Guest Post - Social Media War

SOLDIERS SOCIAL MEDIA WAR AGAINST ANTI NATIONAL ELEMENTS PROPAGANDA - PART 4: THE INVERTED PYRAMID

 I am getting a good support for my effort to fight ANEs on social media. I also see some improvement in social media culture. I doubly check my facts before shooting. Not a single person has pointed out any error in my posts so far. We still have some extra ordinary minds who have been spreading the grossly false ANE propaganda. These messages have no sign or details of originator and are lapped up with out bating an eye lid.

Seniority/Status vs Pay: Recently General VP Malik made several statements based on social media in puts during pay commission discussions on NDTV. One of the issues involved was concerning the civilians getting higher grade pay under NFFU and claming a higher status than their defence services counter parts. Similarly some Police officers were refusing to attend meetings called by Defence Officers on the pretext of claiming a better status based on grade pay. Grade pay was never approved as a criteria to compare status of Defence personnel with civilians, not even between different civilian organisations.

I am taking up a few status issues now in light of implementation of the CPC ordered for defence forces vide MOD resolution No. 01 (E) No. 1(6)/2016/D (Pay/Services)  dated 05 Sep 2016.

Seventh CPC recommendations have now been approved with some improvements. Some key fall outs as a result of implementation of CPC recommendations are discussed below.

Status of Defence Forces vis a vis Civilians: I quote from page 88 of 7^th CPC report:

“5.2.15 Pay Levels Unique to Defence Forces Personnel: Pay levels corresponding to the existing GP 3400, GP 5700, GP 6100, GP 6600, GP 7600, GP 8000, GP 8400, GP 8700, GP 8900 and GP 9000 are unique to defence forces personnel. The minimum pay corresponding to each of these pay levels takes into account the normative residency period of the various ranks of officers.

5.2.16 The Commission emphasises that the pay structure designed by it for the defence forces personnel has been done keeping in view

(a) some of the aspects in their rank structure unique to them and

(b) pay structure is not intended to determine the status of the personnel vis-à-vis their counterparts on the civil side.”

Therefore it is absolutely clear that pay structure has nothing to do with status. Seventh pay commission has even abolished Grade Pay system. NFFU granted to a civilian just gives him a financial benefit. It is non functional, hence he can not even claim it to be a status enhancement. Similarly other civilian and police officers cannot claim a higher status on the basis of higher grade pay. Therefore, pay has never been an issue to decide the status of defence personnel.

Whether civilians get paid more than military is a debatable issue left for discussion on another day. The only comparison between military and civilians is given in the warrant of precedence. There we score high. It is a different subject, can be discussed separately.

Status of Defence Officers with in Military Ranks: With in services itself hundreds of Officers junior in Rank/ status are drawing more salary than their seniors. For example as per sixth pay scale matrix, Brigs on top of the scale (Basic 67000/-+ GP 8900+ MSP 6000= 81900) ARE DRAWING MORE THAN ARMY COMMANDERS at a fixed salary of Rest 80,000. There were 26 Brig equivalent drawing more than the Army Commanders. Similarly DGAFMS draws Rs 85000/-, higher than an Army Commander. 

The situation has become more favourable for juniors under seventh CPC Matrix to draw more pay than senior ranks. The top of scale for Lt Cols (2,10,700/-+ MSP 15500=226200), Col (214000+15500=229500) and Brig(217600+15500=233100) is more than that of an Army Commander fixed at 2,25,000/-.

Does that mean that a Col can summon a Lt Gen TO HIS OFFICE FOR A ML on the grounds that he draws higher pay? Could mean a happy situation for passed overs resulting in an inverted pyramid.

The revised Pay Matrix vide Govt. resolution quoted above:  In the revised pay matrix (attached) additional stages in Lt Col, Col and Brig ranks have given a great edge to these ranks. Most of the officers retire as Cols and Brigs. Let us take the case of Cadet KK Sahare (Kismat Ke Sahare, popularly known as KK). KK is a happy go lucky hard working fellow. Managed to throw his cap up at IMA on his 21ST birthday. He threw a party on his 34^th birthday to celeberate his Lt Col rank. His basic pay jumped to Rs 1,16700/-(as in 7^th CPC). Subsequently he saw juniors by passing him due to pyramidal structure but was not unduly worried because every year he saw a jump in his pay slip. On his 47 th birthday he was promoted again to become a substantive Col and his pay jumped to 179200. He retired on his  54^th birthday drawing a basic 214000/- + MSP 15500= 229500/-.In the same month his CO retired as an Army Commnder on his 60^th birthday drawing a pay of Rs 225000/-, less than what KK was drawing. Now KK is drawing more pension than his CO.

Based on the above example it is quite evident that under new pay matrix, Cols will draw more pension than the elites on Apex scale of Rs 225000, like IAS secretaries, IPS heads of police forces and Army Commanders. Hundreds of juniors ranks will draw more pay and pension than their senior ranks. The only persons drawing more pension than KK will be Brigs, the military Chiefs and Cabinet Secretaries.

Will we follow the inverted pyramid by following the seniority principle based on pay?

And these are exclusive privileges given to the Defence Forces by a grateful nation for

the services rendered.

Dosto isko itana felao kee dushman social media se dum daba ke bhag jae. Desh aur

fauj kee khatir itana to banata hai.

WG CDR RAVI BALI

av_int@yahoo.co.in

Mob: 9899809930