THE FILE NOTINGS REVEWALS HOW MSP WAS DENIED EARLIER BUT RESTORED LATER

File Notings Resolution 2 (E)

File No. 1(7)/2016/D (Pay/Services)

-1-

Ministry of Defence

D (Pay/Services)

Subject: Resolution containing decisions of Government on recommendations of VII CPC relating to PBORs of Armed Forces

          A copy of Department of Expenditure No. No. 1-2/2016-IC dated 28.6.2016 along with a copy of the minutes of meeting of Cabinet held on 29.6.2016 has been received from Ministry of Finance, D/o Expenditure, Implementation Cell for implementation of recommendations of the 7^th Central Pay Commission (CPC) – issue of Resolution and revised rules-reg. The previous Resolution issued by the Government at the time of 6^th CPC is at Flag ‘A.’

2.       Some of the important recommendations in respect of the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) are mentioned below: -         

(i)      Implementation of the revised pay structure will be w.e.f 01.01.2016;

(ii)      Pay related matter;

          (a)      Minimum pay would be Rs 18, 000/- p.m.;

          (b)     The existing system of Pay Ban and Grade Pay has been replaced with three separate Pay Matrices for Civil, Defence and Military Nursing Services personnel.

(c)      Fitment of each employee in the new Pay Matrix would be done by     multiplying his/her basic pay on the date of implementation by a factor of 2.57.

(d)     The minimum Pay at each Level corresponding to successive Grade Pay, from PB-2 onwards has been enhanced by a variable Index of Rationalisation (IOR) )ranging from 2.57.to 2.81 depending upon the increasing role, responsibility, and accountability. 

(e)      General recommendations on pay recommended by the Commission have been accepted without any material alteration.

iii.      Increase in Military Service Pay (MSP) of Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) from Rs 2000/- to Rs 5200/- p.m would be counted only for Dearness Allowance

iv.      Rate of increment would be 3%. There will be two dates for grant of increment viz. 1^st January and 1^st July of every year, instead of existing date of 1^st July. However, an employee will be able to avail annual increment only on one of these two dates depending on the date of appointment, promotion, or grant of financial upgradation.

v.       Recommendations on Allowances (except Dearness Allowance) would be referred to a committee comprising of Finance Secretary & Secretary (Expenditure) as Chairman and Secretaries of Home Affairs, Defence, Personnel and Training etc. Till a final decision on Allowances is  taken based on the recommendations of this Committee, all Allowances would continue to be paid at existing rates in existing pay structure, as if the pay had not been revised w.e.f 1.1.2016 i.e., status quo would be maintained.

vi.      Arrears of Pay and Pensionary benefits would be paid during the current financial year.

vii.     Recommendations not relating to pay, pension and allowances and other administrative issues specific to department/cadres/posts would be examined by the concerned Ministries/Departments as per the Transaction Rules/Allocation of Business Rules.   

3.       We have not yet received the requisite resolution from Ministry of Finance regarding civilian personnel. The resolution to be issued by the MoD in respect of the Defence Personnel (Personnel Below Officer Rank) has been prepared in anticipation and placed opposite for consideration.

Sd/------------------

                                                                                      (Laxmi Balasubramanian)

SO D (Pay/Services)

15/7/16

US (P/S)                                  Sd/----------- 15.7.17

DS (AG-II)                              Sd/----------- 18/7

JS (E)                                       Sd/----------- (Ashok Dongre) 18.7.16

AS (R)                                      As proposed. 

JS (E)                                       Sd/---------- (Ashok Dongre) 20.7.16

DS (AG-II)                              Sd/-----------

US (P/S)                                  SD/------------

SO D(P/S)

SOURCE-ARIEL VIEW

ONE MORE CLARIFICATION OF LAST RANK HELD & RANK PENSIONED

CLARIFICATION OF 568 BY PCDA

Govt clips wings of Armed Forces Tribunal in new rules

• Written by Man Aman Singh Chhina | Chandigarh |
• Published on: July 12, 2017 10:46 am

The Union government has changed the rules governing appointment in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), giving more powers to the Defence Secretary who would now have a role in ordering inquiries against members of the tribunal and their removal. Contravening a Constitutional Bench judgement of the Supreme Court which directed the placement of tribunals under the Law Ministry, the new rules reiterate that the AFT will function under the Ministry of Defence which, incidentally, is the ministry against which all orders of the AFT are to be passed.

