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Monday, May 25, 2009

Execution of ‘non-functional financial upgradation’ with effect from 2006 ordered for all Group-A organised services
The govt has finally issued orders for non-functional financial upgradation for all Organised Group-A Civil Services on 21 May 2009.With this, whenever an IAS officer gets empanelled at a particular post in the Centre, all other Group-A service officers shall also be moved up to the same pay level after a period of two years from the date of empanelment. The upgradation of other Group-A officers shall not have any functional effect, that is, the upgradation shall only result in a higher pay or grade pay and would not lead to an enhanced status. Such officers shall maintain the status of their functional grade pay. To take an example, if an officer of the IAS of 1999 batch is empanelled as a Deputy Secretary to Govt of India in 2008 (Pay Band-3 / Grade Pay 7600), then all other Organised Group-A civil officers of the 1997 batch shall also be placed in GP 7600 in a non-functional capacity, their functional GP shall remain 6600. With these orders, all organised Group-A civil services are set to move into Pay Band-4 after 16 years of service.The following is the PB-4 empanelment schedule for the IAS with effect from 20061992 batch of the IAS was approved for functional empanelment as Director to Govt of India (PB-4 / GP 8700) in July 2006, hence all other organised Group-A civil services of the 1990 batch would move to PB-4 / GP 8700 on a non-functional basis with effect from July 2006.1986 batch of the IAS was approved for functional empanelment as Joint Secretary to Govt of India (PB-4 / GP 10000) in October 2006, hence all other organised Group-A civil services of the 1984 batch would move to PB-4 / GP 10000 on a non-functional basis with effect from October 2006.1975 batch of the IAS was approved for functional empanelment as Additional Secretary to Govt of India (PB-4 / GP 12000) in March 2006, hence all other organised Group-A civil services of the 1973 batch would move to PB-4 / GP 12000 on a non-functional basis with effect from March 2006.The complete Govt sanction letter can also be viewed by clicking here.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:44 AM 8 comments
Labels: Grade Pay, Misc, Pay Commission
Friday, May 22, 2009

Retired Lt Colonels can rejoice
Refer to this previous post on this blog (20 May 2009).Consequent to the placement of Lt Cols and equivalent in Pay Band-4, the revised orders for grant of enhanced pension have been issued by the Ministry of Defence. The full pension of pre-06 Lt Colonels is now Rs 25,700.Of course, DA @ 22% is admissible in addition to the above mentioned amount as on date.The complete govt letter / notification can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 8:26 PM 45 comments
Labels: Pay Commission, Pension, Policy and Benefits
Thursday, May 21, 2009

Benefit of rounding off / bunching of disability percentage for calculation of disability element would be applicable to superannuating personnel too
The 5th Central Pay Commission had recommended the benefit of rounding-off / bunching of disability percentages for grant of disability element of disability pension. It was recommended that persons with disability till 50% should be paid a disability element calculated by taking the disability at 50%, those with a disability between 50-75% should be granted a disability element by taking the disability as 75% and those with a disability above 75% should be granted a disability element @ 100%.The said modalities were notified by the Govt in 2001 with effect from 1996. However, the govt sanction letter provided that the said benefit would only be made available to those who were invalided out and not to those who were discharged on completion of terms or on superannuation with a disability, and that the latter would be granted a disability element in accordance with the actual percentage of disability and hence would not be provided the benefit of rounding off / bunching.The Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana High Court however did not take this kindly. The Hon’ble High Court in 2008, in the case Paramjit Singh Vs Union of India, ruled that even those who are discharged on completion of terms or on superannuation would be entitled to the rounding off and bunching of disability percentage thereby leading to an enhanced pension. The same was done by relying on Regulation 179 (Regulation 53 for officers) of the Pension Regulations for the Army. The said Regulations provide that persons retiring or superannuating with a disability would also be ‘deemed to have been invalided out’ or service.The govt however filed a review petition in the said Writ Petition but the same has been dismissed by the Hon’ble Court and it has been re-iterated that the benefit should be granted to all disabled personnel including those discharged / retiring with a disability and not only to those who have been invalided.The Court has also held that AGIF is liable to pay disability cover even to discharged / superannuating personnel and that AGIF is very much a body under the control of the govt, the actions of which can be challenged in the High Court. It was contended by the Govt that AGIF was not a body of the ‘State’ and hence writ jurisdiction could not be invoked against it.The Times of India has also reported this and the same can be viewed by clicking here.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 8:20 AM 9 comments