By Khabrein.Info Correspondent,
New Delhi, Oct 1, 2008: After talking tough AK Antony has played down differences with armed forces on 6t Pay Commission recommendations.
Earlier in the eye of increasing belligerence by the government over the issue of anomalies in the sixth pay commission recommendations, Antony had warned forces chiefs of announcing pay rise from Defence ministry if they don’t make the announcement in this regard.
But this step was the last one and was coupled with the announcement to form a three member committee to look into the issue of anomalies in army officers’ pay viz a viz civilian officers.
Defence Minister AK Antony playing down the differences with armed forces chief on the issue of sixth pay commission implementation said that there was no difference.
He also asked the media not to read too much in statements from both sides on the issue of pay anomalies. He also said that the anomalies will be taken care of by the government.
After talking to reporters on the Defence Accounts Day function he said, “There is no difference between the government and the Services, because they are also part of the government. Don’t read too much (into the forces’ signal)”.
Defence minister talking of defence officials’ grouses said, “After the decision of the Cabinet, Services’ chiefs noted some of the problems and anomalies, specifically regarding the defence forces, which is but natural. The government is examining it at the appropriate level. Meanwhile, you are reading too much. It is not correct”.
Antony also said, “Also, the Prime Minister has appointed a committee headed by my senior colleague Pranab Mukherjee. So there is no problem. As far as we are concerned, there is no difference”.
In the meantime there are reports that government is ready to accept two important demands of the armed forces including taking care of ‘anomalies’ connected with the downgrading of Lt-Colonel rank officers and reduction in pension for jawans.
Earlier armed forces chiefs had made it public that they are not going to implement the 6th Pay Commission recommendations in its present form. They had clearly said that the discrimination in payment of officials in armed forces viz a viz civilian officials was unacceptable.
There was also talked of armed forces personnel going to celebrate Divali as black day.
But luckily it seems that the direct intervention of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh from New York broke the ice and defence minister AK Antony gave his consent to form a panel to look into the anomalies in pay structure of armed forces.
There was also pressure from Defence Minister AK Antony on armed forces chief to implement the 6th pay commission from this month. He had made it amply clear that if the forces chief do not implement it, defence ministry will issue order in this regard.
Luckily things seem to have been sorted out for now with armed forces chiefs deciding to toe the government line for now as the panel headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has been formed to look into the anomalies.
In the meantime Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor clarified that there were no differences between Government of India and armed forces over the anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission report.
Army Chief said, “I want to clarify that talks of differences between armed forces and Indian Government is not correct and has been played up incorrectly”.
“The fact that the Defence Ministry, Defence Minister and the Prime Minister are with us shows that he (Antony) is also part of the government, as we are. So there are no differences. I think it has been played up a little incorrectly,” General Deepak Kapoor said.
He went on to add, “we have made our recommendations and government has set up a committee and let see how the deliberations go.”
After Prime Minister’s direct intervention on the issue the Centre hurriedly constituted the committee, which also includes Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony. The committee is expected to give interim relief within a week. The Centre also said that all pending issues of the armed forces on pay hike would be resolved by the end of October.
Giving defence personnel reasons to cheer before Diwali, the government ordered release of their ad-hoc arrears for the current year this week, even as the government said the armed forces would submit fresh salary vouchers tomorrow, paving the way for the 1.5 million personnel to take home the revised pay on October 1. But the “discriminatory” pay commission report would come under fresh scrutiny with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is abroad, setting up a high-level ministerial committee yesterday to address their grievances.
Source: http://www.khabrein.info
()
Related Posts: