Friday, May 8, 2009

Disability, war injury pension revised

NEW DELHI:

Announcing yet another sop for armed forces right in the middle of elections, the UPA government on Tuesday hiked disability and family
pension benefits across the board for those injured or killed in battle.

As reported earlier, the government has been rattled by BJP's strong `Jai Jawan' tune in its manifesto and now wants to regain lost ground in the tussle to woo the defence community of 14 lakh serving and 23 lakh retired military personnel, which expands into a sizable votebank of around 1.5 crore people if family members are taken into account.

The defence ministry on Tuesday said "the rates of disability element for 100% disability for various ranks shall now be 30% of emoluments last drawn subject to minimum of Rs 3,100 per month for 100% disability".

"For disability less than 100%, it shall be reduced proportionately. In cases of disability pension where permanent disability is not less than 60%, the disability pension shall not be less than 60% of the reckonable emoluments last drawn subject to a minimum of Rs 7,000 per month," said an official.
Govt hikes disability, family pension for armed forces

MoD raises disability pension bar
New Delhi | Tuesday, May 5 2009 IST
The Ministry of Defence has revised pensionary awards relating to disability pension or war injury pension, special family pension for those Armed Forces personnel dying in harness or retiring or rendered invalid with effect from January 2006, following the Sixth Pay panel's recommendations.

The rates of disability element for 100 per cent disability for various ranks shall be 30 per cent of emoluments last drawn subject to minimum of Rs 3,100 per month. For disability less than 100 per cent it shall be reduced proportionately, ministry sources said. In cases of disability pension where permanent disability is not less than 60 per cent, the disability shall not be less than 60 per cent of the emoluments last drawn, subject to a minimum of Rs 7,000 per month.

The rates of war injury element for 100 per cent disability for various ranks shall be equal to the reckonable emoluments last drawn which would be proportionately reduced where disability is less than 100 per cent. However in no case, aggregate of service element and war injury should exceed the emoluments last drawn.

Constant attendance allowance will be admissible at a uniform rate of Rs 3000 per month, irrespective of the rank. Further this rate be increased by 25 per cent every time the dearness allowance is revised by 50 per cent.

The Ministry has also revised casualty pensionary awards for Armed Forces personnel, who retired, discharged or were rendered invalid prior to January 2006.-(UNI) --
MoD raises disability pension bar
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The announcement comes even as the 15th Lok Sabha elections are in progress, and this is the fifth in a slew of welfare measures since April 21 that could impact the career, pay and perks of the 1.5-million-strong armed forces jawans and officers.
Govt hikes disability, family pension for armed forces: PTI
Disability, war injury pension revised

1 comment:

  1. Saturday, May 9, 2009
    Ironic ‘rationalisation’
    Ironically, the orders of revision of disability pension and other casualty pensionary awards issued on 04 May 2009 have been ostensibly promulgated to ‘rationalise’ the said pension structure of pre-2006 retirees. But the same, to put it mildly, are baffling. Firstly, it is not understood as to why pre-06 pensioners have not been put on the percentage system recommended by the 6th CPC as has been accepted for post-06 pensioners. While recommending the new system of calculation (as was in force earlier for civilians), the 6th CPC had nowhere stated that it shall only be applicable to post-06 pensioners. The emerging disconnect cannot be ignored. For instance, a General who retires on 31 Dec 2005 with 100% disability is now entitled to a fixed amount of Rs 5880 as disability element while an officer of the same rank with the same disability for the same injury or disease who retires a day later on 01 Jan 2006 is entitled to a disability element of Rs 27000. While the disability remains the same, is the suffering of a pre-06 retiree lesser than that of a post-06 one ?. And in addition to disability element, officers are entitled to service element (service pension) in the area of which, as it is, there is great gap between pre and post-2006 pensioners thereby ultimately resulting in creation a huge space between the total package of disability pensioners. Perhaps the committee under the Cabinet Secretary looking into bridging the gap between pre and post-06 pensioners would take a note of this ‘rationalisation’.

    Some varying examples of disability element rates for pre and post-2006 pensioners :
    (Service element / pension is at applicable pre/post-06 rates is admissible in addition to disability element)

    Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 freshly commissioned Lieutenant who got disabled : Rs 5880
    Disability element of a post-01-01-06 freshly commissioned Lieutenant who gets disabled : Rs 8100

    Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 freshly promoted Lt Col who got disabled : Rs 5880
    Disability element of a post-01-01-06 freshly promoted Lt Col who gets disabled : Rs 15759

    Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 Colonel who was at the end of scale at the time of retirement : Rs 5880
    Disability element of a post-01-01-06 Colonel who is at the end of scale at the time of retirement : Rs 24510

    Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 General : Rs 5880
    Disability element of a post-01-01-06 General : Rs 27000

    Some rationalisation eh !!!
    This is nothing but a deliberate mischief by baboos to create another annomaly.All ESM orgs,irrespective of thier pol affiliation,must REJECT this "rationalisation".The Chiefs & Servive HQ's must also do so immidiatly & request the RM to cancel this Notification.They owe at least this much to their Disabled Comrades.Matter should also be taken up Min of Social Justice Which is Nodal agency for overseeing interests of the Disabled.
    The RM should get this matter investigated & Baboos responsible for this Anti Armed Forces mischief should be brought to book.In any case Secy ESW (MOD)is answerable as he is being paid to look after "Welfare"of ESM.

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