Image for representational use only. Image Courtesy: Indian Express
The government’s
rejection of
a long-standing demand of the armed forces for higher Military Service
Pay (MSP) for around one lakh personnel, including Junior Commissioned
Officers (JCO's), has left many upset in the Armed Forces.
The MSP is given besides salary in recognition of the condition and
hardship faced by the armed forces while performing their duties. This
concept was introduced in India in the Sixth Pay Commission.
Around 1.12 lakh military personnel, including 87,646 JCOs and 25,434
personnel of equivalent rank from the Navy and the Indian Air Force
will be impacted by the decision. The armed forces this time round had
sought a hike from Rs 5,500, as recommended by the Seventh Pay
Commission in 2016, to Rs 10,800 per month in MSP for JCOs and other
low-ranking officers in Army, Indian Air Force and Navy. Had the
proposal gone through, the financial spending would have amounted to Rs
610 crore.
The MSP has two categories, including one for officers and another
for JCOs and jawans. The Seventh Pay Commission had fixed Rs 5,200 as
MSP per month for JCOs and jawans. This special allowance was fixed at
Rs 15,500 for officers between Lieutenant-rank and Brigadier-rank.
The Army has been pressing for granting an MSP of Rs 10,800 for the
JCOs, arguing that they are gazetted officers (Group B) and play a very
vital role in command and control structure of the force. “JCOs perform a
crucial role in the overall command structure and are the link between
officers and men. It was not the right thing to treat the JCOs on a par
with the jawans as regards granting MSP since JCOs are gazetted officers
with long years of service” a source serving in the Indian Army told
Newsclick who did not wish to be named.
Sources also claim that the Army Headquarters is anguished over the
rejection of higher MSP to JCOs and the Defence Ministry is also miffed.
In 2016, the three service chiefs had taken up salary-related issues
including the "anomalies" in MSP with the 7th Pay Commission as well as
with the top echelon of the government.
Subsequently, the Army had taken up the issue strongly with the
Defence Minister and the three services as well as the Defence Ministry
were on the same page on the issue.
“On the rationale for MSP, soldiers and their civilian counterparts
in Central Government services cannot be compared given the fact the
nature of duties performed by jawans and JCOs are more difficult. It is
in this context that the armed forces for long were demanding a separate
MSP for JCOs,” another military serviceman told
Newsclick.
Retired Major Priyadarshi told
Newsclick,
“Legally, military nurses are paid an MSP Rs 10,800 as proposed in the
7th Pay Commission. Military nurses and JCOs are both Grade B officers,
therefore JCOs are also entitled to a similar MSP. It is a very
disappointing decision by the Government which has time and again
claimed to be “for the army” and defence personnel.”
The Army operates in all kinds of terrain and weather conditions
ranging from Siachen where temperatures range from minus 10 to minus 30,
hot deserts of Rajasthan, inaccessible areas along the 750-km long Line
of Control with Pakistan and 4,000-km Line of Actual Control facing
China from Ladakh in the north to Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
Similarly, Navy and IAF perform operational duties in tough conditions.
Priyadarshi further said that “the attitude of the Indian Government
highlights the sad state of civilians towards the military
servicemen.JCOs must be given due importance in recognition of their key
role and to keep their morale high.”
