September 06, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 05, 1429

NEW DELHI, Sept 5: The Indian military on Friday took its long-running battle for higher wages to the prime minister, warning poor perks were hurting morale in one of the world’s biggest armies.

A top commander representing the army, air force and navy met Manmohan Singh to repeat demands for better pay for India’s million-plus military.

The military has stepped up its demands after the government unveiled a hefty wage hike for some five million federal workers last month.

Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who met the premier, discussed the “core issue” of low salaries, a defence ministry official said after the meeting.

The admiral handed over a memorandum to Mr Singh which called for a review of the relatively modest perks offered to the military on Aug 14 when civilian government employees were given the 21-percent wage rise.

“The (wage hike) notification has unwillingly upset existing relativities between the defence forces and other central government officers,” Admiral Mehta said in his appeal.

“This has not only resulted in lowering of their status, especially in the middle ranks, but also has an effect on the organisational structure in various fields where they work together,” the admiral warned.

The Indian military has been campaigning for a 200pc wage hike for non-ranking personnel.

More than 120 army, navy and air force middle-rung officers have sought early retirement this year, saying they were not being adequately rewarded.—AFP