The rules also reiterate the role of the Defence Secretary in selecting the Members of the tribunal and even consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has been abrogated. The Defence Secretary and other bureaucrats would now have a role in ordering inquiries against members of the tribunal and their removal, which could only be undertaken by a Supreme Court judge till now.

The facilities and benefits of retired High Court Judges appointed as Judicial Members have been downgraded to regular Group A (Class I) officers of the Central Government. While the SC had directed a longer tenure for tribunal members without a provision for re-appointment to ensure independence, the new rules have decreased even the existing tenure to 3 years and have provided for re-appointment by a selection committee, of which the Defence Secretary is a member. This, despite the fact that the Defence Secretary is the first respondent party in all litigation in AFT.

 While the existing provisions barred the post-retirement employment of members with the government, the new rules specifically allow such employment. Under the new rules, any advocate with 10 years of practice can be appointed as the AFT Chairperson while the lower appointment of Judicial Member can only be held by a High Court Judge.

Chairman of All Indian Ex-servicemen Welfare Association and a practising advocate at AFT’s Chandigarh bench, Bhimsen Sehgal, said that the amendment to rules was wrong and it will degrade the status of the appointees. “Nobody will come forward to become a member of the AFT in view of such rules. Further, the AFT should come under the ambit of the Minstry of Law and not Ministry of Defence. It cannot function independently as all infrastructure is provided by MoD,” he said.

 Sources say that the government had notified the rules even when the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the central government in 2012 to place the AFT under the Law Ministry and also to recast the selection committee. When the UPA Government had approached the SC with a Special Leave Petition, the apex court had refused to stay the judgement and had only agreed to stay the contempt proceedings in the HC.
http://indianexpress.com 

 Rs 4 crore compensation to officer court-martialled 26 years ago

LUCKNOW: In a landmark judgment, Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ordered the defence ministry to pay Rs 4 crore compensation to an officer who was court-martialled 26 years ago.
While reinstating the service of second lieutenant SS Chauhan, the AFT also asked the army to deposit Rs 1 crore with the Army Central Welfare Fund within a period of four months.
Chauhan, of the Sixth Rajput Battalion, was posted in Srinagar when he was courtmartialled after being declared a deserter and mentally unstable.
Quashing the court-martial of Chauhan, Justice DP Singh and Air Marshal Anil Chopra asked the defence ministry to reinstate the of ficer and provide him promotional avenues up to the stage of lieutenant colonel for the purpose of arrears of salary, pension benefits and rank.
"Keeping in view... mental pain, agony and humiliation suffered by the petitioner, it is a fit case where the petitioner should be awar ded exemplary compensatory cost," the bench observed.
Chauhan, who hails from UP's Mainpuri district, was court-martialled on November 4, 1991, and the order was approved by the then General Officer Commanding-inChief, Srinagar. The officer reportedly landed in trouble when he recovered 147 gold biscuits weighing around 27.5kg during a search operation in Srinagar on April 11, 1990.
In his petition, Chauhan pointed out that the gold biscuits were recovered from a house in the presence of other soldiers and were handed over to his seniors.

During the trial, the tribunal observed that Chauhan's senior officers implicated him in false cases to ensure that the recovery of gold could be concealed from the government.
Justice Singh and Air Marshal Chopra directed the chief of the army staff to look into the matter. 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com 

OROP CASE HEARING LIKELY ON 05/07/2017

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Case Status Status : PENDING

Status of : Writ Petition (Civil)    419    OF   2016

INDIAN EX SERVICEMEN MOVEMENT AND ORS   .Vs.   UNION OF INDIA AND ORS

Pet. Adv. : MR. BALAJI SRINIVASAN   Res. Adv. : MUKESH KUMAR MARORIA

Subject Category : MATTERS PERTAINING TO ARMED FORCES & PARA MILITARY FORCES

Listed 0 times earlier            Last Listed on : 05/07/2017

Last updated on 06-07-2017

 

