8th pay commission
The organization of civil employees of the defense sector has put forward many big demands before the government regarding the 8th Pay Commission. All India Defense Employees Federation (AIDEF) has said that defense civil employees should get equal rights as railway employees in salary, promotion and facilities. Besides, they should also be given risk and hardship allowance like army personnel. AIDEF raised these demands in a meeting held with 8th Pay Commission Chairperson Ranjana Prakash Desai and other officials in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Demand for facilities like railway employees
AIDEF General Secretary C. Sreekumar said that defense civil employees have been facing discrimination for a long time. The organization says that both Indian Railways and Defense Ministry are big industrial employee departments, but defense employees do not get the same benefits as railway employees in pay scale, promotion and other facilities.
AIDEF says that employees working in the defense sector do very sensitive work like manufacturing of weapons, ammunition, explosives and dangerous chemicals, where there is no scope for even small mistakes. Despite this they do not get equal facilities.
Demand for minimum salary of Rs 69 thousand
The organization has demanded from the 8th Pay Commission that the minimum salary of entry level employees should be made Rs 69 thousand. Also, 3.83 fitment factor should be implemented for all central employees. Apart from this, demands like restoration of Old Pension Scheme (OPS), improvement in CGHS and medical facilities, additional benefits to women and disabled employees were also put forward.
Demand for risk allowance and martyr status
AIDEF said defense civil servants work with army personnel in border and high altitude areas, but they do not get risk and hardship allowance. The organization has demanded a risk allowance of Rs 15,000 per month. Besides, a demand has also been made to increase the ex-gratia amount of Rs 25 lakh given to the families of employees who lost their lives in accidents while on duty, to Rs 2 crore and to give martyr status to such employees.
Demand for 5 promotions in 30 years of service
AIDEF said Group B and C defense civil employees should get at least 5 promotions under the MACP scheme during 30 years of service.
