Views of MoD on JSM Sought On?

Views of the MoD Sought 

The Commission has been presently undertaking tours to interact with and obtain feedback from various stakeholders across the country. The considered views of the MoD on certain key issues relating amongst others to pay, parity and related issues that have been raised by various segments are sought.

Parity and related issues

Grant of NFU to Defence Forces: In the JSM, ‘the Defence Services have contended that while the 6 CPC, in its Report, extended Non-Functional Upgradation to organised Group 'A' services and the Government, at the, implementation, stage, extended the benefit of NFU to all organised Group A services including IPS and IFS  officers, such benefit was not granted to the Defence Officers, which, in their view is an anomaly. It has been contended by the Defence Services that the grant, of NFU to organised Group A services in MoD which operate alongside the Defence Forces like MES, Border Road Organization, Survey of India etc. has created command, control and functional problems. The views of the Ministry of Defence on the issue of NFU, in the context of what has been stated by the Defence Services are sought.

Relativities - Armed Forces, Civilians, CAPFs: The civilian side has six levels starting from Under Secy upto Secretary while the Armed Forces have nine ranks, starting from Lieutenant to General. Given that some bunching is inevitable, the Ministry's views on issues of command and control functions/relativities of armed forces vis-à-vis CAPFs and civilians same may kindly be shared with the Commission.

Placement of Lt. Generals in HAG + scales: Defence Service's in their memorandum before the Seventh Central Pay Commission have identified the existing placement of Lt. Generals and equivalent as one of the “core anomalies”. They have sought placing of Lt. General and equivalent officers in the HAG + scale (Rs 75,500- 80,000). Considering the overall implications of this request made, the Ministry of Defence may like to communicate their views on this point.

Pay & allowances related

 Rank Pay: In the JSM the Services have contended that their Grade Pay in the Sixth Pay Commission has been artificially depressed as Rank Pay was not taken into consideration while determining the top of the pay scales of various ranks. It is, however gathered that the prevailing principle has been that rank pay cannot be merged with pay scales.

Pay of Lt, Colonels and Colonels: The view of the MoD with regard to the contention in the Joint Services Memorandum that that pay fixation of the Colonel should be done as per Fitment Table for S-25 (of the Fifth CPC) is also sought.

 Equal Work and Equal Pay: Various Defence Civilian Groups and associations in their representation to the Pay Commission have stated that the concept of “Equal work and equal pay” as enunciated by Para 10 of Army Instruction dated 4^th December 1923 is getting violated in their case while working alongside with Service personnel in various organizations of the MOD as the latter are paid more pay and allowances for executing the same job compared to then civilian counterparts. To reinforce the point it has been pointed out that while the Executive Engineer (Senior Time Scale/ Junior Administrative grade) currently draws pay and allowances of Rs 68,000 per month, his defence counterpart viz. Major/ Lt. Colonel draw pay and allowances of Rs 1,34,c000 per-month while being co-located. They have-also questioned financial propriety of getting same work done at higher cost by service personnel. The Commission may kindly be apprised of the facts in this regard and the approach of the Ministry in this regard.

Trade Rationalisation: The Services, in the Joint Services Memorandum to the Pay Commission (in Para 4.1.16 to 4.1.27), have sought upgradation to Group X from revised Group Y on fulfilling ether (i) completion of 8/12/15 years of service or (ii) successful completion of diploma of minimum one year duration or minimum one year of organised training at the level of unit which may be cumulative and not necessarily continuous. What is the view of the Ministry on this pay upgradation proposal of the Services? 

Common Pay Scale for each service like JCOs/OR: The Services, in the Joint Services Memorandum to the Pay Commission, have raised the issue of Common Pay Scale for all in service pre 2006 JCOs/ORs of the three services. They have stated that in terms of the recommendations of the Sixth CPC there has been a re-organization of JCOs/OR in two groups (X and Y) from earlier existing three groups (X, Y and Z) by upgrading the entry level minimum qualification of the Z group from Matriculation to 10+2 and merging it with the Y group. Further, groups X and Y have been given a common pay scale since 01.01.2006 i.e same notches in PB-1 & 2 and same grade pay, with one distinguishing element of pay viz., X-pay to the X group, it is stated that the implementation of this recommendation by the Government has resulted in situations where seniors in Y group, earlier drawing more total pay compared to juniors in X group are now drawing less pay. In order to resolve such cases, the Services have suggested that pay of all group Y and Z JCO/OR who joined prior to 1.1.2006 should be fixed in Fifth CPC pay scales of X group and the pay so fixed may then be mapped into Sixth CPC common pay scales It is understood that the matter relating to Common Pay Scales for in-service JCO/OR is a matter that is under the examination of the Ministry of Defence. The final outcome of such examination may kindly be intimated to Pay Commission.