 Tuesday, 4 July 2017 | 06:20:31 PM

Low military service pay: Petition in Orissa HC

A petition was filed in the Orissa High Court on Monday by former Defence personnel against the Finance and Defence Ministries against being aggrieved over the low pay given to soldiers, sailors and airmen since September 1, 2008.
The petitioners stated that because of this, each individual ex-Serviceman pensioner (JCO,OR) lost a minimum Rs 31,0700 (without DA) in the last 109 months and, thus, they subsequently also lost the benefits of OROP and the 7th  Central Pay Commission recommendations which is  linked to this Military Service Pay whereas the real benefit is availed only by the Commissioned Rank Officers.
This is great injustice and can demoralise both serving and retired Junior Commissioned Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and the other ranks of the three services, pointed out the petitioners.
If in India an organisation like military, the Government cannot bring uniformity in single allowance, i.e., Military Service Pay which represents persons wearing uniforms then the country would never reach the basic objectives of the Constitution that are equality, justice, fraternity, freedom and liberty as enumerated in its preamble, the petitioners stated.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar 

Govt to soon come out with fresh norms for disability pension

 

Press Trust of India|New Delhi July 2,2017LastUpdatedat 11:22 IST

 The government has decided to remove existing "anomalies" and come out with a specific percentage-based system for granting disability pensions to Army, Navy and Air Force personnel sustaining injuries in the line of duty.
The decision has been taken in view of the long-standing demand of the armed forces that the current system of determining disability pension needs an overhaul.

Official sources said the government has finalised a new slab-based system which is aimed at addressing most of the concerns of the armed forces that is expected to reduce litigation against the government.
Under the existing mechanism, 30 per cent of the last salary minus the dearness allowance is given as disability pension to those sustaining 100 per cent disability.
The pension amount reduces depending on specific percentage of the injury and sources said the affected personnel often take legal recourse, alleging discrepancies in determining quantum of injury.
As per the new slab-based system, security personnel with 20-50 per cent disability will be considered 50 per cent disabled while those with 50-75 per cent bracket will come under the 75 per cent disabled category.
Any personnel with more than 75 per cent disability will be considered 100 per cent disabled.
So all the eligible disability pensioners will be considered under three broad categories and accordingly pensions will be determined.
"It will be a robust system and will address long-pending grievances of the armed forces," a senior official said.
Explaining the new system, he said, "Any person with 50 per cent disability will get half of the total pension being given to a person with 100 per cent disability under existing mechanism."
The government had started giving disability pension with effect from January 1, 2006 to those who had taken pre-mature retirement due to injuries sustained in line of duty.
The changes being introduced to calculate disability pension are based on recommendation of a committee headed by former Adjutant General of the Army, Lt Gen (retd) Mukesh Sabharwal.
The mandate of the committee was to suggest remedial measures to reduce litigations and disputes in various courts relating to disability pension.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

COMMEMORATION OF KARGIL HERO

Eighteen years after we lost our son in the Kargil war your mail was most thoughtful. Thanks. It is this support that has sustained us through these years. Young men like Vijyant did what the nation expected of them –their duty.  Actually, the war in Kargil brought the best in the Indian nation –those like Capt Vijyant, who fought bravely and fell honorably to redeem India `s sanctity& the countrymen who showered their love & their support for the brave hearts. We of course feel proud though we also live with the pain of a young son lost as any other parent, every day of our life.

Kargil is already a distant memory. We don’t want the legacy of the young men like Capt Vijyant to fade and be lost to a coming generation of Indian, who have a right to know what their previous generation did and be inspired. With this in mind we created this web site. We therefore request u to kindly pass this site on to all ur friends & relatives. So far as u are concerned we have no doubt that as and when India needs, you, you will rise to greater heights. However, for & from those heroes and martyrs a few lines; -

             WE ARE DEAD SHORT DAYS AGO WE LIVED

   SAW SUN RISE FELT SUNSET GLOW

              LOVED AND WERE LOVED AND NOW WE LIE

   ON THE SLOPES WHERE YELLOW ROSES GROW.

TAKE UP OUR FIGHT WITH THE FOE,

To U WITH FALLING HANDS WE THROW    

              THE TORCH BE YOURS TO HOLD IT HIGH………………….

Thanks, Yours’s
Col & MRS V N Thapar
Col V N Thapar    

 

REPORTS FROM THE DIAS OF JM AGITATION FOR OROP

PROTEST MOVEMENT AT JM AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

 ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)

Dear Friends,

 1.         You are aware that the OROP Anomalies have not been corrected by the Govt which has adversely affected our Pensions of 7^th CPC.

