New Delhi: The dress allowance given to diplomats and elite Special Protection Group (SPG) officers, entrusted with the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former prime ministers and their families, have been hiked considerably.

The move comes on the recommendation of the Seventh Central Pay Commission. SPG officers during operational duties would get Rs27,800 annually and on non-operational work would get Rs21,225 a year as dress allowance, according to an official order.

Before the implementation of the panel’s recommendation, the officers were getting Rs9,000 annually as uniform allowance. The SPG guards Modi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her children Rahul and Priyanka, among others.

The pay commission had in its report recommended an annual grant of Rs10,000 as dress allowance. The panel’s report was examined by a Committee on Allowances headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa. The Seventh Central Pay Commission examined 196 allowances given to various categories of central government employees.

“Outfit allowance, paid to Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers and employees will continue to be provided as before, is enhanced by 50%," the order issued recently by the finance ministry said. The IFS officers were getting Rs5,625 to Rs10,625 per posting abroad, depending on their grade, as uniform allowance.

The uniform allowance given to all categories of employees was recommended to be abolished as a separate grant by the pay commission, that had recommended it is subsumed in the newly-proposed dress allowance. Officers of the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, central armed police forces, central police organisations and coast guards would get a dress allowance of Rs20,000 per year.

Except for the Navy and the Coast Guard, other officers were getting an initial annual allowance of Rs21,000 and a renewal grant of Rs4,500 (payable every three years). Those in the Navy and the Coast Guard were entitled for an initial grant of Rs24,000 and then Rs7,500 (payable every three years).

Military Nursing Service officers and those in Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS) would get Rs15,000 annually as dress allowance. The MNS and the DANIPS officers were getting initial grants of Rs10,500 and Rs7,200 respectively. They were also entitled for renewal grants of Rs2,250 and Rs3,000 respectively (payable every three years).

Executive staff of customs, Indian Corporate Law Service officers, legal officers in National Investigation Agency, Bureau of Immigration personnel in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Amritsar, Kolkata and all other foreigners entry checkpoints, among others, would get Rs10,000 every year as the dress allowance. These were getting initial grants between Rs1,500 and Rs2,000 and then replacement grants between Rs1,000 and Rs1,250 per annum, depending on their post.

Other categories of staff who were supplied uniforms and were required to wear them regularly like trackmen, running staff of the Indian Railways and staff car drivers among others would get Rs5,000 annually. Nurses would get Rs1,800 per month as the dress allowance. They were getting Rs750 per month. Allowances related to maintenance, washing of uniform are subsumed in dress allowance and will not be payable separately, it said.

“The amount of dress allowance shall be credited to the salary of employees directly once a year in the month of July," the order said, adding that the new charges take effect from 1 July, 2017. The rates of dress allowance would go up by 25% each time the Dearness Allowance rises by 50%.

The clothing allowance, kit maintenance allowance, washing allowance, robe allowance, robe maintenance allowance, outfit allowance, shoe allowance and uniform allowance given to select categories of employees were recommended by the pay panel to be abolished as a separate grant, and be subsumed in the dress allowance. PTI

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