Armed Forces146; pay scales may be delinked

Concerned over officers leaving the Armed Forces for lucrative employment in the private sector, the government is looking at delinking pay scales of defence forces from those of Central Government employees.

The demand for delinking pay scales, raised by the Armed Forces and lawmakers, 8220;will be looked into,8221; Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said, replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha today.

Officers, particularly in the non-select rank who lead soldiers on the ground, leaving Armed Forces for lucrative employment in the private sector, was a matter of concern but not alarm, he said.

After the submission of Sixth Pay Commission report, Defence Minister A K Antony has pressed for re-examining the scales particularly for non-select rank officers captain, major and lieutenant generals and soldiers, the Minister said.