2.         While large majority of Defence Family  is in favour of continuation of our Protest Movement at JM, a few of us mostly internet users who for the reasons best known to them want JM  to be stopped.  When we ask these persons that we have not got Actual OROP then why they wanted us to move out from JM, they have no answer except that we should take the legal route.  Some of them are satisfied and happy for what the Govt has implemented.

3.         Presence of large number of ESM at JM on 14 May and 15 June 2017 and their overvaluing resolve to continue with the Agitation till Actual OROP is implemented is a factor which should not be ignored while arriving at the decision.

4.         “Restoration of Respect & Justice for Jawan” in our country is far away.  Some extremely derogatory, degrading and humiliating statements by members of the Political Class against the Army in the recent past are cause of serious concern.  The Govt, it seems has not taken the required serious action against the culprits.  The last bastion of the Nation ie Defence Forces are being degraded, humiliated and disrespected.  There is shortage of over 11000 officers and the suitable youth is not being attracted to the Profession of Arms.

5.         While the Rank and File participate in large number, the officers in the required numbers are not coming to JM.  Leaders whether serving or retired have to be leading from the front.  There is urgent and strong need for officers to visit JM on daily basis to fight for the cause of soldiers.

6.         I appeal to the officers, specially seniors to showcase their solidarity by visiting JM as often as possible.  They should suggest alternate options to get Actual OROP implemented and lead the execution of their Plan.

            “United we stand Divided we Fall”

With regards,

Yours Sincerely,

Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)                                                                                                                    

Advisor United Front of Ex Servicemen Jantar Mantar &                                                                  

Chairman Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM)                                                                                             

Mobile: 9312404269, 01244110570                                                                    

Email:satbirsm@gmail.com   

THE WORD VETERAN DENOTES

Courtesy:-Cdr R W Pathak

A  SOLDIER

 The war heroes, martyred or alive.

Live forever in our hearts, till we die.

They never care for their life.

Guard, our Land, Sea and the Sky.

 We sleep on roses, they live on thorns.

We are so selective, always feeling finicky.

They guard the nation even during avalanches.

And never question, What? Where? And Why?

 Love and Respect, that is what they only want.

It costs nothing, just think, and  Don't be so sneaky.

Had not they been guarding, our Land, Sea, and the Sky?

We would not have been like the free bird and being a flunky.

 A poem By Ex-Sgt Parveen Tuteja

Cabinet approves recommendations of the 7th CPC on allowances

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the recommendations of the 7^th CPC on allowances with some modifications. The revised rates of the allowances shall come into effect from 1^st July, 2017 and shall affect more than 48 lakh central government employees.

While approving the recommendations of the 7^th CPC on 29^th June, 2016, the Cabinet had decided to set up the Committee on Allowances (CoA) in view of substantial changes in the existing provisions and a number of representations received. The modifications are based on suggestions made by the CoA in its Report submitted to Finance Minister on 27^th April, 2017 and the Empowered Committee of Secretaries set up to screen the recommendations of 7^th CPC.

7th CPC recommendations on Allowances

The 7^th CPC had adopted a three-pronged approach in examining a total of 197 allowances which involved an assessment of the need for continuation of each allowance, appropriateness of the set of people covered by the allowance and rationalisation which involved clubbing of allowances with similar objectives. Based on the examination on these lines, the 7^th CPC recommended that 53 allowances be abolished and 37 be subsumed in an existing or a newly proposed allowance.

For most of the allowances that were retained, the 7^th CPC recommended a raise commensurate with inflation as reflected in the rates of Dearness Allowance (DA). Accordingly, fully DA-indexed allowances such as Transport Allowance were not given any raise. Allowances not indexed to DA were raised by a factor of 2.25 and the partially indexed ones by a factor of 1.5. The quantum of allowances paid as a percentage of pay was rationalised by a factor of 0.8.

A new paradigm has been evolved to administer the allowances linked to risk and hardship. The myriad allowances, their categories and sub–categories pertaining to  civilians employees, CAPF and defence personnel have been fitted into a table called the Risk and Hardship Matrix (R&H Matrix). The Matrix has nine cells denoting varying degrees of risk and hardship with one extra cell at the top named as RH - Max to include Siachen Allowance. Multiple rates applicable to individual allowances will be replaced by two slab rates for every cell of the R&H Matrix.

