecting about 150 officers.
Armed forces form panel to resolve pay matters

Declining Status of Armed Forces

Changes in the WoP in recent times, has seen the chairperson UPSC upgraded to article 9A over Service Chiefs (at article 12). Chairperson UPSC was earlier at article 17 below Service Chiefs and also below officiating Chiefs of the rank of Lt Gen who were on article 16. Chairpersons for SCs and STs were added on article 17. Both these chairpersons are higher than Army commanders / Vice Chiefs who are on article 23. Members of SCs and STs placed at same level of Army Commanders /Vice Chiefs at article 23.

As was well known Army Commanders / Vice Chiefs were equated with secretaries to Govt. of India on article 23. However, Note 10(c) of the WoP makes an interesting distinction: In official functions held at Delhi, New Delhi, Army Commanders / Vice Chiefs of the Army Staff or equivalent in other services will always rank after the secretaries to the Government of India.
To summarise as to what has been achieved currently, (status and parity wise):

DIG is now officially equivalent to a Brigadier.

Ministry of Home Affairs has declared that all IPS officers shall attain the rank of DIG in 14 years’ service.

Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) is now officially equivalent to the rank of Major General.

Department of Personnel and Training has declared that all IAS officers shall attain the SAG in 14 years of service.

What would be achievable by 100% IPS officers in 14 years would now be achievable by 7% defence officers in 28 years.

What would be achievable by 100% IAS officers in 14 years would now be achievable by 2% defence officers in 33 years.

It is this corrosive and remarkably steady erosion of a soldier’s status over the past sixty years that has driven his sense of honour to a point where he has resorted to, within his own definition, the most vilified form of protest that he could ever consider: making “public” his ire. Mutiny is defined as a collective form of disobedience to a lawful and legal command, an anathema to a solider whose whole conscience domain is dominated to obedience to orders and is an intrinsic and an impregnable part of his DNA. His character combines honesty and loyalty as a moral asset and an absolute reverence for ‘izzat and iqbal’. That the veterans have been driven to dissent bears serious ramifications not only for the well being of civil-military relationship but also should be a matter of serious concern to those who are in a leadership positions including the armed forces.

Lt Col K Channan Ashwini (Retd)
Extracted- full article click link:
A Disquiet Within: Astigmatism In Civil-Military Relations by Ashwini Channan

Comment: Continuous degradation of Defences Forces "Sacred Rank and Honour" structure will eventually dent its motivation and leadership. More so if the Military Gallantry awards are confused with Police Medals. The bureaucrats are attempting to belittle the sacrifices of the Defence Forces who are defending the nation whose law and order in all states is crippling due to corruption from top to bottom.

South Asia Defence & Strategic Review is published by Akash Media. It is a leading publication on matters related to Defence and Strategy, Internal Security and Military Technology. A bi-monthly publication, the magazine was started in Mar 2007 and is gaining fast in stature and credibility. It has already secured a large subscription and readership base in the entire region.

Col A K Sharma, a former cavalry officer, edits the magazine. He sought to leave the Indian Army after a successful career panning 28 years, and held many important assignments and acquired a variety of qualifications.

S Abhimanyu, the Assistant Editor also doubles up as the researcher for the magazine. He is a regular contributor to the magazine, with special expertise in defence technology.

Sabine Kulow is the Associate Editor. She is based in Germany and writes on matters related to environment and social issues.

The Editorial Board consists of eminent personalities from all walks of life. HE Sh NN Vohra, Governer of J&K was our advisor Dr K Santhanam, Amb C Shekhar Dasgupta, Lt Gen S K Sharma (retd) and Air Marshal SK Malik are members of our Editorial Board.

Our foreign contributors include Brig. Gen. Alain Lamballe from France and Ms. Mariam Safi from Afghanistan. The magazine is printed at Rave Scans, a premier printing press in India.
South Asia Defence and Strategic Review

SCPC: Pay anomalies- Naval chief lists pending issues

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 23
In the first-ever official communiqué to the three-week old contentious and half-baked decision on the pay related anomalies of the armed forces, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta yesterday handed over a letter to the Defence Minister AK Antony. It lists out the issues that are pending and need to be looked into immediately.

