Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman took over charge as Defence Minister, here today. On her arrival at the Ministry of Defence in South Block, Smt. Sitharaman was received by outgoing Defence Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre, Defence Secretary Shri Sanjay Mitra, Defence Secretary (Defence Production) Shri AK Gupta, Chairman DRDO & Secretary Department of Defence R&D Dr. S Christopher and other senior officials. Smt Sitharaman is the first full time Woman Defence Minister of India. Immediately after assuming office, the Defence Minister approved a grant of over Rs 13 crore which will be released for 8685 ex-servicemen, widows and dependants out of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. She also approved financial assistance out of Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Fund.

PIB

The post Nirmala Sitharaman takes over as Defence Minister appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was recommended by Group of Ministers in 2001. A decision in this regard was to be taken after consultation with political parties. The consultation process however is not yet complete as all political parties have not responded. Subsequently, Naresh Chandra Task Force on National Security recommended creation of the post of Permanent Chairman Chief of Staff Committee in 2012. Both the proposals are simultaneously under consideration of the Government.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri Ravneet Singh in Lok Sabha today.

PIB

The post Chief of Defence Staff appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Report of one-man judicial committee on OROP submitted on 26.10.2016

Justice Reddy committee on OROP submits report

The post Justice Reddy committee on OROP submits report appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

New Delhi: The armed forces today said they have raised “anomalies” in the 7th Pay Commission with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and were satisfied with his response that the issue will be resolved at the earliest.

The statement by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha comes just days after the three services issued letters to their formations, saying they have asked the government to hold “in abeyance” the implementation of the CPC in view of the “unresolved anomalies”.

The forces argue that the anomalies lower the status and pay parity of forces vis-a-vis their counterparts in the police and civilian administration.

Raha and Navy Admiral Sunil Lanba had also met with Parrikar on Monday over the issue.

The 7th Pay Commission anomalies in respect of the armed forces were discussed with the Defence Minister in detail by the Service Chiefs and the members of the Armed Forces Pay Commission Cell, a statement by Raha’s office said.

The Defence Ministry is “seized of all the issues and has assured to resolve them at the earliest. The Services are satisfied with the response,” it said.

The statement came amid reports that the forces were not happy with Parrikar’s reply.

PTI

The post Satisfied with Parrikar response on pay commission: Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Budgetary provision of Rs.12,456.66 crores is made in the Financial Year 2016-17 for implementation of OROP (Rs. 4,967.96 crores towards payment of two instalments of OROP arrears and Rs. 7,488.70 crores towards annual recurring expenditure for the revised pension at current rates). So far 18,90,635 out of 20,68,292 Ex-servicemen / family pensioners have been paid Rs.3,819.33 crores as arrears / revised pension under OROP Scheme.

A Judicial Committee on OROP headed by Justice L. Narasimha Reddy, Retired Chief Justice of Patna High Court has been appointed vide notification dated 14.12.2015 to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Committee will submit its report within one year of its constitution.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri MP Veerendra Kumar and others in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

The post Implementation of OROP appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

7th Pay Commission – Armed Forces unhappy – We are still awaiting finer details to come out but on the look of it there are “not bright spots” as of now, defence sources said.

The armed forces are unhappy with the cabinet approval of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations saying the anomalies that they had highlighted has not been taken care of.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar admitted that “some” of the recommendations that he had strongly pushed on behalf of the armed forces have “not” been accepted.

We are still awaiting finer details to come out but on the look of it there are “not bright spots” as of now, defence sources said.

They said that the fact that the government has set up a committee to look into anomalies arising out of implementation of the Commission’s report is itself an indicator that their concerns have not been taken into account.

Sources said the demand for uniform pay matrix has not been taken into account and that the allowances have not been brought at par with civilian employees.

Non implementation of common pay matrix means that defence pay matrix will be restricted to 24 pay levels even though the bureaucratic pay level is 40.

Another issue of concern is the non-implementation of Non Functional Upgradation (NFU) which would have allowed armed forces personnel to get upper grade of salary even when not promoted like their civilian counterparts.

One of the main grudge that the armed forces have is with regard to risk-hardship matrix. The officers say that a soldier posted in Siachen Glacier, which has the highest degree of both risk and hardship, gets an allowance of Rs 31,500 per month.

In contrast, a civilian bureaucrat from the All India Services draws 30 per cent of his salary as “hardship allowance” when posted anywhere outside the comfort zone.

Under the new scale, a senior IAS official posted in a city in northeast will draw much more as “hardship allowance”, compared to the Rs 31,500 per month drawn by military officers in Siachen.

Source: Hindustan Times

The post 7th Pay Commission – Armed Forces unhappy with the Govt appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Protesting ex-servicemen tonight suspended their 320-day-old agitation for complete implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) as senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani assured them of leading their legal battle in the apex court.

One Rank One Pension – Ex-servicemen Take the Fight to Another Level – “Now that we have suspended the agitation, we believe that Parrikar will now keep his promises made to us,” said Col (retd) Anil Kaul.

Protesting ex-servicemen tonight suspended their 320-day-old agitation for complete implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) as senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani assured them of leading their legal battle in the apex court.

