‘No change in disability pension’

Armed Forces personnel would continue to get disability pension based on the percentage system till the Anomaly Committee came out with a report on the issue, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

Opposition parties and the military establishment had criticised the government’s move to introduce a slab-based system, as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, for determining the disability pension for defence forces.

What irked the military was the policy to continue to pay civilians in accordance with the earlier “percentage system”, which meant that a civilian employee will get higher disability pension than his military counterpart. Following this, the ministry had referred the matter to the Anomaly Committee. However, there was confusion as to what system would be used to determine disability pension. Till the committee comes out with a report, existing percentage system will be used to determine disability pension, defence sources said. Earlier, the defence ministry had said the 7th CPC had recommended a slab-based system for determining disability pension, which was accepted by the government.

A percentage-based system was followed under the 6th CPC regime for calculating disability pension for defence forces personnel as well as civilians.