Sources confirmed that Admiral Mehta, in his capacity as the Chief of Staff’s Committee, has listed out the aspects that are still rankling the forces. The latest move of the forces comes after the Prime Minister Office (PMO) sent out a note on December 30.

The three forces contributed their inputs that were collated for Admiral Mehta and the same has been handed over to the Defence Minister. The high-powered committee set up for sorting out issues of command, control and status of the armed forces personnel will also be told about the issues. The Defence Secretary heads the committee.

The PMO note did not sort out two core issues that the forces had originally raised. These were grant of higher administrative grade (plus) to all Lt Generals restoring their parity with the DGP’s in states. The other was the grade pay at par with their counter parts in civilian services. These anomalies remain and the same form part of the letter handed over to Antony.

Yesterday, Antony while speaking at a function said "sincere" efforts to resolve pay anomalies were being made. “The remaining issues, we are examining,” he added.

The PMO had agreed to one demand that was to retain 70 per cent pensionary weightage to the jawans. The fourth demand was agreed but with riders. It stated that the Lt Colonels would be placed in pay band-IV salaries provided they were in “combat or ready-to-combat” roles. Those on deputation would not get it. There are about 2,000 such officers on deputation to various forces like NSG, Assam rifles or other such posts.

The forces will also point out to a 1970 order of the Ministry of Defence that says the last drawn pay of an officer would be protected.
Pay anomalies: Naval chief lists pending issues
Interesting article: Civil services: The blunted edge by Asst Editor V Eshwar Anand examines the Moily Commission’s prescription for reforms

IESM: Fast for Justice Rally Jantar Mantar- thirty eighth day

Date: Friday, 23 January, 2009, 7:30 PM
Dear Colleagues,

The relay fast continues. Hisar (Haryana) contingent under the command of Sub Hari Singh is holding fort for the day.

We extend a heartful welcome to the following new members and thank them for their generous contributions:

Army
1. Maj Gen RK Dhawan, VSM
2. List of members from Punjab is being forwarded separately.

Summary of 39 Members from the Navy
1) Admiral Arun Prakash
2) Vice Admiral Harinder Singh
3) Vice Admiral AC Bhatia
4) Rear Adm KR Srinivasan
5) V Adm Britto
6) R Adm JJ Baxi
7) R Adm JMS Sodhi
8) R Adm S Ramsay
9) Hony Lt Ram Kumar, Haryana
10) CPO Pishwari Lal, Haryana
11) Cdr AK Jain, Noida
12) Cdr KDS Wadhera, Noida
13) Cdr Gyan sagar Gupta
14) Cdr Satbir SIngh Butalia, New delhi,
15) Cmde Ravi K Nair, Bangalore
16) Cdr A Bakshi, USA
17) Cmde HS Kang, Mumbai
18) Lt Cdr Balram
19) Cdr KPA Rauf, Cochin
20) Cdr DK Gupta, New Delhi
21) Cdr Narender Singh, New Delhi
22) Cdr JK Sharma, Faridabad
23) Cmde KC Chawla, New Delhi
24) Cmde Piyush Jha, Noida
25) Cmde PK Gupta, New Delhi
26) Cmde VK Thakur, Noida
27) Cmde A Dhir, Noida
28) Surg Capt Taneja, Noida
29) Surg Cdr Bhalla, New Delhi
30) Cdr Harpaul Singh, Canada
31) Cdr GS Gill, Seattle, USA
32) Cdr BB Tapuria, Noida
33) Capt NS Rawat, Pune
34) CPO Avinash Sharma (from Washington)
35) Cdr John, Cochin
36) Cdr Ajay Parmar
37) Cmde Satish Nair
38) Cdr NK Singla
39) Cdr P Prashar

Visits
Maj Gen Satbir Singh accompanied by Col Kanwar Bhardwaj, Hony Capt Bir Singh and Hav Balwan Singh visited Bawal and Rewari area of Haryana and interacted with the ESM. There were 200-300 veterans at each place. The response was very enthusiastic. They not only promised to come for the 8 Feb rally, but also promised to bring others from nearby villages.