Modifications approved by the Cabinet

The modifications approved today were finalised by the E-CoS based on the recommendations of the CoA. The CoA had undertaken extensive stakeholder consultations before finalising its recommendations. It had interacted with Joint Consultative Machinery (Staff side) and representatives from various staff associations. Most of the modifications are on account of continuing requirement of some of the existing arrangements, administrative exigencies and to further the rationalization of the allowances structure.

Financial Implications

 The modifications approved by the Government in the recommendations of the 7th CPC on allowances will lead to a modest increase of ₹1448.23 crore per annum over the projections made by the 7th CPC. The 7th CPC, in its Report, had projected the additional financial implication on allowances at ₹29,300 crore per annum. The combined additional financial implication on account of the 7th CPC recommendations along with the modifications approved by the Cabinet is estimated at ₹30748.23 crore per annum.

 Highlights of Cabinet approval on Allowances

 1.        Number of allowances recommended to be abolished and subsumed:

Government has decided not to abolish 12 of the 53 allowances which were recommended to be abolished by the 7th CPC. The decision to retain these allowances has been taken keeping in view the specific functional requirements of Railways, Posts and Scientific Departments such as Space and Atomic Energy. It has also been decided that 3 of the 37 allowances recommended to be subsumed by the 7th CPC will continue as separate identities. This has been done on account of the unique nature of these allowances. The rates of these allowances have also been enhanced as per the formula adopted by the 7th CPC. 

This will benefit over one lakh employees belonging to specific categories in Railways, Posts, Defence and Scientific Departments.

2.        House Rent Allowance

HRA is currently paid @ 30% for X (population of 50 lakh & above), 20% for Y (5 to 50 lakh) and 10% for Z (below 5 lakh) category of cities. 7th CPC has recommended reduction in the existing rates to 24% for X, 16% for Y and 8% for Z category of cities. As the HRA at the reduced rates may not be sufficient for employees falling in lower pay bracket, it has been decided that HRA shall not be less than ₹5400, ₹3600 and ₹1800 for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively. This floor rate has been calculated @ 30%, 20% and 10% of the minimum pay of ₹18000. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakh employees belonging to Levels 1 to 3.

7th CPC had also recommended that HRA rates will be revised upwards in two phases to 27%, 18% and 9% when DA crosses 50% and to 30%, 20% and 10% when DA crosses 100%. Keeping in view the current inflation trends, the Government has decided that these rates will be revised upwards when DA crosses 25% and 50% respectively. This will benefit all employees who do not reside in government accommodation and get HRA.

3.        Siachen Allowance

7th CPC had placed Siachen Allowance in the RH-Max cell of the R&H Matrix with two slabs of ₹21,000 and ₹31,500. Recognizing the extreme nature of risk and hardship faced by officers / PBORs on continuous basis in Siachen, the Government has decided to further enhance the rates of Siachen Allowance which will now go up from the existing rate from ₹14,000 to ₹30,000 per month for Jawans & JCOs (Level 8 and below) and from ₹21,000 to ₹42,500 per month for Officers (Level 9 and above). With this enhancement, Siachen Allowance will become more than twice the existing rates. It will benefit all the soldiers and officers of Indian Army who are posted in Siachen.

 4.        Dress Allowance

At present, various types of allowances are paid for provisioning and maintenance of uniforms/outfits such as Washing Allowance, Uniform Allowance, Kit Maintenance Allowance, Outfit Allowance etc. These have been rationalised and subsumed in newly proposed Dress Allowance to be paid annually in four slabs @ ₹5000, ₹10,000, ₹15,000 and ₹20,000 per annum for various category of employees. This allowance will continue to be paid to Nurses on a monthly basis in view of high maintenance and hygiene requirements. Government has decided to pay higher rate of Dress Allowance to SPG personnel keeping in view the existing rates of Uniform Allowance paid to them (which is higher than the rates recommended by the 7th CPC) as also their specific requirements. The rates for specific clothing for different categories of employees will be governed separately.

