No Downgradation in the Existing Equivalence of the Service Ranks in Defence Service Personnel

No Downgradation in the Existing Equivalence of the Service Ranks in Defence Service Personnel

Rank Parity

The Government is fully sensitive to the concerns expressed by the Armed Forces from time to time, including those relating to rank equation, allowances and benefits. The Government has already clarified that there has been no downgradation or change in the existing equivalence of the service ranks vis-à-vis their civilian counterparts.

In recognition of the unique aspects of Defence Service, a number of facilities and benefits in cash and kind are admissible to Defence Service personnel, including tax concessions available in Canteen Stores Depot, concession vouchers for travel in Railways and by Air, apart from compensation granted by way of various allowances for unique risks and hardships borne by the Defence personnel. A list of 28 risk and hardship related allowances and 31 other allowances and concessions available to the Armed Forces personnel and the revised rates at which the same are payable following the decision taken by the Government on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission has been uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Defence and can be found at mod.gov.in/def/sites/default/files/Revisedrates.pdf.

As regards ration, the Seventh Pay Commission had recommended that the provision of free rations and the grant of Ration Money Allowance to officers of Defence Forces posted in peace areas should be withdrawn. The Government vide its resolution No.11-1/2016-IC dated 06 July 2017, decided that Ration Money Allowance will continue to be paid to them by direct credit to their bank accounts.

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Santokh Singh Chaudhary in Lok Sabha today.