Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 22
Ex-servicemen today flayed the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations to abolish several existing allowances and benefits that were applicable to members of the armed forces.
Speaking to mediapersons, they pointed out that the Commission has recommended that the entitlement of free rations for defence officers and furlough leave be abolished. Further, the Commission has also recommended that counting Military Service Pay (MSP) for calculating house rent allowance and transfer grant be done away with.
The perk of 100 free units of electricity to defence personnel as well as the funeral allowance of Rs 5,000, that had been introduced to ensure dignified last rites to ex-servicemen from the lower strata, have also been abolished.
Ex-servicemen said the rates of MSP recommended by them to the government was 52 per cent of basic pay for officers and 62 per cent for other ranks, which have not been accepted. Even the Siachen allowance, the highest for hardship, has been capped at Rs 31,500, whereas a civilian officer of the rank of joint secretary, when posted to cities in Ladakh or the northeast will get 30 per cent of basic pay, which works out to Rs 54,810 per month.
Ex-servicemen urged the three service chiefs to take up the issues strongly with the government and ensure that the armed forces are not harmed or degraded.