An interesting comment posted in Gconnect.in by "Howler" in the article Pay anomolies :Armed Forces.
1) I think all the readers of this blog will agree to one thing atleast i.e. there has never been more comprehensive and acrimonious debate amongst the govt employees regarding their roles/functions/duties/service conditions etc. than in the context of the sixth CPC. I read a comment in context of sixth cpc some where that “The public servants are gradually realising the limits of their own importance in the social structure - a harbinger of coaxial national development. Thanks to the blog owner. We are learning many things through this blog that we might not have learnt through face to face discussions”. I think it simply strikes the nail on the head in relation to this debate. There are services which have remained so egrossed in their self congratulatory eulogies that they simply refuse to see the scenario/ground realities that have emerged over the years. They wish to remain captive to the past even to the extent of developing a “frog in the well” syndrome. These remain afflicted with the quest for NON-EXISTENTexclusivity. Leading the pack are the IAS, IPS and of course the defence forces. At times, they also ridiculously cite relevant constitutional provisions where these services are mentioned to propagate the myth of exclusivity and supremacy!
2) I am a votary for the best compensation package for the govt servants that is available in the country. But when we talk about compensation packages, we essentially discuss “who is getting what, for doing what and why.” All the reasons/justifications being forwarded for better pay, allowances and other compensatory facilities for defence forces/IPS/IAS are more relevant for the paramilitary forces and certainly with much more urgency. The discontent that you speak about in the defence forces is much more profound in the paramilitary forces.
3) The defence forces predominantly harp on following reasons for grant of exclusivity and special treatment. While some of these may not be that relevant to IAF and Navy but certanly Indian Army has been bitterly crying loud about these.-securing the nation to extent of the peril of life.-restricted rights.-difficult deployment conditions.-extensive deployment in internal security duties.-disturbed famiy life.-short service span.-not being represented in the pay commissions despite being one of the largest group of central Govt employees.
4) And defence forces cite following as the results of the denial of the exclusivity and “commensurate compensation” for the reasons in para 3 above:-- lower preference for defence forces as a career-shortages-increased disciplinary/court cases-suicides-fragging/fratricide-recruits opting for services rather than fighting arms within the force.-lesser time for rest/training in between deployments.
5) Following are some of the assumptions they make & myths they propagate:--every recruit at any level was a promising talent and would have been the future CEO in private sector if he had not joined the forces!-they are the most hard pressed service doing all the good things for nation while others are out to undo these acts!-They are exclusively involved in securing the nation making the “supreme sacrifices” at every step!!
6) Now consider the factual position.
a) Constitutional provisions & Restricted rights :-All paramilitary forces are raised under the constitutional provision by which the Central Govt can raise any Armed Force of the Union for security and ensuring integrity of the nation and the matters connected with these. It does so by acts passed by the parliament like the CRPF Act, BSF Act, ITBP Act etc. just like the ARMY Act. AirForce Act etc. In the constitution, and hence, in these acts also, the paramilitary forces are defined as the “Armed Forces of the Union”. Infact, if you go through these paramilitary acts like ITBP act, BSF act etc. you will find these are exact copies of the Army act. These acts define similar conditions of service including offences, punishments and justice delivery system for individuals subject to these acts as are stipulated in the Army act. At places even the language has not been changed! So, if there are GCM, PCM & SCM in defence forces, the paramilitary forces have corresponding GSFC,PSFC &SSFC where SFC stands for security force court and the rest including powers, composition etc are same!As if this was not enough, in addition, the paramilitary forces function under all the rules & regulations which govern the civil services and remain appliable to them too.
b) Difficult service conditions, extensive deployment, disturbed family life & securing the nation:-There is nothing exclusive that Defence forces have done that has not been done by paramilitary forces too(Yes, even Kargil). Take the case of Army, Except Siachen, there is no other area where one paramilitary force or the other is not there with it. Be it the LoC, insurgency in J&K and north east. All the things ie field area, fidayeens, insurgency, LoC, hieghts of Kashmir, wars, kargil, assam, tsunami, floods, peace missions abroad, cyclones, earth quakes…. are being handled by these paramilitary forces too. Yes, i know, i left out siachen, that is the only thing that armed forces can claim to be their USP today which is not being handled by paramilitary forces. While after a stint at LoC,insurgency (hard area), the armyman goes for some swank cantt(peace area) with family as per well established and definite practice,the paramilitary forces remain committed to manning the regular boundaries of the country, tackling the naxalite problem, law and order, routine security arrangements etc.. etc… The list is much longer and totally unpredictable. Their peace areas are Rann of Kuchch, Deep jungles of northeast, high altitude areas. To say these are inhospitable is merely cracking a joke. But to paramilitary persons, especially the border guarding forces, these are also their “family” locations. The men stay at posts on the border/places of deployment while their families at these so called family locations which can be any thing upto 200 -300 KMs behind or even more. Those men are lucky who actually get to spend even a couple of days in a month with their families in these so called family locations during the ‘family meet’ visit from their place of duty. And with no statutary provision in place for even such ‘family meet’ it is left to the descretion of the lowest level commanders to accord this ‘welfare’ to the men keeping in view the operational commitment. And these commanders are at their wits end to do so as the ‘operational committment’ remains perpetual &undefined with respect to the quantum as well as time and they are held responsible for any and every thing. It is thus not difficult to comprehend that even this family meet for few days remains a dream come true. With such a premium attached to few moments of family life, its easy to imagine that it is also the most vulnerable point for highest pressure. The family life is disturbed not only because one is not able to live with family but also because he is never aware when he will or if he ever will! Without any worthwhile system in place, family life remains so unpredictable, individual just cannot plan his routine domestic committments at all, leave aside emergency situation. That is the peace tenure that these paramilitary people “enjoy”. Most men prefer to keep their families back home rather than take them along to this horrible dispensation being sold to them as ‘family station’/'family life’.Few people Know, that apart from the normal peace time role, parmilitary forces have an active war time role too under control of defence forces. So, the actual situation is that the paramailitary forces remain carrying out peaceful elections, maintaining law and order, guarding vital installations of the country, fighting insurgents/ militants, tackling naxalites, catching veerappans etc..etc.. And of course they remain manning the borders without any worthwhile system of relief. They also fight the wars alongside the army whenever they happen in between. They are the ones taking the first brunt of hostile onslaught and repulsing it and continue forever even after the hostilities are over.While the Army goes back to the barracks for rest amidst all the adulation and self congratulatory boasts once the war is over, their poor fledgling cousins are left behind carying on with their usual guarding the sanctity of boundaries of India, maintaining of law and order, guarding vital installations of the country,fighting militants/insurgents, tackling naxalites, catching veerappans etc..etc.. And of course, without any worthwhile system of relief. The poor guys are again ever busy ensuring the security and integerity of the country at all times i.e. pre, during and post war situation. They have their long lists of MVCs, VrCs, KCs, Shaurya Chakras, SMs, PPMGs,PMGs etc. yet they remain unsung heroes, rather, condemned to suffer silently.
