Air Chief Marshal denies defying govt on pay disparity issue

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Dismissing allegations of defying the Cabinet or the government on the issue of pay disparity, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major today said he was confident that the committee set up by the Prime Minister would address all their concerns.

Addressing the media to mark the completion of 76 years of the Indian Air Force, the IAF chief said, ''we have never ever defied the government'' and neither has anyone from the armed forces done so.

The Air Chief Marshal said after the 6th pay commission report came, the armed forces raised four issues -- parity of scales with that of civilian officers, bracketing Lt Colonels under Band 4 of pay scales, according higher administrative grade to the rank of Lt Generals and restoring pension weightage to those under officers' rank.

In response to their demands, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up a three-member committee, under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, that also included Defence Minister A K Antony and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, he told the press and added that he was sure the committee would take care of all their concerns and demands.

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