7th pay commission, 7th CPC news: The Ministry of Finance has assured the Ministry of Home Affairs that it will take necessary steps to fulfil long-standing demands of 9 lakh central armed forces soon. The paramilitary forces were demanding with the Centre to waive off taxes levied on Ration Money Allowance (RMA) and Risk and Hardship Allowance. In its reply, the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) said that Ration Money Allowance, which is granted in lieu of free ration, will be exempted from income tax given the unique service conditions of paramilitary personnel.
All personnel of defence forces and non-gazetted personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Delhi Police, IB, A&N Police and personnel of Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBn), who don’t dine in the mess, get Ration Money Allowance. The existing rate of this allowance is Rs 95.52 per day for Non-Gazetted personnel while it is Rs 79.93 per day for Gazetted personnel, the 7th CPC report said.
The central armed forces include Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Apart from that, the 7th CPC has also recommended that the provision of free rations and the grant of Ration Money Allowance to officers of defence forces posted in peace areas will be withdrawn.
In its letter, the home ministry had requested the finance ministry to look into the long-standing demand of the security forces on an immediate basis. The finance ministry also replied that it will examine the demands made by the central armed forces if the Union budget allows such huge spending.
On the basis of the recommendations made by the 7th Central Pay Commission, non-gazetted rank personnel of central armed forces like Constables, Assistant Sub-inspectors etc are entitled to Ration Money Allowance of Rs 3,000 per month.
The amount of the risk and hardship allowance varies from Rs 6,000 to Rs 25,000 per month for the paramilitary personnel.
Quashing an order issued in September 1998 that restricted payment of RMA under certain circumstances, the Delhi High Court had recently issued directions that the RMA arrears should be paid to all affected personnel within 12 weeks. Hence, all personnel of the CRPF up to the rank of Commandant will be eligible to receive RMA irrespective of their place of posting.
