New Delhi, June 26 : Defence Minister A. K. Antony is attending a crucial meeting of tri-services chiefs and empowered group of secretaries that is likely to clear a 20 percent pay hike for armed forces personnel.

The meeting is being held in the background of reported dissatisfaction among the services over the recommendations made by the Sixth Pay Commission.

Today`s meeting will be the last meeting between the armed forces chiefs and the empowered group set up by the government after the Army, the Navy and the Air Force raised objections over the anomalies in the pay commission report.

Under the proposals, the ordinary jawans and all personnel below officer rank may be given a hike of up to 40 percent over and above the eight per cent hike recommended by the commission.

This would come in the shape of raising the military service pay to Rs 3,000 against the recommended Rs 1,000. The mid-level officers could expect a raise of 30 percent, while those in the ranks of Brigadiers and above and equivalent posts in the Navy and Air Force could get a 20 percent hike, if the proposals submitted by the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, are accepted.

"A quantum jump is sure to be there," senior Defence Ministry officials said, as the government wants to check any officer exodus from the armed forces and also attract new talent to the services. (ANI)