Others      

10.    Civilianization of certain organizations under the Ministry: It has been brought to the attention of the Commission that certain organizations under the MoD or branches therein are carrying out functions which are entirely or to a substantial degree of a civilian nature. Some examples of these are the MES, Accounts Branch of Air Force etc. In this regard the 5^th CPC recommended the gradual civilianization inter alia of the MES, Accounts branch of Air Force. The Commission may kindly be apprised of the view of the Ministry in this regard.

11. NFU and One Rank one Pension: The NFU provides that whenever any IAS officer of the State or Joint Cadre is posted at the Centre to a particular grade carrying a specific Grade Pay in PB 3 or PB 4, the members of service, who are senior to such IAS officer by two years or more and have not so far been promoted to that grade, shall be appointed to the same grade on non-functional basis from the date of-posting of the IAS officer in that particular grade. In the JSM, the Defence Services have sought granting of NFU to the Defence Officers. NFU will involve upgrading the concerned officer to a scale of pay which is at the next higher level.

The proposed scheme of OROP envisages uniform pension to be paid to the Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement. In this context has the Ministry taken a view on how the pension of officers would get regulated if the demand for NFU which entails a higher NFU over and above the existing rank (and correspondingly pay of the next higher rank), is accepted?

12.   Participation of Defence Forces in CSS: In the JSM, the Defence Services have sought to include Defence Forces as one of the participating services for appointment to posts of Director and above in the Central Govt under CSS, as admissible to All India Services and Group ‘A’ Services. The Commission may kindly be apprised of the view of the Ministry in this regard.

13.    Superannuation age of PBORs: With regard to PBORs, it has been observed that the age of superannuation in the Army, Navy and Air Force varies widely in equivalent ranks. Annex A brings out the position. Is the Ministry engaged in any review/rationalization of the age of superannuation of PBORs for the three Services? What is the existing international practice with regard to the superannuation of similarly placed personnel among the Defence Forces in comparable countries?

14.    Lateral Entry of service personnel in Defence Civilian Organizations and CAPFs: A scheme for lateral shift of Armed Forces personnel to CAPF and Defence Civilian Organizations was envisaged in Para 2.4.6 of the Report of the 6 CPC. In the JSM, the Defence Services, have stated that despite positive recommendations of CPCs and endeavours of the Govt in the past for lateral movement of defence personnel, neither the policy on the subject has been enunciated nor has the implementation been effected. Services in their JSM has demanded implementation of said proposition and stated, that lateral entry would make career of SC Officers and JCOs/OR attractive and results in saving to Govt on account of training and pension, The Commission may kindly be apprised of the view of the MoD in this regard.

Additional Information:

MoD has been requested to furnish the following data / information to the Pay Commission:

The sanctioned strength in the three services may kindly be furnished.

The Sanctioned strength of service personnel as on 01.01.2014 in various branches of the Defence Forces may kindly be furnished.

 Field posting period as a percentage of entire service in various branches of Defence Forces may kindly be furnished.

ln response to Secretary 7^th CPC’s letter of 2 May 2014 seeking information on personnel, Posting Profile of personnel (in all groups) in various branches of Defence Forces as on 01.01.2014, may kindly be furnished

Number of permanent moves for officers in the entire career may kindly be furnished.

 Defence versus Civilian personnel in various Branches of the Armed Forces as on 01.01.2014 may kindly be furnished.

List of training institutions in the Defence Services by order of importance for tri-services and individually for the services may kindly be furnished.

Training Institution(s) tasked with training and Induction of Officers in each Armed Forces may be indicated.

16.  In addition to the specific points raised in this letter, you may additionally like to communicate the view of the MoD on any other important issue in the Memorandum to the Commission, so that, the Commission receives the benefit of the views of the Ministry on all issues it (Ministry) deems important in the Memorandum.