Army: Issue of amendment to Armed Forces Pay Rules and Regulations,2017 - Dated- 20-03-2019

Army: Issue of amendment to Armed Forces Pay Rules and Regulations,2017 - Dated- 20-03-2019

[TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA,
EXTRAORDINARY,
PART-II, SECTION 4]
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(Department of Defence)

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 20th March, 2019.

S.R.O ……. (E) .- In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to alticle 309 of the Constitution, the President hereby makes the following rules to amend the Army Pay Rules, 2017, namely: -

Short title and commencement. - (1) These rules may be called the Army Pay (Amendment) Rules, 2019.

(2) They shall be deemed to have come into force on the 1st day of January, 2016.
In the Army Pay Rules, 2017, in rule 5, in sub-rule (3), for clause (v), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

"(v) Group 'X' Pay shall be counted as pay for the purpose of computation of dearness allowance and pension".

[No.1 (9)/2016-D (Pay/Services) Part-II]
(M. Subbarayan)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India

Explanatory Memorandum- The recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission have been implemented with effect from the 1st day of January, 2016. Likewise, the Defence Personnel of the Union of India are eligible for Seventh Central Pay revision with effect from the 1st day of January, 2016. Accordingly, the said rules have been given retrospective effect with effect from the 1st day of January, 2016. It is hereby, certified that by giving retrospective effect to the said rules no one , will be adversely affected.

Note:- The Army Pay Rules, 2017 were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 4 vide notification, number S.R.O. 9(E), dated the 3rd May, 2017.

Source: MoD

7th CPC Defence Personnel Pay Hike from May, 2017

7th CPC Defence Personnel Pay Hike from May, 2017

Order says remaining core concerns are being addressed separately

After a wait of about eight months, military personnel are likely to receive their revised pay recommended by the Seventh Pay Commission with arrears in May's salary, say the general instructions issued by the three Services to their personnel.

The Union Cabinet issued orders last week for implementing the recommendations for military personnel. Following this, the three Services issued the general instructions stating the various recommendations that were approved.

"Army pay rules 2017 issued on May 03. Some core concerns have been addressed and remaining core concerns are being addressed separately," said the instructions issued by the Army's Pay Commission Cell on May 5.

Pay stages stretched
The recommendations approved include extension of pay stages for junior commissioned officers (JCO) and other ranks from 24 to 40 to prevent stagnation, increase in index of rationalisation for Colonels and Lieutenant-Colonels from 2.57 to 2.67 and extension of pay stages for Brigadiers by two.
On the pension front, two recommendations approved are restoration of the percentage-based disability pension and an additional option for pension by pay fixation method in addition to the consolidation method, whichever is higher.

"Revised pay with arrears likely to be credited this month," the instruction stated.

Arrears since Jan, 2016
Sources said the arrears will be calculated from January 2016, the date of implementation of the pay panel recommendations, and will be credited with this month's salary along with the revised pay. "They will deduct the 10% interim arrears given before Deepavali last year," a source added.
The Controller-General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), which is responsible for implementing the recommendations, has already been issued instructions. "They will now calculate the revised tables and release them," the source said.

Anomalies remain
However, some of the core anomalies raised by the services are yet to be addressed, top among them are Non-Functional Upgrade (NFU) and higher Military Service Pay (MSP) for JCOs.
NFU entitles all officers of a batch who are not promoted to draw the salary and grade pay that the senior-most officer of their batch would get after a certain period.

In a reference to that the instructions notes: Pay comparison between defence services, all India services and Group A services must be understood in totality and explained to rank and file to dispel apprehensions about discrepancies.

Source:  The Hindu