“The indefinite relay fast has been suspended now as we will be taking the legal recourse. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that proverbial gun was been held to the head of the government by virtue of our presence at Jantar Mantar.

“Now that we have suspended the agitation, we believe that Parrikar will now keep his promises made to us,” said Col (retd) Anil Kaul, spokesperson of the ex-servicemen movement.

Addressing armed forces veterans staging protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, Jethmalani said he would fight their case in the Supreme Court.

“I am 93-year-old and I can die any day but I assure you that it will not happen before I get you justice from the Supreme Court,” Jethmalani said.

Major General (retd) Satbir Singh, leader of the protesting veterans, claimed a case will be filed by Jethmalani on OROP demand in the Supreme Court in next 3-4 days and he will not charge any fee.

He said four more cases have been filed in the armed forces tribunal.

“These cases pertain to rulings for jawans, war widows, arrears since 2006, payments for honorary ranks, rounding off of disability pension, and payments of reservists,” he said.

The veterans protest for one Rank one pension at Jantar Mantar entered its 320th day today.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had in September last year announced implementation of the long delayed OROP for ex-servicemen but the veterans have been continuing with their protest demanding “complete” implementation of the scheme.

Source: India Today

The post One Rank One Pension – Ex-servicemen Take the Fight to Another Level – Ready to fight for their rights in the Supreme Court appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

There is a shortage of 9,106 officers in the Indian Army and 1,265 officers in the Navy, the government said Tuesday.

“In army (excluding Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Service), as on July 1, 2015, against the authorised strength of 49,631 officers, held strength of officers is 40,525 with shortage of 9,106,” Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written response to a question in Lok Sabha.

The Navy, as on January 31, 2016, faced shortage of 1,265 officers. As of November 1, 2015, Air Force did not show any shortage of officers, Parrikar said.

The expenditure incurred on salary and allowances in financial year 2014-15 was Rs 94,233 crore for defence personnel and 35,458 crore for para-military forces.

Replying to another question, he said the strength of woman officers in the Indian Coast Guard is 27, which includes 17 pilots and 10 observers. The woman officers, employed for aviation duties, are involved in operations like prevention of illegal activities at sea and maritime surveillance.

PTI

The post Indian Army faces shortage of 9,106 officers appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Ministry of Defence

The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar presented the Raksha Mantri’s Trophy and citation for the Best and Second Best Service Hospital in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) here today. The trophy for the Best Service Hospital went to Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata, which was received by its Commandant Major General TS Ahluwalia. The trophy for the Second Best Hospital was presented to INHS Asvini, Mumbai, which was received by its Commandant Surgeon Rear Admiral AA Pawar.

Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister praised the yeoman service being rendered by the AFMS over the years both in war and peace. He complimented all the members of Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata, INHS Asvini, Mumbai and the entire AFMS for their excellent work in provisioning of contemporary and comprehensive healthcare.

The Director General AFMS and Senior Colonel Commandant Lt Gen BK Chopra in his opening remarks highlighted the modernisation programme of the Medical Services and reassured that the AFMS is fully prepared to meet any challenge.

The Raksha Mantri’s Trophy was instituted in 1989 to create a healthy competition among the Command Hospitals of the Army and its equivalent hospitals in the Navy and Air Force. The Best and Second Best Hospital are adjudged on the basis of a number of objective criteria by a Committee headed by Director General Health Services (Armed Forces). The Joint Secretary (O/N), Ministry of Defence is also a member of the Committee.

The function was attended by all the three Service Chiefs, Defence Secretary and other senior officers from the Services and the Ministry of Defence.

PIB News

The post Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata gets Raksha Mantri’s Trophy for Best Service Hospital appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

The Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, is rethinking whether it should debar officers and men who go home before completing their tenure from the benefits of OROP.

About 25 lakh armed forces veterans get their first enhanced pension under the One Rank One Pension Scheme, or OROP,  in January, top Ministry of Defence officials said. The enhanced pensions will cost the exchequer around Rs. 7,000 crore.

The Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, is rethinking whether it should debar officers and men who go home before completing their tenure from the benefits of OROP.

About 80% officers and men leave the forces when they fail to make it to the next rank. The benefits of the current scheme are denied to them. For example, a Colonel who leaves the army before completing his tenure as he didn’t make it to the next rung – Brigadier – will not be entitled to OROP.

But sources said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has ordered a rethink on this and is inclined to strike this provision off.

If done, it would address one of the major concerns of the armed forces.

“If officers who leave their tenure incomplete and quit for not being making it to the next rung are denied OROP, the forces will be saddled with passed over officers. Worse, they will have to work under the command of junior officers,” a source in the ministry said.

Veterans will also get their OROP arrears – the scheme has been brought into effect from July 2014 – before the end of this financial year. It will cost the government Rs. 11,000 crore.

War widows and Gallantry award winners will their arrears in one go – the rest will get it in four equal installments.

The implementation of OROP – a pre-election promise by the BJP – was announced this September after prolonged negotiations.

The scheme could, however, not be implemented immediately because of the Bihar elections and the model Code of Conduct that came into play during elections.

Source: NDTV

The post One Rank One Pension – Payments Expected to Start in January appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.