Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 29
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Saturday issued instructions to keep the disability pension of armed forces at previously allowed rates and there would be no reduction in the same.On September 30, the MoD had issued instructions, which had introduced a slab-based system for calculating pensions for disability. The MoD had cited the 7th pay commission for determining the disability pension for Defence Forces. Before September 30, disabled soldiers were getting pensions based on percentage of disability. The new ruling meant pensions were reduced and this had led to protests from the retired soldiers and there was widespread criticism from opposition parties and the military establishment.Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had referred to the matter to the anomalies committee. Instructions issued on Saturday say that disability pensions will continue to be calculated at old rates that are percentage based. The system will continue until the committee submits a report, defence sources said.The Defence Ministry had previously said the 7th pay commission had recommended a slab-based system for determining disability pension, which was accepted by the government.A percentage-based system was followed under the 6th pay commission for calculating disability pension for armed forces as well as civilians. What the military personnel are upset about is that civilians will continue to be paid pension according to the earlier “percentage system”, which means that a civilian employee will get higher disability pension than his military counterpart.
Disability pension for forces under old formula, for now
New Delhi, October 29
The Defence Ministry on Saturday ordered implementation of the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations on pensions but added the disability pension component will be paid as per the old system until the pay panel’s Anomaly Committee comes out with a solution.A ministry order, issued on the eve of Diwali, announced implementation of revised pension under 7th Pay Commission for pre-2016 defence force pensioners, said an official statement. It also said the issue of disability pensions — which is presently on percentage basis but the panel has recommended making it slab based — has been submitted to the Anomaly Committee, and, for now, the old system will continue.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“The implementation of 7th CPC recommendation relating to methodology for calculation of disability element has been referred to the Anomaly Committee,” the statement said. “The disability element which was being paid to pre-2016 Defence Forces Pensioners as on December 31, 2015 will continue to be paid pending decision on the recommendations of the Anomaly Committee,” it said.As per the order, for those who started getting pensions before January 1, 2016, revised pension will be calculated by multiplying by 2.57 the old pension drawn in December 2015. A soldier getting disability pension as a percentage of his salary will get a fixed slab-based amount if the pay panel’s recommendation implemented. — IANS
Panel report awaited
- The 7th pay panel favoured a slab-based system for determining disability pension, which was accepted by the government
- But the matter was sent to the Anomaly Committee after pensioners demanded 6th pay panel’s percentage system to stay