Seventh Pay Commission proposes new matrix for hardship allowance to troops

New Delhi: The 7th Pay Commission has recommended creating a new matrix for risk and hardship allowance for security and defence forces personnel even as it said that the top grade Military Service Pay (MSP) should be granted only to defence forces.

The Commission, which submitted its report today, said they have proposed to create a new "nice-cell risk and hardship matrix" with one extra cell at the top for army troops deployed along the Siachen glacier, the world's coldest and highest battle field.

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"The Military Service Pay, which is a compensation for the various aspects of military service, will be admissible to the Defence forces personnel only," it said.

The paramilitary forces, also called the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), have made a demand to the Commission to allow them to get a Paramilitary Service Pay (PSP) on the lines of the MSP.

The panel has also recommended that the age of superannuation for all paramilitary personnel be "uniformly" made 60 years.

Paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB have different retirement ages varying from 57-60 years.

A member of the pay panel, Vivek Rae, the report said, has been the lone dissenting voice against this recommendation of the panel which submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today.

It has also suggested an "attractive severance package" for lateral entry of retired or de-commissioned defence personnel into these forces apart from other services.

The panel has also batted for a full coverage of House Rent Allowance to troops and officers who are deployed in difficult and far-flung border areas for various internal security duties.

It has also talked about pension issues of these forces.

"The Commission recommends a revised pension formulation for civil employees, including CAPF personnel, as well as for defence personnel who have retired before January 1, 2016," it said.

Aimed at enhancing the morale of these forces, the Commission has also proposed hiking the ex-gratia lump sum compensation paid by the government to the next of kin of these troops in cases when they lay down their lives in the line of duty.

It has also attempted to address the longtime demand of granting the Non Functional Upgradation (NFU) to officers of these forces along with armed forces and Coast Guard personnel.

The NFU ensures timely promotion and better service conditions to officers.