Tally-ho
08 Feb 2009, 1100 hours at Jantar Mantar. Detailed modalities of action are being firmed up and will follow. The only detail unambiguously clear is that we all must participate.

Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Letters from Members
Date: Friday, 23 January, 2009, 8:57 AM
Dear Chander,
It is heartening to note the growing membership numbers of IESM and the relay fast at Jantar Mantar. I also observe the mention of individual new members in your REPORT MY SIGNAL mails. I feel time has come to publish a consolidated list of members of IESM for information of all. Seeing names of their compatriots in the list will encourage non members to join and strenghthen the movement. They may then exhort others also to follow suit. Incidently I joined IESM a month ago and sent a cheque of Rs 2500 to Gen Satbir Singh.
Regards
Brig Harish C Malhotra (Retd)

Dear Chander,
There are no words to express the job being undertaken by all of you I know the job is tough as we are dealing with rather thick skinned people. Chandigarh chapter during the lunch on 22nd discussed the issue and decided that every one must become a member and try to visit Jantar mantar as and when possible. I have deposited a sum of Rs 2500 and Rs 1000 as per details given below:
Col Sukhinder Member 500 Donation 500
Col Mehndiratta Member 500 Donation 2000
The details of cheques are given below
Cheque No 176727 of HDFC dated 23 jan 09 Rs 2500 by me
Cheque no176728 Of HDFC dated 23 jan 09 Rs 1000 by Sukhinder
The member ship forms are being send separately. Mina I am sending membership form separately.
With Best Wishes
Col Ajya Mehndiratta, NDA/16 Baker Sqn (Retd)

Is Pay Fixation as complex as Rocket Science?

Dear Friend,
Given below is the dossier of the 6th Pay commission

23 March 2008 The Pay Commission submits its report. The member secretary and all officers in the Secretariat of the commission are civil servants. No representative from the armed forces.

22 Aug 2008 The Service Chiefs protest. A committee of 11 secretaries (all IAS) is constituted to look into the problem areas. The report of this committee is not made public. But the government issues the Gazette notification containing the resolution of the GoI, to implement the report of the Commission.

30 Aug 2008 The service chiefs have reservations, and submit four 'core issues' and request the government to modify the resolution before issuing the Service Instructions.

7 Oct 2008 The Service Chiefs are told that the Core issues are being 'examined' by the government and that the service instructions need not await their resolution. The press accuses the Services of being 'undisciplined' The Pay Cells are directed to send draft instructions to the government immediately. These are modified by the civil servants and issued on 11 and 14 Oct 2008.

11 and 12 Nov 2008 The government orders relating to pensions are issued. These are not even shown to the Pay Cells before issue. The veterans protest through rallies and hunger strikes.

11 Dec 2008 The first set of 'amendments' are issued. These confuse the issues further.

20 Jan 2009 A second set of amendments are issued. By now, the banks are so confused that they admit whatever they think is right. And if an officer shouts, they yield. The letter dated 11 Nov has 80 pages of 'tables' but none which gives a summary of the amounts which must be paid as arrears or the revised pension. The present position is extremely interesting. It is a free for all. 'Might is right' Who ever can shout louder carries the day.

During my long years in the South Block, I have never seen confusion so confounded. The civil servants used to proudly say, "Col sahib, we civil servants have passed an examination for which more than three lakh candidates apply. And less than a few hundred are finally selected". They gave me to believe that none of us was good enough to crack that test. And I believed them. But the proof of the pudding is in its eating. The kind of staff work they have produced this time is atrocious. Gen Sunderji would have said, "If you invite specialists from the Harvard Business School and ask them to produce a set of instructions more confusing or anomalous than these, and give them three years to do that, they may fail to do so!"

