Chiefs of armed forces firm up proposals for pay hike

NEW DELHI: A high-level Army, Navy and Air Force meeting was held here on Thursday to take stock of the progress made in getting anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations rectified.

The meeting chaired by Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta and attended by Air chief F H Major and vice chief of army staff M L Naidu, also reviewed the final services memorandum to be taken up with the Empowered Group of Secretaries.

The deliberations come in the wake of reports that the empowered committee headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar would finalise its report on the anomalies submitted by the armed forces. The committee is likely to submit its report to the Cabinet shortly.

The armed forces have sought a pay hike of 20 per cent and above for all ranks from the empowered group of secretaries, Ministry sources said today.

Under the proposals, the ordinary jawans and all personnel below officer rank may get a hike of up to 40 per cent over and above the eight per cent hike recommended by the pay commission.

This would come in the shape of raising the military service pay to Rs 3,000 against the recommended Rs 1,000, apart from substantial hikes in their specific hardship allowances and for personal maintenance.

The mid-level officers could expect a raise of 30 per cent, while those in the ranks of Brigadiers and above and equivalent posts in the Navy and Air Force could get a 20 per cent hike, if the proposals submitted by the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta are accepted.
Source : The Economic Times