Defence Ministry Stops ‘illegal’ Pay Cut of Soldiers Now Must Persecute CGDA Officials
Dated : 11 Dec 2020 (IST)
The Ministry of Defence has stopped the practice of deducting one-third salary of the jawans and junior commissioned officers in case there was “no reporting” about any “occurrence” about the career or life of troops within 10 months.
The above action was blatantly illegal act and gross violation of statutory provisions of Army Act Passed By the Parliament. Protection of emoluments of the soldiers is a few of the RIGHTS given in lieu of the Fundamental Rights given up by the soldiers while in service.
The Department of Military Affairs (DMA), which was created in January this year and headed by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, had taken up the matter and asked the CGDA to show any letter authorising such a deduction. The deduction was being done by the CGDA in case the Commanding Officer of unit (Colonel-level officer) did not report any “occurrence” for 10 months.
The Defence Ministry has told the accounts wing, which is known as Controller General Defence Accounts (CGDA), that these deductions were being done “without any government sanction or order”.
The CGDA has issued instructions in November to its various offices to comply with the instructions. Faced with no other option to hide behind, the CGDA has now issued instructions in November to its various offices to comply with the instructions.
Thousands of troops in the 13 lakh Army faced this every year and it took months to be rectified and the salary to be restored. The “occurrence” includes promotions, illness, leave, official movement, postings, leave for marriage, birth of child, missing in action, battle casualty and absent without leave.
In case there was none of listed “occurrences” in the career or the life of a jawan, the Commanding Officer need not initiate the report which is called “Part-II” report is Army parlance. “Part-I” report pertains to daily work order of the jawan.
There would be several instances for the unit where several jawans were just deployed and did not do anything or face anything which merited an “occurrence” to be reported.
Why the CGDA started deducting salaries when the ‘Part-II’ report was not made is still unclear. The MoD makes it clear that the Commanding Officer or his superiors will face action in case they fail to initiate a report of battle casualties or for those missing in action or those absent with leave.
Therefore now the Army HQ, Department of Military Affairs, MoD and the Raksha Mantri must ensure both administrative and legal persecution of the pompous and errant officials of the CGDA who passed such illegal orders to the respective CDAs and Pay& Account Offices.
These officials need to be identified and then compulsorily retired and there after taken to court.
Such actions affect the morale of the soldiers, which is a very serious matter impinging on our National Security. The CGDA should be personally made accountable for such actions. Counter Intelligence agencies must be asked to probe if there are any ISI moles in the office of the CGDA or the Ministry of Finance who instigate such actions.