On my part, I am willing to take a bet that if the job is given to one Col assisted by three majors, they will resolve the issue in two weeks flat. I am led to believe that even if we grant it to them that the entrance to the civil services is tough, the fact of the matter is that once they enter, it is cake walk thereafter. A very senior industrialist had mooted the following proposal,
"Let the civil servants be selected as they are screened now. But the posts of Joint Secretaries and above should be thrown open to every one. Let there be another competitive examination for all Indians who have held responsible positions and let the best men and women be chosen for the higher government offices"

Indeed, no one in the government took this suggestion seriously. In fact the civil servants are very possessive of their powers. They do not let any one else enter the special arena which they assiduously protect. Be it equipment procurement or financial control, they insist that the last word must be theirs. If the performance during the implementation of the Pay Commission is any indication, it needs no further proof as a testimony of their skills and prowess. With the computers at their disposal, could they not have issued comprehensive table to help the banks in crediting the right amounts for all pensioners? Is that some kind of a rocket science?

I think time has come for the services to seek their rightful place in the decision making chains. And if the civil servants deny them that, they shall be doing so at their own peril, and the consequences could be disastrous for the nation.

As for now, I say with firm conviction : There will be at least three more amendments to the pension orders during the next six months. And after that there will be court cases. This prophesy needs no crystal ball to gaze into.

And, of course the issue of grade pays for relative seniority's will be referred to yet another 'high powered committee' Indeed, by now since they have run out of 'high powered men' they may have to seek help from 'experts' from another planet!

Regards, and God save us!
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

PS
In the undivided Punjab there used to be ragamuffins who used to come over and say,
"Na khedna e, na khedan dena e. Te khutti mal naal bhar devni e"
(I am neither going to play; nor let you play. And I am going to soil the ground, so that no one can play.) The present situation is a lot like that...

SCPC: Armed Forces Pay decision on pending issues soon

Sincere efforts and genuine grieviances piling up- Bureaucrats seen bundling the anomalies, confusing the issues and frustrating the efforts
New Delhi, January 20
Asserting that “sincere” efforts to resolve pay anomalies were being made, the government today assured the armed forces that it would soon take a decision on the pending issues relating to the Sixth Pay Commission.

The government has already taken decisions on the “genuine grievances” of the defence personnel “one after the other” even after the pay commission report was implemented, Defence Minister AK Antony told reporters.

“Because, we are very clear and particular that we must give the best available equipment to the Armed forces on the one side, and regarding their welfare and their pay, whatever is their genuine demand, we are always willing to give,” he said. — PTI
Armed Forces Pay:Decision on pending issues soon: Govt

Dear friends,

Please read what our right honourable Raksha Mantri has to say as reported in The Tribune, Chandigarh of 21 Jan 2009.

I'll concede he has a sense of humour. I also think he takes us all for a bunch of buffoons. Well, we get an RM we deserve!

I also wish to make it very clear that the third word of the report, namely sincere, has not been highlighted by me but by The Tribune. Ditto for genuine grievances and one after another. I must be blind not to have noticed that avalanche of favourable decisions our good government has taken. Some of you may be more observant in this regard.

Regards
Cdr K K Punchhi (Retd)

Army to set up another Officers Training Academy to address man-power shortage

New Delhi, Jan 14 2009
Facing a shortage of about 11,300 officers, the Indian Army is planning to start a second Officers Training Academy (OTA) on the lines of its Chennai-based institution, to increase the intake, Army chief General Deepak Kapoor said here today. He said the army was "more than willing" to depute its officers and other ranks to the elite National Security Guard (NSG) force, which is setting up its hubs in four main cities in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks.

"We are looking at starting a second OTA and the aim would be to train those officers who are keen on Short Service Commission (SSC) and bring them into the mainstream," Kapoor said at his annual Army Day eve press conference here.

"Thereby (we are looking at) enhancing the total intake and bringing down the deficiency level, which currently stand at around 11,300-odd," he said.

