MoD: Issue of amendment to Armed Forces Pay Rules and Regulations,2017 (Navy) - Dated-20-03- 2019

MoD: Issue of amendment to Armed Forces Pay Rules and Regulations,2017 (Navy) - 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 Section 184 of the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following regulations to amend the Navy Pay Regulations, 2017, namely:-

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

(2) They shall be deemed to have come into force on the 1st day of January, 2016.

In the Navy Pay Rules, 2017, in rule 5, in sub-regulation (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 Navy Pay Rules, 2017 were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 4 vide notification, number S.R.O. 11(E), dated the 3rd May, 2017.

Source: MoD

Canteen Stores Department (CSD) go with online soon

Canteen Stores Department (CSD) go with online soon

India's largest retail network, the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) which supplies goods at concessional rates to defence personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force is planning a makeover, according to a Times of India report.

The retailer is planning to go online, with the entire range of white goods brands available on the CSD website. Customers can select and make online payment directly to the white goods company via internet banking.

Aside from expanding its depots, the retailer is also looking at putting in place systems that will allow customers to purchase the latest goods with no time lag.

Also, the documents needed for purchases will soon be made online. The main objective of the move is to ensure its 1.2 crore cardholders get to purchase the latest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) on the same day that they are stocked on the canteen's retail shelves.

Instead of two board meetings in a year, the retailer is planning to have six meetings for faster clearance of new product introductions.

“We are already in talks with leading FMCG companies like Hindustan Unilever and Procter & Gamble to ensure our customers get to sample their products as soon as they are launched,” Air Vice-Marshal M Baladitya, chairman, board of administration and general manager of CSD told TOI exclusively.
Baladitya is hopeful of carrying out the changes by Diwali this year.

Also, CSD is talking to leading consumer durable makers to smoothen the process on white goods.
First started in 1921 for British troops, CSD is now planning to expand depots in places such as Bhubaneswar (Orissa), Danapar (Bihar) and Himachal Pradesh. Currently, CSD has 34 depots and 4,500 outlets.

As per the report, major contributors to CSD's sales are toiletries (around Rs 4,500 crore), white goods and cars (around Rs 4,000 crore), packaged foods and supplements (Rs 3,500 crore), liquor (Rs 3,000 crore) and other household goods & luggage (around Rs 3,000 crore).

From a turnover of Rs 48 lakh in 1948, CSD comes all the way and had Rs 17,000 crore turnover in 2016-17.

Via : timesnownews.com

Women Personnel in Defence Forces

Women Personnel in Defence Forces 

Presently, women are recruited in Indian Army as Officers through Short Service Commission (SSC) on all India merit basis along with men candidates.  Women Officers are inducted in Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Army Education Corps, Judge Advocate General Branch including Engineers, Signals, Intelligence and Electrical & Mechanical Engineering branches.  In addition, they are also commissioned in Medical Branch Army Medical Corps (AMC), Army Dental Corps (ADC) and Military Nursing Service (MNS).  Further, Women Officers are eligible for grant of Permanent Commission in Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department and in Army Education Corps (AEC) of Army.

The IAF has pioneered the entry of women as officers in flying and ground duty.

In Indian Navy, women officers are inducted through Short Service Commission, in Logistics, Law, Observers, Air Traffic Control (ATC), Pilots (Maritime Reconnaissance Stream), Naval Armament Inspectorate cadre (NAIC), Naval Architecture and Education Branch.

The details of women officers in Army (excluding Medical, Dental & Nursing Branch), in Indian Air Force (excluding Medical and Dental Branch) and in Indian Navy recruited during the last three years, Service-wise, are as under:-

Year	Army	Navy	Air Force
2014	104	57	155
2015	72	35	223
2016	69	43	108

The percentage of women officers in the three services of armed forces are as under:-

Percentage of women officers
Army	Navy	Air Force
3.64% (as on 1.1.2017)	4.49% (as on June 2017)	13% (as on July 2017)

In 2011, the Government approved consideration of women Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) for grant of permanent commission along with men SSCOs in specific branches in the three services viz. Judge Advocate General (JAG), and Army Education Corps (AEC) of the Army and their corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force, Naval Constructor in Navy and Accounts Branch in Air Force.

 In March 2016, approval has been accorded for induction of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers as Pilots in Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) stream and in the Naval Armament Inspectorate (NAI) cadre.  The inductions are planned commencing from mid 2017.

 In the Indian Air Force since 1993, women officers have been inducted in all branches and stream as Short Service Commissioned Officers except in the fighter stream.  However, IAF has revised Short Service Commission scheme to induct women into the fighter stream on experimental basis for five years.  The first batch of three women officers was commissioned in the fighter stream on June 18, 2016.

