Lt Cols Pb4 Accepted

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009

Update to relax some nerves Regular readers would bear with me that there are loads of queries on certain pending issues especially ones related to pay and pension of Lt Cols. This much time is usually taken during deliberations on important issues like the instant one. Please disregard rumours and conspiracy theories, our pay cells and elements in the MoD are working overtime for the serving and retired community, please do not read too much into this delay. That said, this is how it is : Issuance of SAI for Lt Cols : May take about a week or two. Deliberations are continuing at the govt level regarding the lower stage of the start of scale. Should logically start at Rs 38,530 at

least. Pension notification for Lt Cols : Will happen only once the scales of serving Lt Cols are notified. Is bound to take some time because this is to be done by a different department (The Department of ExServicemen Welfare) which is not interlinked with the establishment dealing with serving officers. The status of Time Scale Ranks : Till now, after the implementation of 6th CPC recommendations, Time Scale and Selection Grade Ranks of the Regular Army are at the same footing as far as pay and pension are concerned. Hopefully the same shall continue. Issues regarding status vis-à-vis civilians : Bound to take some time. Will only be determined after recommendations of the proposed High Power Committee. Lt Cols already on deputation : Officers already on deputation may get to enjoy a one-time dispensation on Pay Band-4 as suggested on this blog earlier. Future deputation of Lt Cols to mixed organisations : Status quo likely to continue. Arrears on upgradation to Pay Band-4 : All arrears shall be payable with effect from 01 Jan 2006. I would urge readers to have patience since they have nothing to lose. All affected personnel are bound to receive arrears for the lost time hence a few days here or there should not matter much. Enjoy the brew and Have faith ! Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 7:15 AM 5 comments Labels: Misc, Pay Commission, Pension TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009

Rank Confusion Rank badges have no relation with status. Rank badges have been used as a justification by certain services to claim equivalence with the Army, but is this warranted? And do these have any relation with status? A civilian friend asked me yesterday if a Capt and an ASP were equivalent to an Inspector of Central Customs and Excise. Well, his confusion was not unfounded since an Inspector of CCE wears Three Stars on his / her shoulders and that too without a cloth stripe. The

funny part is that not only the Army but also officers from the IPS have taken up the issue of rank badge confusion with the govt but to no avail. Some examples : Inspector of Central Customs and Excise (Non-Gazetted, Grade Pay Rs 4200) wears Three Stars without cloth stripe which is the same as an IPS officer of the Junior Time Scale (Group-A Gazetted, Grade Pay Rs 5400) and a Captain of the Army (Group-A Gazetted/Commissioned, Grade Pay Rs 6100) Superintendent of Central Customs and Excise (Group-B, Grade Pay Rs 4800) wears the State Emblem (Ashoka) which is the same as an IPS officer of the Senior Time Scale (Group-A Gazetted, Grade Pay Rs 6600) and a Major of the Army (Group-A Gazetted/Commissioned, Grade Pay Rs 6600) Assistant Commissioner of Central Customs and Excise (Group-A, Grade Pay Rs 5400) wears the State Emblem with One Star which is the same as an IPS officer of the Junior Administrative Grade (Group-A, Grade Pay Rs 7600) IPS officers of the Junior Administrative Grade (Grade Pay Rs 7600) and of the Senior Time Scale posted as District Police Chief (Grade Pay Rs 6600) wear the State Emblem with One Star which is the same as a Lt Col of the Army (Grade Pay Rs 8000) 2ICs of the CPOs (Grade Pay Rs 7600) wear the State Emblem with One Star which is the same as a Lt Col of the Army (Grade Pay Rs 8000) Inspectors of Police in Bihar and West Bengal (Group-C, NonGazetted) wear One Star without cloth stripe which is also worn by Probationary IPS officers of the Junior Time Scale (Group-A Gazetted, Grade Pay Rs 5400) and erstwhile 2nd Lieuts of the Army