The Chennai-based OTA at present trains about 500 officers annually under the SSC recruitment scheme of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The aim, Kapoor said, was to reduce the deficiency so that the army could carry out its assigned tasks better and also meet requirements of other institutions like the NSG, Assam Rifles, National Cadets Corps (NCC) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Army to set up another Officers Training Academy to address man-power shortage

IESM: Fast for Justice rally at Jantar Mantar- thirty first day

Jantar Mantar
Mohali ESM
Karnataka ESM
Date: Friday, 16 January, 2009, 9:51 PM

Dear Colleagues,
The battlefront got further reinforcements today. A mixed contingent of Karnataka, Punjab and Haryana is holding it. New membership is in high gear. The stream of visitors continues unabated. 61 ESM had visited the venue (upto 1645 hours). These included, among many others:
• Col Rajan from Bangalore along with Col Kumresh, Wg Cdr Nestor de
Conceicao, Capt Santanam Joseph and others of his team – they are all camping overnight.
• Cpl Kumbhra and his Punjab warriors.
• Maj Gen KN Singh, Maj Gen Don Khurana, Air Marshal Sethi, Col GR Singh, Col KK Malhotra.
• Jagan Reddy – he is a firebrand from Andhra who is also the Deputy Secy General of the National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee. He is touring all corners of the country. He is also keeping the govt on its toes by sending well- researched and well- documented queries.
• The 20th NDA/ 29th DE Course and their spouses namely, Col & Mrs Vijay Sekhri, Mrs Babbar, Col & Mrs Arora, Maj Gen & Mrs MM Bhatia, Col KK Lall, Col & Mrs YS Ahlawat, Brig & Mrs PC Uppal, Col & Mrs NS Behl, Col YPS Toor, Col JC Verma, Col & Mrs SK Verma, Col SK Kundra, Col GS Hora, Col RN Kapoor.
• The usual IESM Core Group members who are regulars on daily basis– Wg Cdr CK Sharma, Maj Gen Satbir, Maj Gen & Mrs Renjen Col & Mrs Krit Jyoshipura, Lt Gen & Mrs Raj Kadyan (also came as 20th NDA member). Three group photos of the day as above.

Do remember 08 Feb 2009– the ESM must fill the High Streets in each city and town.

Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Got nothing in defence, Army fails to woo talent

TOUGH JOB: Having to stay away from the family is one of the biggest demoralisers.
Vishal Thapar / CNN-IBN. Published on Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 15:50

New Delhi: It was a New Year shocker for the nation — a handful of terrorists holed up in a jungle at Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir held out against a battalion of the Indian Army for a week before slipping past the security cordon early January.

Is the motivation of the Army which has famously done battle from Flanders to Ferozpur finally getting frayed?

"We are of this belief that insurgents, even if they flee once, will return to the same area, to strike in a similar fashion," Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor said.

As the military challenge to India mounts, the number of men who were ready to stand up and defend India is diminishing.

While on one hand, men in uniform are queuing up to leave, on the other, enlistment at India's military academies is at an all-time low.

The number of officers from the Army's cutting-edge combat leadership wanting to quit has increased four-fold in the last five years.

In 2008, the number jumped up to a record 1,200, most of them high-performers. Not enough money and having to stay away from the family are one of the biggest demoralisers.

"After some time, you want to give the best to your family but where will the money for that come from," Former Army Officer Amar Kwatra said.

But it is the drying up of recruitment academies which has really stunned the defence establishment.

At courses in 2008, there were no takers for two-thirds of the slots at the Indian Military Academy.

Only 86 of the 250 vacancies at the 124th course were subscribed. At the National Defence Academy, cadet intake hit an all-time low of 190 against a training capacity of 300, and after only 11 recruits showed up for a course meant to train 107 engineers at the Officers Training Academy, the course was scrapped.
Got nothing in defence, Army fails to woo talent: IBN Live

Army Day 2009

Editor: Seema Mustafa Friday, January 16, 2009 Consulting Editors :John Dayal & Rahul Bedi

On 15 January, the Army would be commemorating another Army Day, but this one is special, as it is the 60th. While the other two services would participate in the various events and felicitate the army on their diamond jubilee, the citizens of our nation will not even know about this special day. The reason is that over the years the interest of the media in the army has waned considerably. The government too continues to be under the impression that platitudes are good enough during important speeches of our political leaders. It is a matter of major concern that the army as well as the other services are remembered only when an adverse security situation develops internally or externally.