In addition, steps like increasing tenure of women officers and improving promotional prospects in Army have been taken to increase participation of women in the Army.

This information was given by Minister of state for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Harish Chandra alias Harish Dwivedi in Lok Sabha today.

 Source : PIB

Women Personnel of the Armed Forces

Women Personnel of the Armed Forces

The number of women officer's (excluding medical and dental branch) in all the three wings of defence forces is as under:

Army (as on 1.1.2017)	Navy (as on 16.3.2017)	Air Force (as on 1.3.2017)
1528	469	1581

The details of women officers (excluding medical and dental branch) recruited during the last four years and the current year, Service-wise, are as under:-

Year	Army	Navy	Air Force
2013	127	50	144
2014	104	57	155
2015	72	35	223
2016	69	43	108
2017 (till March)	35	01	14

In 2011, the Government  approved consideration of women Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) for grant of permanent commission along with men SSCOs in specific branches in the three services viz. Judge Advocate General (JAG), and Army Education Corps (AEC) of the Army and their corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force, Naval Constructor in Navy and Accounts Branch in Air Force.

In March 2016, approval has been accorded for induction of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers as Pilots in Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) stream and in the Naval Armament Inspectorate (NAI) cadre.  The inductions are planned commencing from mid-2017.

The IAF has revised Short Service Commission (SSC) scheme to induct women into the fighter stream on an experimental basis for a period of five years.  The first batch of three women officers were commissioned into the fighter stream on June 18, 2016.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Tiruchi Siva in Rajya Sabha today.

PIB

Initial pay fixation of re-employed ex-servicemen who held post below Commissioned Officer rank in Defence Forces, retired before attaining the age of 55 years and have been appointed on re-employment basis in civilian posts

Initial pay fixation of re-employed ex-servicemen who held post below Commissioned Officer rank in Defence Forces, retired before attaining the age of 55 years and have been appointed on re-employment basis in civilian posts - Regarding.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAILWAY BOARD

No.E(G)2013/EM 1-5

New Delhi, dated 7/12/2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Initial pay fixation of re-employed ex-servicemen who held post below Commissioned Officer rank in Defence Forces, retired before attaining the age of 55 years and have been appointed on re-employment basis in civilian posts - Regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to a demand by the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR), a recognised Federation of Railwaymen, who have requested that the initial pay of non-commissioned ex-servicemen (PBOR) who are re-employed on the Railways should be fixed by taking into account the service endered by them in the Defence Forces. They are insisting that the fixation done in the minimum of the scale of the re-employed post should be according to the procedure laid down in para 4 (b) (ii) of DOP&T’s OM s dated 31/7/86 as amended vide OM dated 11th November 2008, 5th April 2010 & 8th November, 2010. The Federation states that the content of these OMs clearly states that the Pay of re-employed former Defence Forces Personnel should be fixed as per Rule 7 of CCS (RP) Rules 2008 i.e. at the same stage of their last basic pay drawn at the time of retirement i.e. allowing one increment (in the post held at the time of retirement) for each year of service the ex-servicemen has rendered at the time of retirement with the proviso that the pay thus fixed does not exceed:-

(a) The pay drawn prior to retirement for non-commissioned officer of all three forces like Army, Navy and Air Force (Sub para 2 (ix) of Para 3 & Para 4 (b) (ii) of OM dated 31st July 1986 are relevant).

(b) Para 5 of DOP&T’s OM No. 3/13/2008-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 11th November, 2008 stipulated enhancement of existing ceiling of Rs. 26000/- for drawal of pay plus gross pension on re-employment to Rs. 80,000/- p.m.

2. However, their attention was drawn to the provisions in DOP&T’s OM No. 3/1/85-Estt.(pay-II) dated 31st July 1986 and OM NO. 3/19/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 5th April 2010, governing initial pay fixation, inter alia, of re-employed ex-servicemen who held post below Commissioned Officer rank in Defence Forces and retired before attaining the age of 55 years and have been appointed on re-employment basis in the Railways. As per these orders, the initial pay of such re-employed pensioners is to be fixed in terms of provisions of Central Civil Services (Fixation of Pay of Re-employed Pensioners) Orders, 1986 issued by Department of Personnel and Training vide OM No. 3/1/85-Estt.(Pay-II) dated 31/7/1986 as amended from time to time.

