A LETTER FROM 
THE CHAIRMAN I.E.S.M.

TO THE RM

08 April 2016

To:-

Shri Manohar Parrikar
Hon’ble Raksha Mantri
104, South Block, New Delhi

REQUEST FOR MEETING

Hon’ble Raksha Mantri

1.       With concern we wish to inform you that inspite of our numerous requests, we have not been able to draw the attention of our Hon’ble Raksha Mantri to the serious anomalies in the Implementation of One rank One Pension (OROP).

2.       Sir, we are neither a “Trade Union” nor Union Leaders; we are soldiers of Bharat who keep the borders safe and secure to enable the Nation to sleep well even to the peril of our lives.  We have been short-changed, downgraded, degraded, mistreated and ill-treated by the Govts of the Day for the past 67 years.  What we deserve is the Restoration of the status of Defence Forces visa-a-vis other Govt services as it existed on 26 Jan 1950 in all respects and magnitude in pay, pensions and allowances.  The Defence Forces of India need to be 15-25 percent ahead as compared to other Govt services in pay & pension year wise and not rank/ appointment.  What the other democracies of the world give to their Military is at Appendix attached. 

3.       Why is there no member from Defence Fraternity, serving/ retired in the 7^th CPC Review Committee?  Even the BSF has a member but the Defence Forces have been denied its participation.  Govt assertion that Defence Secretary will represent the Defence Services is neither justified nor acceptable.  From the leaks of 7^th CPC recommendations in the media it is evident that the status, pay, pension & allowances of  both serving and retired have been drastically downgraded; to suchon extent that a  Jawan  who is fighting for Nation is placed lower then even  a peon in  the Govt office.  A Colonel in Army with 20   years’ service is graded lower than the Commandant in the CPOs with 10 years service.  To top it, an allowance of officers serving in Siachin is 31000 where as equivalent status civilian employees serving in Guwahati gets Rs 56000/pm. 

4.       There appears to be a sinister design to demoralise the Defence Forces by degrading and down grading of their statusvis-a-vis their counterparts in the civil, thereby undermining the prestige and fighting will of the Nation. It appears that some external forces inimical to the vital security concerns of the county, have probably infiltrated in the decision making machinery.  It is felt that the right thinking individuals at appropriate levels in the Govt should come forward and investigate how this situation has come to such a pass.  The bureaucrats have always short-changed us, is a fact and not a conjecture. We can gave you umpteen Number of examples.  Sir, please give serious consideration to the following:- 

(a)      Implement  OROP  as per  its original approved Definition as given out in Govt Executive Order dated 26 Feb 2014 (Copy  once again enclosed).  Definition needs to be restored.

(b)     Have separate Pay Commission for the Defence Forces with Term and Condition that their Pay and allowances, will be 15-25 percent more than all other Central Govt Services.

(c)      Proper Management and Resettlement of SSC Officers.  They also fight wars and are operating in Insurgency Operations and deserve to be owned by the Nation and not kept in the basket of ‘‘Use and Throw”.

(d)     Our Honorary Ranks from Nb Sub to Subedar Major and equivalent in Air Force & Navy need to be given the pay, pension & allowances for the Honorary Rank.

(e)      If the Court judgements are given in favour of soldiers who have petitioned and these are equally applicable to all others of the same class who have not petitioned, the latter must also be covered by the Judgements automatically by making the Govt Policy as such.

(f)      There must be members from serving and retired Defence Personnel in any Committee/Commission ordered to look into the affairs of Defence Personnel.

(g)      Govt must assure a second career up to the age of 60 years to all Defence Personnel through an Act of parliament.

5.       Please grant a delegation meeting of representative s of Ex-servicemen who are on Protest Movement at the earliest please.

With regards,

Yours Sincerely,

Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)
Advisor United Front of Ex Servicemen & Chairman IESM
Mobile: 9312404269014110570
Email: satbirsm@gmail.com

Copy to:-

General Dalbir Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC Chief of the Army Staff Integrated HQs of Ministry of Defence (Army) South Block, New Delhi-110011	You are requested to jointly and strongly take up the above issues with the Govt.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC Chief of the Air Staff & Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee (CoSC), Integrated HQs of Ministry of Defence (Air Force) Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi 110011	Our request as above
Admiral R K Dhowan PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC Chief of the Naval Staff Integrated HQs of Ministry of Defence (Navy) South Block, New Delhi -110011	Our request as above

 Appendix

INTERNATIONAL KALEIDOSCOPE

Edge in Pay and Pensions of defence Forces vis-a-vis Civilian Employs

Ser No	Countries	Notional Edge in salary as service pay or special allowance for military service	Pension Scale with notional edge for military service
(a)	U.S.A	Approx 15 to 20%	50 to 75% of last pay drawn fully protected against inflation.  For civil services the scale is  33.75% of pay as pension.
(b)	United Kingdom	10%	Uniform pension as revised irrespective of rank and date or retirement.
(c)	Australia	#2608 PA military allowance	76.5 percent of pay
(d)	Japan	12 to 29% on graded scale	70 percent of pay
(e)	West Germany	5 to 10%	75% of pay
(f)	Yugoslavia	15%	85 % of pay
(g)	Nigeria	5%	80% of pay with notional edge of 10% over civil scales.
(h)	France	15%	75% of pay.
(j)	Iraq	10%	70-75%  of pay.
(k)	Pakistan	10-15% with other allowances	50-75% of pay with service element military pension
(l)	India	Nil	50% of pay and same is depressed by 6 to 24% in respect of Lt Col & below ranks constituting 90% of the manpower strength of the Armed Forces.

SOME MAJOR INEQUITIES/ANOMALIES WHICH MUST BE ADDRESSED

(a)      If ‘Freedom’ and ‘National Security’ are the highest values of the Nation, the ‘edge’ the Armed Forces pay structure had at the time of independence (Pay Code 1950) must be restored.  This has been recognised by countries almost throughout the world where the pay structure of Armed Forces has an ‘edge’ over their civilian counterparts.  This is the only way to ensure that the Services continue to attract the right quality and quantity of youth to take up a career in the Armed Forces.

(b)     The Fourth Pay Commission had erroneously relied on the concept of ‘meaningful equations’ of Civil Services with Armed Forces. This has resulted in a number of anomalies as there is no logical comparability of Armed Forces with Civil Services, much less the Central Police organisations.

(c)      The ‘edge’ in Armed Forces pay structure has been eroded/neutralised by the so called ‘Home Saving Element’ in terms of entitled rations and accommodation.  This is a fallacious assumption for the following reasons:-

(i)                   Entitled rations are an age old practice which ensures that servicemen are provided diet commensurate with the rigors and stress of service life, physical fitness for battle and the importance of living and eating together for developing camaraderie.  Moreover, when the Armed Forces are deployed in field areas, such provision is imperative and cannot be considered to be a perk or a, Home Saving Element’.

(ii)                 Rent free accommodation and free uniforms for Personnel below Officer Rank are once again a requirement of Service.  All organisations provide compensation for uniforms where it is mandatory.

(d)     Rank and status equation with IAS is not related to length of service and basic pay plus rank pay.

(e)     Service pension always had an edge over pensions of civilian employees as a compensation for the peculiar hazardous service conditions and truncated career.  This difference has been arbitrarily removed and pensions are now at par with the civil side.  In fact,           pensions of officers, Junior Commissioned and other ranks have been depressed.  Pensions and retirement benefits have been designed for socio-economic security at ages 55 – 58 years for civil services, whereas 80-90% of servicemen retire at the ages between 38-48 years.  Weightage factors do not adequately compensate early retirement.

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