This day was selected as the Army Day, as it was on this day in 1949, that the first Indian General (later Field Marshal) K M Cariappa had taken over as the head of the Indian Army. The day is marked by an impressive parade at Delhi Cantonment, which is reviewed by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). This day is dedicated to all ranks of the Indian Army as well as the veterans, who had served the nation in the past. During the parade, the Chief would no doubt thank them for their steadfastness, sacrifices, courage and loyalty. He would also honour brave individuals, as well as units which have excelled, by presenting gallantry and distinguished service awards to individuals and unit citations for collective achievements by units.

The parade is followed by a semi formal 'Reception' by the COAS, at his official residence, where political as well as civil and military dignitaries get a chance to mingle with the awardees of the morning. It is always a memorable occasion, where one meets a wide spectrum of people, from the President and the Prime Minister, to leaders of many political parties, to a selection of serving and retired military officers, and of course the decoratees of the morning, proudly displaying their well-earned medals and honours.

Army Day is a day of joy as it marks the passage of one more successful year for this potent and last resort instrument of the nation. At a different plane, however, it is a day of stock taking of every facet of the functioning of the army. The main question that arises in everyone's mind is whether the army is fit in all respects for carrying out its task of ensuring the security of the nation in a professionally robust and befitting manner. In my opinion, the answer is in the negative.

Let us start with the important aspect of modernisation, which is a continuous process that needs dedicated and sustained infusion of the correct and relevant weaponry, equipment and materials. Unfortunately, little modernisation has been carried out, not only last year, but also in the preceding years. Besides paucity of funds, there is the lethargy of the ministry of defence in taking procurement decisions. Resultantly, a large portion of the meager funds allotted for modernisation would again be surrendered, as in earlier years. Such slackening of the modernisation process results in losing the race vis-a-vis our adversaries.

This year the defence budget was the lowest in the past nearly two decades. As a percentage of the nations GDP, it has plummeted down to less than 2 per cent, whereas the minimum requirement is 3 to 3.5 per cent. The acute shortage of officers' continues, as does the status of the military. After the major lowering of the status following the Sixth Pay Commission, I visualise a further reduction in the strength of the officer cadre, as even the little attractiveness of the army as a career that had earlier existed has now vanished. That the Sixth Pay Commission has been an unmitigated disaster for the armed forces is by now too well known to bear any elucidation. The army will no doubt plod on, but it will be the security of the nation that will suffer.

The only silver lining I see is the continuing faith, regard and love of the people of India for the Indian Army, but can this be a substitute for a well equipped and well satisfied military? Serving personnel need to be happy with their status in society; must get adequate remunerations for their turbulent life; must be compensated in their pensions for their early retirements; and they must have faith that the civil administration will look after the interests of their families during their absence. At present, all four have been diluted to ridiculously low levels. There is also frustration and anger amongst the 30 lakh military veterans, as even the ministry of ex-servicemen's welfare is blasé about them. Do these affect morale? Of course they do.

Despite the negatives, the tasks of the army continue to increase manifold, as the other instruments of the nation are either incapable or unwilling to carry out their assigned tasks. That the army has continued to deliver, despite shortages, speaks highly for the selfless service and dedication of our officers and jawans and the institutional strength of the army, but highlights the constraints under which it functions.

After the Mumbai terrorist attack of November last year, the security situation within the country and in our immediate neighbourhood has worsened. Much more would be expected from the army in the coming year by both the people and the government. With the current heavy commitments and continuing calls for varied sundry tasks, the army would find it difficult to carry out its primary tasks of securing the nation, unless the anomalies pointed out are quickly resolved. The strengths of the Indian Army are many and multifarious. Our army exudes professionalism and is highly respected by world militaries, but no army can continue to deliver if the morale is not at its peak. Let the nation resolve that 2009 would be the year of change for the Indian Army.

By Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi
The writer is a former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS)
ARMY DAY 2009

IESM: Our "status quo" concious Civil Servants

The other day when Lt Gen Raj Kadyan and his IESM team met some bureaucrats in the South Block, they were quizzed about the historical background of OROP. If I remember correctly, the question posed was,

"Has the military ever had OROP in the past? If so, until when; and if not, why has it become necessary now?"

The question is relevant as well as pertinent, and therefore, it must be answered. It challenges the very foundation of our quest for justice. Consequently, I took out my papers and discovered that it is fairly well answered in the book which I wrote in 1988. Since the work was based on 'primary evidence' I take it that it shall be possible to substantiate it with cogent proof. I have, therefore, chosen to reproduce verbatim from page 95-96 of "Wages Down the Ages"

"In the case of officers, a 'standard service' concept was in vogue. Thus, as long as an officer had rendered the length of service given in the table below, he was entitled to a fixed amount of pension irrespective of his pay at the time of retirement. And if he served longer than that, no additional benefit was given to him.

Capt and below...20 years

Major..............22 years

Lt col..............24 years

Col.................26 years

Brig................28 years

Gen officers......30 years

This was done to induce an officer who was not promoted to leave service without having to stick on for earning a higher pension. In the case of PBOR the pension was based on the 'top of the scale' for each rank and pay group, which was, once again a figure. (Their weightage was a constant figure of five years, irrespective of rank, at that point of time) The point to note is that the pensions were not a percentage of the pay, though there was a loose linkage between the two"

As per my records, the above format existed from times immemorial and was in vogue right up to the time when the Third Pay commission was implemented. They then drew up a system of weightages ( Capt and below 09;Maj 08; Lt Col & Col 07; Brig and Lt Col-TS 05 and Gen officers 03) which are used even today. I can also say with some authority that all through the period when the rank based pensions were granted (We can now call it OROP) there was no quibbling over the issue of pensions. I dare the government to quote one single instance when any soldier went to the court on the pension issue during the above period, and indeed, demonstrations hunger strikes of the present kind were inconceivable. We have several second generation soldiers in our fold (I am one, myself) Does any one remember his father complaining about 'anomalies' in his pension before 1973?

The entire problem started when we began to enforce civilian formulae for regulating military pensions. The demise of OROP is the root cause of all evil. And the solution now lies in determining those simple rank based figures and applying the service condition in a rational manner. In my view, the salaries from 1.1.2006 to 1.9.2008 have been altering due to a number of factors. They are a sort of 'transients' However, by now the steady state has been achieved, and so all we need to do is to study the pattern of salaries admissible to soldiers at various ranks and arrive at appropriate figures. In my view, all that we need to do is to restore "staus quo ante" Go back on the time line, for answers and solutions.

I would be very glad to have comments from the members of our fraternity.
With best wishes for the forth coming Republic Day,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh
PS
Somewhere I read that, a bureaucrat is defined as a person who holds on to 'status quo' because it is safe to let the existing state of affairs to perpetuate. If, however, he loses 'quo', he clings on to 'status' for all he is worth!

Centre to set up anomaly panel

Photo credit:ShyamalSCPC- Red Tape Cycle- Anomalies growing like branches in a tree!
New Delhi: The government has decided to set up an Anomaly Committee to settle disputes arising out of implementation of the sixth Pay Commission recommendations. It will receive representations on anomalies up to six months from the date of its constitution and will dispose of them within a year.
Centre to set up anomaly panel
GOI Letter dated 12 Jan 2009: SCPC Anomaly Committee

Comment: The Armed Forces Salaries and Pension of Ex- Servicemen are riddled with bullets inflicting devastating injuries! An earlier anomaly committee has caused further injuries rather than healing the hurt. What can we expect from another anomaly committee?