5.        Tough Location Allowance

Some allowances based on geographical location such as Special Compensatory (Remote Locality) Allowance (SCRLA), Sunderban Allowance & Tribal Area Allowance have been subsumed in Tough Location Allowance. The areas under TLA have been classified into three categories and the rates will be governed as per different cells of R&H Matrix and will be in the range of ₹1000 - ₹5300 per month. The 7th CPC had recommended that TLA will not be admissible with Special Duty Allowance (SDA) payable in North-East, Ladakh and the Islands. Government has decided that employees will be given the option to avail of the benefit of SCRLA at pre-revised rates along with SDA at revised rates.

6.                     Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to all employees:

(i)                  Rate of Children Education Allowance (CEA) has been increased from ₹1500 per month / child (max. 2) to ₹2250 per month / child (max.2). Hostel Subsidy will also go up from ₹4500 per month to ₹6750 per month.

(ii)                Existing rates of Special Allowance for Child Care for Women with Disabilities has been doubled from ₹1500 per month to ₹3000 per month.

(iii)          Higher Qualification Incentive for Civilians has been increased from ₹2000 - ₹10000 (Grant) to ₹10000 - ₹30000 (Grant).

 7.        Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to         Uniformed Services: Defence, CAPFs, Police, Indian Coast Guard and    Security Agencies

                     i.                        The 7th CPC has recommended abolition of Ration Money Allowance (RMA) and free ration to Defence officers posted in peace areas. It has been decided that Ration Money Allowance will continue to be paid to them and directly credited to their account. It will benefit 43000 Defence officers.

                   ii.                        Technical Allowance (Tier - I & II) are paid to Defence officers belonging to technical branches @₹3000 per month and ₹4500 per month. 7th CPC has recommended that Technical Allowance (Tier - II) be merged with Higher Qualification Incentive for Defence personnel. In view of the specific requirements of Defence Forces for the Defence personnel to keep pace with changing Defence requirements and technologies, the  Government has decided not to discontinue Technical Allowance. The list of courses for these allowances will be reviewed to remain in sync with the latest technical advancements in Defence.

                 iii.                        The facility of one additional free railway warrant (Leave Travel Concession) presently granted to personnel of Defence Forces serving in  field/high altitude/CI Ops shall also be extended to all personnels of CAPFs and the Indian Coast Guard. 

                 iv.                        Rates of High Altitude Allowance granted to Defence Forces and CAPF personnel will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from  ₹810 - ₹16800 per month to ₹2700 – ₹25000 per month.

                   v.                        Field Area Allowances are granted to Indian Army, Air Force & CAPF personnel. The rates of Field Area Allowances (Modified Field, Field & Highly Active)  will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹1200 - ₹12600 per month to ₹6000 - ₹16900 per month. Classification of field areas for this allowance will be done by Ministry of Defence for Defence personnel and by Ministry of Home Affairs for CAPFs.

                 vi.                        The rates of Counter Insurgency Ops (CI Ops) Allowance, granted to Defence and CAPFs while deployed in counter – insurgency operations will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from  ₹3000 - ₹11700 per month to ₹6000 – ₹16900 per month.

               vii.                        Rates of MARCOS and Chariot Allowance granted to marine commandos of Indian Navy will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹10500 - ₹15750 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month.

             viii.                        Rates of Sea Going Allowance granted to personnel of Indian Navy will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The twelve hour conditionality for determining the eligibility of Sea Going Allowance has been reduced to four hours. The rates will go up from ₹3000 - ₹7800 per month to ₹6000 – ₹10500 per month.

                 ix.                        Rates of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) Allowance granted to CRPF personnel deployed in Naxal hit areas will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹8400 - ₹16800 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month.

                   x.                        Rates of Flying Allowance granted to flying branch and technical officers of Defence Forces will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from ₹10500 - ₹15750 per month to ₹17300 – ₹25000 per month. It has been extended mutatis mutandis to BSF Air Wing also.

                 xi.                        Rates of Higher Qualification Incentive for Defence Personnel have been increased from ₹9000 – ₹30000 (Grant) to ₹10000 – ₹30000 (Grant).

               xii.                        Aeronautical Allowance, presently paid to personnel of Indian Navy, has been extended to Indian Coast Guard. The rate of this allowance has been increased from ₹300 per month to ₹450 per month.

             xiii.                        Rates of Test Pilot and Flight Test Engineer Allowance will be governed by the R&H Matrix. The rates will go up from  ₹1500 / ₹3000 per month to ₹4100 / ₹5300 per month.