3. It is to be seen that revised provision contained in Para 2 of OM dated 5th April 2010 revising the contents of Para 4(d)(i) of CCS (Fixation of Pay of Re-employed Pensioners) Orders, 1986 provides that in case of ex-servicemen who held post below Commissioned Officer rank in the Defence Forces and in the case of civilians who held posts below Group ‘A’ posts at the time of their retirement before 55 years of age, the entire pension and pension equivalent of retirement benefits shall be ignored, i.e. no duduction on this count is to be made from the initial pay fixed on re-employment. Also, in terms of the Para 4(a) and Para 4(b)(i) of CCS (Fixation of Pay of Re-employed Pensioners) Orders, 1986, as amended vide DOP&T’s OM No. 3/19/2009-Estt.(Pay.II) dated 5/4/2010, the initial pay on re-employment of such pensioners shall be fixed as per the entry pay in the revised pay structure of the re-employed post applicable in the case of Direct Recruits appointed on or after 1/1/2006 as notified vide Section II, Part A of First Schedule to CCS(Revised Pay) Rules, 2008. As is explicit, these instructions do not provide for protection of last pay drawn before retirement, in such cases. Therefore, the fixation of pay of re-employed ex-servicemen is being done accordingly on the Railways.

4. However, the Federation does not agree with the above contention and desires that the pay of ex-Defence Forces personnel re-employed in Railways should be fixed in accordance with the clarification issued vide DoP&T’s OM dated 5th April, 2010 in Para 3 (iv) & (v) which contain clarifications duly stating that the pay of the ex-servicemen, re-employed in the Central Government Organizations will be fixed in accordance with the provision contained in DoP&T’s OM No. 3/13/2008-Estt.(pay-II) dated 11/11/2008 after exercising option in the manner laid down in Rule 6 of CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 and the fixation of pay is to be regulated in accordance with the provisions of Rule 7 of CCS (RP) Rules 2008.

The Federation has further pointed out that the initial pay of a re-employed military pensioner and a direct recruit cannot be the same in view of the fact that the pay of the re-employed Defence Forces Pensioner is to be done as per the provisions of Rule 7 of CCS (RP) Rules, 2008 applicable to direct recruits – the two entrants being independent and have no co-relation with each other.

5. After protracted correspondence and discussion of the issue between NFIR and the concerned officials of this Ministry, as NFIR are still not convinced with the official stand on this issue and insisting on implementation of Para 3 (iv) and (v) of DoP&T’s O.M. Dated 5/4/2010. Hence, it was decided to refer the matter to DOP&T for clarification.

6. In the light of the position as brought out above, DOP&T are requested to clarify specifically as to whether the contention of NFIR that the pay of non-commissioned ex-servicemen (PBOR) who retire from the Defence Forces before attaining the age of 55 years, and are subsequently re-employed on the Railways should be fixed by taking into account the service rendered by them and last pay drawn in the Defence Forces, is in order, or the procedure being followed on the Railways i.e. fixing the pay of such re-employed ex-servicemen as per the entry pay in the revised pay structure of the re-employed post applicable in the case of Direct Recruits appointed on or after 1/1/2006, without any pay protection is correct.

7. An early reply in the matter is solicited.

(S. Pal)
Jt. Dir. Estt. (Genl.)

Shri A.K. Jain,
Deputy Secretary (Pay),
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions,
Department of Personnel and Training,
North Block,
New Delhi.

Source: NFIR

Indian Army faces shortage of 9,106 officers

Indian Army faces shortage of 9,106 officers

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

Delay in preferment of pension claims in respect of normal discharge PBOR of Army, Navy and Air Force

Delay in preferment of pension claims in respect of normal discharge PBOR of Army, Navy and Air Force: PCDA(P)

O/o THE PR. CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS)
DRAUPADI GHAT ALLAHABAD- 211014

Circular No: – 545

Dated: 01/09/2015

To,
The O I/C
Records/PADS (OR)
————————
Sub: Delay in preferment of pension claims in respect of normal discharge PBOR of Army, Navy and Air Force.

Ref: This office circular No. 540 dated 11/05/2015.

Under the existing orders, claims for service pension in respect of personnel below officer rank are required to be submitted to the pension sanctioning authority concerned, viz. PCDA (P), Allahabad in respect of Army, PCDA (N), Mumbai in respect of Navy and JCDA (AF), New Delhi in respect of Air Force, at least four months in advance of their retirement from service. This arrangement has been made with a view to ensure that the pensionary awards in respect of the personnel are notified in the PPO well before their discharge/retirement and the pension certificates are handed over to them before they are discharged.

It has been observed that above time schedule is not being adhered to by ROs resulting in delay in finalization of pensionary awards in respect of PBORs. Higher authorities have taken a serious view on the matter.

It is, therefore, requested that time frame for submission of pension claims to this office may strictly be followed in order to avoid delay in finalization of pensionary awards to the retiring personnel. This would definitely help in reducing the CAT/Court cases, interest payment etc at a later stage.

Please acknowledge receipt.

No. Gts/Tech/0148/LIV
Dated: 01.09.2015

Dy.CDA (P)

Source: http://pcdapension.nic.in/6cpc/Circular-545.pdf