New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The Defence Ministry on Saturday ordered implementation of the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations on pensions but added that the disability pension component will be paid as per the old system until the pay panel's Anomaly Committee comes out with a solution.
An ministry order, issued a day ahead of Diwali, announced implementation of revised pension under 7th Pay Commission for pre-2016 defence force pensioners, said an official statement.
It also said that the issue of disability pensions - which is presently on percentage basis but the panel has recommended making it slab based - has been submitted to the Anomaly Committee, and for now, the old system will continue.
"The implementation of 7th CPC recommendation relating to methodology for calculation of disability element has been referred to the Anomaly Committee," the statement said.
"The disability element which was being paid to pre-2016 Defence Forces Pensioners as on 31.12.2015 will continue to be paid pending decision on the recommendations of the Anomaly Committee," it said.
On implementation of the pay panel recommendations, the statement said: "The Government Order for implementation of decision of the Government on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) for revision of pension of pre-2016 Defence Forces Pensioners has been issued on 29.10.2016."
As per the order, for the pensioners who were started getting pensions before January 1, 2016, revised pension will be calculated by multiplying by 2.57 the old pension drawn in December 2015.
The defence ministry has uploaded a draft notification on its website on the recommendation of the Pay Commission, which when it comes into effect, will significantly reduce the disability pension for soldiers.
According to the pay panel's recommendation, a soldier who is presently getting disability pension as a percentage of his salary, will get a fixed slab based amount if the recommendation is implemented.
The ministry, and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said the issue was being taken up with the Anomaly Committee as one of the major issues.
The armed forces have pointed out at several anomalies in the pay panel recommendations, which several serving and ex-soldiers have said will bring the forces down compared to civilian government employees.