             xiv.                        Rates of Territorial Army Allowance have been increased from ₹175 - ₹450 per month to ₹1000 - ₹2000 per month.

               xv.                        Ceilings of Deputation (Duty) Allowance for Defence Personnel have been increased from ₹2000 - ₹4500 per month to ₹4500 - ₹9000 per month.

             xvi.                        Rates of Detachment Allowance have been increased ₹165 - ₹780 per day to ₹405 – ₹1170 per day.

           xvii.                        Rates of Para Jump Instructor Allowance have been increased from ₹2700/3600 per month to ₹6000 / 10500 per month.

         xviii.                        Special Incident / Investigation / Security Allowance has been rationalized. Rates for Special Protection Group (SPG) have been revised to 55% and 27.5% of Basic Pay for operational and non – operational duties respectively.

 8.         Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to Indian Railways

               i.                              Rates of Additional Allowance have been increased from ₹500 / 1000 per month to ₹1125 / 2250 per month. This has also been extended to Loco Pilot Goods and Senior Passenger Guards also @₹750 per month.  

                   ii.                        In view of strenuous nature of the job, new Allowance namely Special Train Controller’s Allowance @5000 per month for Train Controllers of Railways has been introduced.

 9.        Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to Nurses & Ministerial Staffs of Hospital

                  i.                        Existing rate of Nursing Allowance has been increased from ₹4800 per month to ₹7200 per month.

                ii.                        Rate of Operation Theatre Allowance has been increased from ₹360 per month to ₹540 per month.

                 iii.                        Rates of Hospital Patient Care Allowance / Patient Care Allowance have been increased from ₹2070 - ₹2100 per month to ₹4100 – ₹5300 per month. 7^th CPC recommendations modified to the extent that it will be granted to Ministerial staff also.

 10.       Recommendations in respect of some important allowances paid to        Pensioners

 Rate of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) for Pensioners has been increased from ₹500 per month to ₹1000 per month. This will benefit more than 5 lakh central government pensioners not availing CGHS facilities.

                     i.                        The rate of Constant Attendance Allowance granted on 100% disablement has been increased from ₹4500 per month to ₹6750 per month.

 11.       Allowances to Scientific Departments

               i.                              The recommendations of 7th CPC to abolish Launch Campaign Allowance and Space Technology Allowance has not been accepted. In order to incentivize the supporting employees in Space and Atomic Energy sector, the rate of Launch Campaign and Space Technology Allowance has been increased from ₹7500 per annum to ₹11250 per annum. Professional Update Allowance for non-gazetted employees of Department of Atomic Energy will also continue to be paid at the enhanced rate of ₹11250 per annum.

                   ii.                     The 7th CPC had placed Antarctica Allowance, paid to the Scientists and other members undertaking the expedition to Antarctica under the Indian Antarctic programme, in the RH-Max Cell of the R&H Matrix. The rates of the RH-Max Cell recommended by the 7th CPC were less than the existing rates of Antarctica Allowance which is currently paid on per day basis. Considering the specific nature of these expeditions and to provide appropriate increase in rates, Government has decided to keep Antarctica Allowance out of the R&H Matrix and the allowance will continue to be paid on per day basis as per existing practice. The Rates of Antarctica Allowance will go up from ₹1125 per day (Summers) and ₹1688 per day (Winters) to ₹1500 per day (Summers) and ₹2000 per day (Winters).

 12.                  Allowances paid to D/o Posts

                     i.                        The recommendations of 7th CPC to abolish Cycle Allowance, granted     mainly to Postmen and trackmen in Railways, has not been accepted.           Keeping in view the specific requirement of this allowance for postmen                       in Department of Posts and trackmen in Railways, the cycle allowance       is retained and the rates have been doubled from ₹90 per month to ₹180                       per month. This will benefit more than 22,200 employees.

Conclusion

While increasing the rate of allowances affecting the central government employees, especially the Defence, CAPF and Coast Guard personnel, the staff of Railways, Postal department and nursing staff, the total number of allowances have been rationalized from 197 to 128. Thus, the Government has shown a great deal of fiscal prudence and at the same time addressed the genuine concerns of the employees and responded to some of the administrative exigencies necessitating the modifications.

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