India's combat readiness under threat

[ejaz007]

India's combat readiness under threat

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Lower level Indian army officers have begun submitting their resignations after generals won higher pay hikes in a move that threatens the military’s combat readiness, officials said Tuesday.
A total of 107 army, navy and air force middle-rung officers had asked for early retirement after the government’s Pay Commission submitted its report on March 24 giving them 15 percent pay rises, the Press Trust of India reported.
The officers are upset because senior civil servants and three-star generals were awarded annual hikes of 40 percent in the 10-yearly salary revision for India’s four million government employees.
Defence ministry officials warned that more officers would seek jobs in India’s blossoming private sector, which laps up military personnel with lavish pay and perks.
“This trickle will turn into a deluge and what we are now staring at is a massive shortage of trained officers at the formation level,” a senior defence ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“There could be more exits in the offing as officers in the ranks of lieutenant colonel, colonel and even higher are not happy with the mere 15 percent hike recommended by the Pay Commission,” another government officer said.
The resignations come at a bad time for the army, which is already facing a shortage of about 11,000 trained officers.
“If this trend continues, then the number of officers will reduce from the prescribed 23 to 14 at frontier infantry units,” the defence ministry official said.
Defence Minister AK Antony said the military will resolve the issue.
“We will take it up and solve the problem and I’m hopeful an acceptable solution will be reached on the issue,” Antony told reporters on Monday.
Spurred by the growing discontent, the chiefs of army, navy and the air force recently asked New Delhi for revised wage hikes of up to 60 percent for soldiers and junior officers, officials said.
India’s million-plus military accounts for Rs 56.4 billion of the government’s annual wage bill of Rs 125 billion.
The army is battling insurgencies in various parts of the country, including Held Kashmir, where Indian troop losses are frequent.
In a new measure, the army has enforced a system whereby non-commissioned officers and junior commissioned officers are taking on the role of officers, especially in insurgency-hit areas.

The Nation

 

[solid snake]

107 is a big number. That many officers resigning has to have an affect on the quality of the Indian military.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

India's combat readiness under threat

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Lower level Indian army officers have begun submitting their resignations after generals won higher pay hikes in a move that threatens the military’s combat readiness, officials said Tuesday.
A total of 107 army, navy and air force middle-rung officers had asked for early retirement after the government’s Pay Commission submitted its report on March 24 giving them 15 percent pay rises, the Press Trust of India reported.
The officers are upset because senior civil servants and three-star generals were awarded annual hikes of 40 percent in the 10-yearly salary revision for India’s four million government employees.
Defence ministry officials warned that more officers would seek jobs in India’s blossoming private sector, which laps up military personnel with lavish pay and perks.
“This trickle will turn into a deluge and what we are now staring at is a massive shortage of trained officers at the formation level,” a senior defence ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“There could be more exits in the offing as officers in the ranks of lieutenant colonel, colonel and even higher are not happy with the mere 15 percent hike recommended by the Pay Commission,” another government officer said.
The resignations come at a bad time for the army, which is already facing a shortage of about 11,000 trained officers.
“If this trend continues, then the number of officers will reduce from the prescribed 23 to 14 at frontier infantry units,” the defence ministry official said.
Defence Minister AK Antony said the military will resolve the issue.
“We will take it up and solve the problem and I’m hopeful an acceptable solution will be reached on the issue,” Antony told reporters on Monday.
Spurred by the growing discontent, the chiefs of army, navy and the air force recently asked New Delhi for revised wage hikes of up to 60 percent for soldiers and junior officers, officials said.
India’s million-plus military accounts for Rs 56.4 billion of the government’s annual wage bill of Rs 125 billion.
The army is battling insurgencies in various parts of the country, including Held Kashmir, where Indian troop losses are frequent.
In a new measure, the army has enforced a system whereby non-commissioned officers and junior commissioned officers are taking on the role of officers, especially in insurgency-hit areas.

The Nation

i just loved it !! first it was the low cast system in IA and now its low income?! lolzzzz