Frankly, I never thought this regressive recommendation would ever be accepted… the pay panel has made unfounded and uncharitable remarks against disabled soldiers. MAJOR NAVDEEP SINGH, lawyer, Punjab and Haryana high court

CHANDIGARH: The central government notified the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations on Friday but disabled officers of the defence forces will still get lower remuneration than their counterparts in civil departments.

Among the accepted recommendations is a return to the slab system for calculation of disability. That was prevalent before the sixth commission replaced it with the system of calculating disability element of pension as a maximum of 30% of pay scale for 100% disability. It is the method used for civilians. For lower degree of disability, the amount was reduced on prorata basis.

The defence services had this time even sought enhancement of the disability element of pension at 50% for complete disability.

But, in the slab system that has made a comeback, for 100% disability, for officers the element of pension is fixed at `27,000, for junior commissioned officers (JCOs) `17,000; for other ranks (ORs), `12,000 a month, for 100% disability. It would be reduced as per lower level of disability. In lower ranks, the change of system won’t make a significant difference, though. WHY THE U-TURN?

The seventh panel reasoned that after implementation of the sixth commission recommendations, emoluments “for 100% disability, at the minimum level for ORs, went up from `1,550 to `3,138, that is, a little over double; and at the highest level amongst officers from `2,600 to `27,000, that is, by 10.38 times”.

It added, “As a percentage of the total officer retirees, the number of officers retiring with disability has increased in 2013-14 (19.8%), as compared to 2007-08 (13.6%). The percentage of JCOs/ORs retiring with disability is, on the other hand, decreasing (18.9 to 7.2).”

For introduction of the flat slab system again, the seventh panel also said that disability pension based on percentage brought inequity, as the difference between maximum and minimum quantum of compensation across the ranks “is now disproportionately high”.

But Major Navdeep Singh, lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana high court, differs: “Frankly, I never thought that this regressive recommendation would ever be accepted. While recommending this aspect, the pay commission has made unfounded and uncharitable remarks against disabled soldiers by casting aspersions on those who have incurred disabilities while in service. These remarks should be expunged by the political executive.”