Defence Minister AK Antony told the military top brass to make a closer study of the changed profile of modern soldier and to come up with mature man management tactics.
NEW DELHI: As part of new measures to tackle stress related problems in the armed forces, Defence Minister AK Antony on Saturday told the military top brass to make a closer study of the changed profile of modern soldier and to come up with mature man management tactics.
The increasing incidence of suicides, fratricides and fraggings in the armed forces is a cause of "serious concern", Antony said pointing out that new measures were being worked out to combat stress.
"The closer study of the changed profile of the soldiers is a dire necessity in present circumstances," he said.
"We take care of other aspects of stress management. But the armed forces top brass would have to do this," he said.
New studies of profile of soldiers have revealed that a large crop of them are now coming from tribal belts and these recruits bring new problems with them, he said.
Tracing fragmentation of the joint family system as one of the major causes of stress among troops in the frontline, Antony said most of the jawans were taking their domestic stress to frontlines as with the advent of nuclear families they had nobody back home to entrust these issues.
Antony, who was speaking to newsmen after decorating Coast Guard officers with gallantry medals, said Armed forces had also been asked to improve complaint re-dressal system.
Elaborating, he said soldiers' re-dressal system would receive a boost when Parliament enacts the new Armed forces Tribunal bill. He said the bill which had been vetted by a joint select committee would be introduced in the budget session of Parliament.
There are over 8,000 cases of armed forces personnel pending before various courts in the country, Antony said and hoped that the Tribunal would be able to dispose of most of these cases.
Asked what would be the Defence Ministry's stand before the 6th Pay Commission, Antony said he would be pitching for a substantial hike in salaries and perks for armed forces as well as defence scientists.
"I am convinced that armed forces need a better deal. As during their tenure they have to serve in harsh and extreme climates and situations to protect the country's frontiers," he said.
The Defence Minister also reviewed a smartly turned out parade and gave away gallantry and meritorious medals to 11 Coast Guard personnel.
The Commander of Western Region Coast Guard, Inspector General Achutan Rajashekhar, was awarded the President's Tatrakshak Medal for leading a mission which saved 361 lives during last year's devastating fire at Bombay High.
Under his command, Coast Guard personnel had also recovered 200 kg of cocaine from a container.
Tatrakshak medals for gallantry have also been awarded to Commandant Satish Kumar, Commandant Parveen Gaur, Deputy Commandant Sujeet Dwivedi and Pradhan Navik Mandip Singh.
Tatrakshak medals for meritorious services have been given to DIG S K Goyal, Commandants Vivek Vajpayee and K Janadharan, Deputy Commandants C S Joshi, Pradhan Adhikari and R Radhakrishan and Pradhan Yantik Manoj Kumar Singh.
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