IAF chief objects to Pay panel

The main contention is that after the revised scales are implemented, officers of the rank of Lt Col in all three services would be put in a lower salary slab than civilians and Para Military officers of equivalent rank.

8220;The finance ministry, working on the implementation of the sixth pay commission proposals, is introducing yet another anomaly by lowering the extant of parities of officers of the armed forces, of the Lt. Col. and equivalent by retaining them in pay band-3, while raising similarly placed civilian and paramilitary officers to pay band-4,8221; the letter says.

Major has said that the new scales being planned by the finance minister would end up disturbing the parity between armed forces and para military forces by putting the three services at a lower level. 8220;Civilian officers who were in a lower pay bracket and were hitherto drawing lesser pay as compared to Lt Col and equivalent of the armed forces, would now draw a higher basic salary in the running pay band,8221; the letter says.

Contending that the anamoly would lead to demoralisation of the armed forces, Major has urged Mehta to take up the issue with the Defence Minister. 8220;This anomaly would lead to demoralisation of the armed forces as a whole, as it alters extant and established relativities especially amongst officers in the cutting edge of fighting formations,8221; Major points out in the letter.

The letter comes weeks after the final pay panel was cleared by the cabinet on the recommendations of a committee of secretaries. The cabinet had modified the pay panel recommendations to give the armed forces a better deal by doubling the Military Service Pay for jawans to Rs 2,000 and moving Colonels and Brigadiers to a higher pay band. The three chiefs have publicly expressed their disappointment over the recommendations on several occasions