Thursday 12 January 2017

How & Why Defence Forces Personnel were paid 10% of Sixth CPC Pay + DA @125%



Online RTI Request Form Details
RTI Request Details:-
RTI Request Registration number MODEF/R/2016/53600
Public Authority Department of Defence

Description of Information Sought

1. Please refer to MoD No. 1(11)/2016/D (Pay/Services) dated 10.10.2016 sanctioning pay arrears on ad hoc basis to serving personnel of Indian Armed
Forces i.e Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.

2. Please provide information as defined in Section 2 (f) of the RTI Act 2005 including file notings, minutes, or record of discussions and deliberations, OMs, ID Notes, etc leading to the issue of the above-mentioned letter dated 10.10.2016.

3. Further, in pursuance of the directions of the honourable Prime Minister, please enable the function of additional payment online in this website for photocopies of the information instead of requesting payment by IPO/DD.

                                                      Reply by MoD

35(1)/2015/D (Pay/Services)
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
New Delhi, dated 2nd January 2017
To

Shri S Y Savur
Subject: Seeking Information under RTI Act, 2005

Sir,

          Reference your RTI application No. MODEF/R/2016/53600 dated 28.11.2016 (received in this section on 09.12.2016) on the above subject.

2.      As requested vide para 1 and 2, the copies of file notings of MoD letter No. 1 (11)/2016/D (Pay/Services) dated 10.10.2016 are enclosed for your information. An amount of Rs 14/- (Rs 2/- per copy) may be sent through any of the mode prescribed under RTI Act, 2005 towards cost of photocopy charges. Regarding reply in respect of para 3, a copy of representation received is being sent to D (RTI) with whom the matter may be taken up.
3.      Shri Preet Pal Singh, Director (AG-I), Ministry of Defence, Room No. 102, “B” Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi is the first appellate authority.    
Yours faithfully,
Sd/---------------2/1/17
(Prashant Rastogi)
CPIO & Under Secretary
Copy for necessary action to: -       D (RTI), MoD w.r.t. their ID No. MODEF/R/2016/53600/D (RTI) dated 05.12.2016 for giving favourable reply to the applicant regarding para 3.

-1-
Receipt………….TRIPAS letter d/d 20/9/16
File No. 1(11)/2016-D(P/S)

          This has reference to Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma’s letter to Defence Secretary, requesting for payment of an Interim Relief (@ 10% of the existing pay and on DA @ 125%) along with arrears on adhoc basis, on the grounds that process to issue Special Army/Navy/Air Force Instructions for implementing the Government Award is time consuming. However, while making this request, Army has linked the matter with revision of 7th CPC Award by proposing that balance adjustment be taken after completion of revision of 7th CPC Award for defence forces. It needs to be pointed out here that vide his letter dated 15 Sept 2016 to Chairman COSC, Defence Secretary had clearly conveyed RM’s direction that all the three Service HQ issue necessary instructions forthwith  for implementation of the Resolution of 5th September 2016.  

2.      Vide the ibid letter, Army has also requested that their concerns (as submitted on 20 Jan 2016), related to pay and allowances be addressed through constitution of an Anomaly Redressal Committee. This issue will be examined separately on file. 

3.      Army has also requested that in the committee formed for Allowances and Pensions, the Pay Cells of the three Services be called in to present their case. Separate file on this issue as regards allowances has already been moved for Defence Secretary’s directions.

4.      It is proposed that after seeking RM’s approval, Defence Secretary may convey the following decision to Chairman COSC vide the draft across: 

(a)     in-principle approval of RM for payment of Interim Award (at the rate mentioned in ibid letter), only on the grounds that issue of Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions for implementing the MoD’s 5th Sept 2016 Resolution may take some time. The proposal of payment of Interim Award will be further processed on receipt of detailed proposal from Army.

(b)     The detailed proposal for payment of Interim Award should also mention the date by which Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions shall be furnished to MoD. 

3.                ©The Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions shall be framed strictly on the basis of MoD’s 5th Sept 2016 Resolution on 7th CPC recommendations without waiting for government’s final decision on pay and allowances related concerns of the Defence Forces.

5.                 Para 4 is submitted for RM’s consideration.
Sd/---------------
29/9
(Preet Pal Singh)
Director (AG I)
JS (E)         Sd/-------------- 29/9/16

Defence Secretary
-3-
Ministry of Defence

          The foregoing notes may please be perused. This note is in response to DO letter received from AG, Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma (page 3-5/c). The proposal at para 4 (a), (b) and (c) on pre-page is put up for RM’s orders.

4.                In this context, it may be recalled that the Services had put off the implementation of the resolution dated 5th September 2016 of the Ministry of Defence relating to the implementation of the recommendations of the 7th CPC as applicable to Defence Services. Subsequently, a direction was issued asking all the three Services to implement the orders forthwith without waiting for their grievances to be redressed. Now, the Army has asked for payment of interim award at the rates mentioned in para 1 at 1/N saying that the issue of the relevant orders fixing pay of the officers and Service personnel will take time. While this is acceptable because of the forthcoming festive season, the flip side is that the Services may defer the actual implementation of the 7th CPC recommendations after releasing the interim relief on the plea that the grievances are awaiting redressal. The letter of AG mentions this at para 4 (F/X). This is not acceptable in view of RM’s clear directions. Fixation of the pay has to be done forthwith and it should not be held up till the Government addressed the grievances as this is likely to take quite some time. In view of these, we may communicate the proposal at para 4 (a), (b) & (c). 