c) Short span of service:-The defence forces crib the short service span of their men. Remember it is a well announced and well explained procedure which every prospective recruit is well aware of at the time of joining the defence forces. An officer joining as SSC knows pretty well what his/her service span will be like and certainly with all the geniuses that are recruited by the defence forces they can plan it out. Incase they cant the defence force have a respectable exit mechanism with statutary system of session preperatory to the final exit where the individual can opt for a multitude of courses/training programs best suitd to his capabilities for start outside. This also includes tailormade courses in institutions like IIMs, Xavier’s etc. for which probably they wouldnt qualfy even the entrance exams in normal course. This is further strengthened by the well established network of rehbilitation boards with a dedicated brief for resettlement of this released faujis. And ofcourse dont forget the all pervasive ex-servicemen quota! And the life-long CSD/Exservicemen facilities. Any person not able to utilise this largess, probably, deserve to remain the way they are.
Now think of the situation in the paramilitary forces. Its all flawed from the very beginning! The recruits are not clear what they are joining from the very beginning. More so in the case of the border guarding forces. Those who join thinking them to be an offshoot of defence forces get the rudest of the shocks. They realise that despite the similar training and worse service conditions they are not treated any where even closer to the “elite” defence forces. Even though they may be operating shoulder to shoulder at places! Not to say, they are deprived of even the most basic amenities which the defence force are disregarding so matter of factly. While a paramilitary constable deployed in the remotest corner of the country, say the rann of kucch or keylong or lunglei, has to buy his soap, salt , food etc from the open market paying all the taxes to the govt and hefty premium to the guy making these things available to him at these god forsaken places! At the same time an army jawan/airman/sailor walks in to the swankest of the malls/stores( which they like to refer to as the CSD canteens) to shop for his needs in the comfort of climate controled environment even in the heart of the national capital! Ofcourse he doesnt have to be bothered about the taxes etc his uniform is excuse enough for the grateful govt to waive off( or sucking it out of the hapless paramilitary chap in the rann to subsidise this jawans indulgences) to the maximum.But there are also those who join these paramilitary forces thinking that being ruled by the IPS they are joining a clone of police force. They are disillusioned from the training itself. They simply cant fathom the connection between the type of training, the role and tasks, copy of army act governing them vis-a-vis the khaki they are required to don or the IPS which rule them. For both the categories the only way to leave is to resign with out any benefits or sulk and live out the ordeal till one reaches pensionable service which incidentally is at least 20 years. No doubt the rate spf those seeking VRS is one of the highest in PMFs as a group in the central Govt.Its a classic case of affliction with what can be called “third-gender” syndrome. Whatever may have been the vision of raising these PMFs, These forces have become nothing but the impotent cross of the Army and the Police just like the mule. It works the hardest, gets kicked the hardest and in the end suffers in silence cause it was created for being so.
Does any one quitting the defence forces will actually like to join these. Answer is no. The fact is even the existing quota of exservicemen remains unutilised fully. those exservicemen who join seek to complete the remaining time for pensionable service after counting their defence service and leave. Though 6th CPC in its wisdom has recommended the lateral shift from defence forces to PMFs, but it most certainly it will have few takers. How can you expect those running away from a way of life with all the present benefits to them to join some thing much worse off and deprived of any benefits therein. The dismal enrolment figure of exservicemen in the PMFs speaks the point aloud.Its no surprise the that there is a virtual exodus from the PMFs and persons even with the slightest better capabilities are leaving. The shortages are more acute in percentage terms than probably even what the defence forces claim.Not to speak of the suicides, fratricides, fragging and what not.
Worst part is that while defence forces are sensitive to the problems and bargaining for better deal, where as the same problems which are more acute in PMFs are just brushed aside in the routine manner and even under the carpet.After all, when COAS speaks for his organisation, its actually a GC which speaks, a GC who has risen to be the Chief facing all the rough and tumble of his organisation. The conviction just gets built in on its own in whatever he says. And who submits the case for the PMFs? Usually a person, probably shunted out of his parent cadre to a retiring room, and at times with no prior experience of the organisation with absolutely no sence of belonging. And he Knows very well what mules are meant for!
PMFs demand “equal pay for equal work” would ACTUALLY mean downsizing the benefits of the defence forces!
Source : Gconnect.in
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