Ex-soldiers unhappy with Pay Commission

Bhopal, May 27 (UNI) Retired defence personnel today expressed disappointment over the treatment meted out to men in uniform by the Sixth Pay Commission report.

''It has had a deleterious effect on morale and inspiration and that is against the country's interest,'' Bhopal Ex-Services League Chairman Colonel (Retd) S Kumar said at a press conference here.

Despite 36 per cent of all central government employees being in defence forces, the Centre did not agree to have any such person as a member of the Commission, a release said while pointing out that such personnel's service conditions were different.

For instance, the need to keep the Army young leads to a fragmented career for a jawan who retires in his 30s. Discipline is severe, physical standards are high, duty hours indefinite, life is tough, a lot of shifting is involved and he lives away from his family.

The Commission's recommendations were chiefly reliant on successful implementation of lateral transfer of retired personnel to paramilitary forces or central police organisations. The ''lateral shift'' was part of the Fifth Pay Commission also.

If 'second innings' is not possible for a large number of personnel who are retired early then they ought to be suitably compensated. The recommendations envisage a roughly 10 per cent benefit for the ranks of major to brigadier and their counterparts in the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.

There is a consequent possibility of large-scale resignation by officers after completion of 20 years' compulsory service. The Ministry of Defence's Directorate General Resettlement needs to be equipped with more powers. Promotion is also slow in the services, the release added.

UNI Team-AC BDP AS1726