5.                 For approval please.
Sd/--------------
(G Mohan Kumar)
Defence Secretary
30.09.2016
RM   Sd/-----30/09

Def Sec       DO issued  Sd/--------- 1/10

JS (E)         Sd/----------- 5/10/16

Dir (AG-I)  Sd/---------- 5/x

US (P/S) On leave
SO (P/S)

-4-

Reference Notes from page 3/n

          The subject matter is regarding a reference received from Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma’s letter to Defence Secretary requesting for payment of an Interim Relief (@ 10% of the existing pay and on DA @ 125%) along with the arrears on adhoc basis, on the grounds that process to issue Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions for implementing the Government award is time consuming.

Hon’ble Raksha Mantri has give in-principle approval to the Services’ proposal for payment of interim relief on pay along with arrears to pass the benefit of 7th CPC award to Defence Personnel as soon as possible, keeping in view that the issue of Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions may take some time. However, the views of the Hon’ble RM has been conveyed to Air Chief Marshal vide DO dated 30-9-2016 from the Defence Secretary, that the three Services HQ must prepare the draft SAI/SNI/SAFI strictly as per the Resolution dated 5th September 2016 issued by the Ministry, as early as possible. Hon’ble RM further directed that while sending the detailed proposal for payment of interim relief, the time required to prepare and furnish SAI/SNI/SAFI to the Ministry may also be intimated.    

          In response to the above mentioned DO dated 30-9-2016, we have now received the DGL for payment of interim relief @ 10% of existing Basic Pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA @125%) along with arrears. The adhoc payment is proposed to be paid only to those personnel who were in service as on 1-1-2016 and continue to be in service and the amount so paid will be adjusted against the final computation of arrears on the revised pay scales. The pay being drawn as on 1-1-2016 will be reckoned for calculating the arrears.

          In view of the above, we may recommend the proposal to the Defence (Finance) (AG/PA) for their concurrence and countersignature of the draft DGL which is placed opposite. JS (E) may kindly approve before the file is sent to Defence (Finance).
Sd/---------
(Laxmi)
5/10/16
SO (P/S)
US (P/S) on leave
Dir (AG-I)  Sd/--------5/x
JS (E) Sd/------------5/10/16
Dir (AG-I)5/x
AFA (AG/PA)     Sd/---------6/10/16
-5-
Ministry of Defence (Finance)
AG/PA

          Ref: Preceding note No. 4/ante recorded by MOD/D(P/S).

2.      The proposal of MoD pertains to payment of an interim Relief @ 10% of the existing pay and DA @ 125% along with the arrears on adhoc basis, on the ground that process to issue Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions for implementing the Government 7th CPC Award is time consuming. 

3.      Hon’ble Raksha Mantri has given in-principle approval (Page 7/corr) to the Services proposal for payment of interim relief on pay along with arrears to pass the benefit of 7th CPC award to Defence Personnel as soon as possible, keeping in view that the issue of Special Army/Navy/Air Force instructions based on MoD’s 5th September, 2016 Resolution may take some time. However, the views of the Hon’ble RM have been conveyed to Air Chief Marshal vide DO dated 30.9.2016 from the Defence Secretary, that the three Services HQ must prepare the draft SAI/SNI/SAFI strictly as per the Resolution dated 5th September 2016 issued by the Ministry, as soon as possible.

4.      Accordingly, MoD has proposed a DGL (proposed by COSC Secretariat) for payment of interim relief @10% of existing Basic Pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA 125%) along with arrears. The adhoc payment is proposed to be paid only to those personnel who were in service as on 1.1.2016 and continue to be in service and the amount so paid will be adjusted against the final computation of arrears on the revised pay scales. The pay being drawn as on 1.1.2016 will be reckoned for calculating arrears. The proposal has been approved by JS (E). 

6.                In view of the above, the proposal of MoD/D (P/S) is submitted for consideration and approval of Secretary (Defence/Finance)/FA (DS).
Sd/-----------------
DFA (AG)            Sd/----------6/10/16
Addl FA (RS) & JS       on leave
Addl FA (AN) & JS L.O.I on leave
Secy (D.F)/FA (DS)
-6-
From pre-page

1.       Reference preceding notes

2.      Hon’ble RM has already approved ‘in principle’ the proposal for adhoc release of arrears after issue of Resolution d/t 5th Sept 2016 pending issue of SAI/SNI/SAFI. The approval was subject to fulfilling conditions at Para 4 © on N-1.

3.      In response to Def Sec DO at CP-6 opposite, Chairman COSC & CAS responded on 3rd Oct 2016 (CP-9 opp) along with detailed proposal for payment which is not enclosed/placed on file.

7.                 Def Sec may kindly see. If conditions are fulfilled/formal approval may kindly be accorded so that DGL can be concurred.
Sd/-------------6/10
FADS
 Def Secy    RM may kindly approve                  Sd/--------------7/x
RM             Sd/-----------7/10
Def Sec Sd/------------- 8/10
FA (DS) Pl ref the DGL (indecipherable) today
Addl FA (RS)       Sd/----------10/10
DFA (AG)            Sd/----------- 10/10/16
US (P/S) MoD
-7-
Reference preceding notes.

As approved by Hon’ble RM vide note on page-6, the letter of payment of arrears on adhoc basis of pay to Defence Forces Personnel pending issuance of Notification accepting 7th CPC award may be issued as per Fair letter placed opposite.
 SO on leave
US (P/S)    Sd/---------10.10.16
Dir (AG)     Sd/--------10/x
US (P/S)    Sd/---------10.10
Please issue urgently
Issued letter dated 10/x/16
/////////TYPED TRUE COPY\\\\\\\\\\

Sunday 1 January 2017

Wish You a Happy New Year

Best Wishes for a 2017 filled with happiness, good health, more prosperity, ability to understand and bear with fortitude what is beyond our control, and above all the peace of mind to you and your family.