Allahabad: Defence Minister AK Antony conceded on Friday that the shortage of staff in the Armed Forces was a "cause of concern" and said the three Services have been asked to draft an action plan that could attract youth to join the military.

"The shortage (of staff in Armed Forces), especially officers level, is indeed a cause of concern and we have asked the authorities in the Army, Navy and Air Force to carefully study the scenario and come out with a report on the possible ways to make a career in the Forces more attractive for the younger generation," Antony said here.

On Thursday, the three Service Chiefs met Antony in Delhi and sought salaries higher than that proposed by the Pay Commission to woo youth to join the Forces.

Antony, accompanied by Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju, was here to inaugurate the Defence Pension Training Institute.

Earlier, Antony asserted the government was committed to ensure "a life of dignity for people who have retired from the Armed Forces".

"An important step in this direction would be to develop a grievance-free pension sanction and disbursal system, and the new institute has been set up to overcome the skill deficit that has been coming in the way of achieving the end," Antony said.

Raju, while stating that the government has declared 2008 as "the year of ex-servicemen", assured that all possible measures would be adopted "to make things easier for the nearly 22 lakh defence pensioners in the country".
Source : PTI