WHO IS THE WINNER?

STATUS OF CPOs /ARMED FORCES
Since September 2008 a great amount of efforts were given by Armed Forces towards projecting various cases to the Government for equating various military ranks with other Central Government posts/CPO ranks. Armed forces wanted various equations and presented their arguement in this direction. Let us now see what they have gained and what they have lost.
(a) Lt Colonel
The arguement placed by the forces was that this rank is having pay scale of Rs. 15100/- (including rank pay) and that should be placed in Pay Band and Grade Pay above the rank of Commandant in CPOs whose Basic pay was starting at Rs. 14300 /- .
This arguement did not hold any water and all arguements placed by Armed Forces were not agreed upon. The status after the final order is that the rank of Lt colonel was not given Grade Pay of Rs. 8700/- and thus it is now formal that the rank of Commandant is equivalent to full Colonel of Armed Forces. However in the bargain the armed forces is lost hundreds of posts on deputation where Lt. Colonel will still go on pay band -3 and Grade Pay Rs.7600/-.
(b) Commandant
This rank is now formally established equivalent to full Colonel / Captain / Group Captain of Armed forces and this will now become bench mark for all the equations in the rank hierarchy.
(c) Second in Command / Commandant (Junior Grade)
This rank of Central Para Military Forces / CPOs is still equivalent to Lt Colonel / Commander / Wing Commander of Armed Forces view it is clearly stated that the rank of Lt Colonel will be treated as of Grade Pay Rs. 7600/- when on non-combtant duty. Though a Grade Pay of Rs. 8000/- is given to Armed Forces but this Grade Pay will be treated as equivalent to Grade Pay of Rs. 7600/- outside the circles of Armed Forces(Combtant duties).
(d) Senior Military Ranks
The Senior Military ranks lost heavily in favour of status in relation to para military forces. All the arguements given by armed forces for equating Colonel Senior to DIG, Major General Senior to Inspector General and Lt General Senior to Director General was not agreed by the government and the rank equation as stated by VI th Pay Commission is now stands implemented. This has given strong morale booster to 1.5 million para miliatry forces and their legitimate demand of equation of ranks stands vindicted.
(e) Various Allowances
Though Government had given military Service pay of Rs. 6000/- to the officers and Rs. 2000/- to others, it is utmost essential that this disparity should be immediately corrected and all CPOs should be given this pay at the earliest.
(f) Higher Pay Band to Second in Command
It is essential that Government should immediately upgrade officers of para miliatry forces of this rank to Pay Band -4 and Grade Pay Rs.8000/- in order to maintain the equation. Armed forces and CPOs are operating in the same area and both of them carrrying out various duties which are similar in both organisations. Under these circumstances upgradation of Pay Band and Grade Pay of only one organisation will create sense of dissatisfaction among para-military forces.

2. Thus we can see that all the arguements placed by various blogs in favour of Armed forces were not agreed upon by the Government of India. It is now essential that Government should amend WOP and should rewrite the equations based upon the existing realities of life, we cannot live forever in the past and should change and accept the existing equations.

3. It is for all of us to decide whether in this fight the Armed forces have lost or gained, to my opinion they lost heavily and lost it permanently.