WHILE WE SLEPT:
POLITICIZATION OF INDIA’S ARMED FORCES
An article published in the June, 2009 issue of the journal, "Defence Watch"
Adm. Arun Prakash (Retd)
The recent displays of blatant praetorianism across our eastern and western borders have served to confirm that the Indian Armed Forces are truly the sole sub-continental inheritors of the priceless apolitical tradition bequeathed by their British progenitors. Armies are sent into battle only when statesmen and diplomats have been unsuccessful in ensuring peace. Our Armed Forces have not only fought gallantly on the battlefield but consistently and impartially upheld India’s integrity and secular democratic tradition, when all others have failed the nation.
Their darkest hour occurred in the wake of Operation Blue Star; an unseen internal crisis which threatened to rend the taut fabric of discipline and loyalty which binds together our magnificent Army. The manner in which it contained and defused this calamity will remain another (untold) saga of outstanding military leadership.
This monastic devotion to discipline is the reason that Subhash Bose’s Indian National Army and the Free Indian Legion are, till today, spoken of in hushed tones in the Service environment. The exact details of the 1942 Royal Indian Navy mutiny (even though it imparted a decisive impetus to the freedom movement) will forever remain confined to confidential volumes kept under lock and key on board every warship. Similarly, public expressions of defiance like hunger-strikes, dharnas, marches and demonstrations by civilians cause acute discomfort to the soldier, sailor and airman because they run contrary to the essence of all that he has been ever taught: unquestioning respect and obedience of lawful authority.
Once he doffs his uniform, an ex-Serviceman (ESM) is technically liberated from the restraints of military discipline, and is free to adopt the demeanor and behaviour of any civilian on the street. But deep inside, his soul cringes at the very thought of conducting himself in a manner which would have brought disrepute to his uniform, unit or Service.
Why then did our ESM start resorting to demonstrations in April 2008, in the heart of the national capital as well as in many states? Why did they thereafter graduate to relay fasts at Jantar Mantar? And why are they now surrendering their precious medals to low level functionaries in Rashtrapati Bhavan?. Although they have conducted themselves in a most dignified and orderly manner, the very fact that veterans ranging from Generals to Jawans have been marching on the streets and squatting on footpaths has sent shock waves throughout the Services community; even if the media and our fellow citizens have largely ignored this disturbing development.
I am not about to argue the case of the ESM, but a brief summary of events would help to orient the reader. In early-2006 when the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC) loomed into sight, the Service Chiefs, individually and collectively, through the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), appealed to the Raksha Mantri, on the basis of bitter past experience, that a Service member be included in the CPC. This request having been declined, when the CPC Report was released in 2008, the Services found to their dismay that the recommendations expectedly contained many glaring anomalies impacting adversely on serving personnel as well as ESM.
At the persistent urgings of the Service Chiefs, a Review Committee was constituted; ironically yet again bereft of a Service representative. The Review Committee aggravated the anomalous situation by arbitrarily making some further unwarranted modifications. A series of instructions were issued by the Defence Accounts and pension disbursing authorities which were self-contradictory and compounded the prevailing confusion as well as unhappiness. While the Chairman COSC took up the issues relating to serving personnel with the Government, the ESM became convinced that since no one was listening to them, they had no choice but to adopt agitational methods. They have, therefore, taken to the streets since April 2008.
Military veterans, world-wide are objects of spontaneous respect, affection and admiration because they are national symbols of courage, patriotism and sacrifice; a segment deserving of special consideration by the Government. The grievances of our ESM, should, therefore, have been handled with far more sensitivity and responsiveness, than they actually were.
The current ESM movement has been able to mobilize opinion country-wide and gather self-sustaining momentum, mainly due to connectivity provided by the Internet and cellular phone networks. While the MoD seems to have adopted a disdainful and detached stance towards their grievances, the ESM roll-on agenda now encompasses canvassing political support for their cause, and even the formation of an ESM political party which will put up candidates for the forthcoming General Elections.
Thus it is now obvious that, while the nation slept, the process of “politicization” of our Armed Forces is well under way, if not complete. The 6th CPC has also inflicted serious collateral damage by deepening the existing civil-military chasm and thereby further slowing down the languid functioning of the MoD.
As a former Army Chief has pointed out, the ESM retain “an umbilical connection” with the serving personnel; they hail from the same regions or neighbouring villages and often belong to the same extended family, whom they meet when on leave. In any case, the Services and ESM constitute one big family. No one should have any doubts that the essence of whatever happens at Jantar Mantar or India Gate will slowly but surely filter back by a process of “reverse osmosis” to the men in uniform.
Even if the politicians and bureaucrats do not care, the nation’s intelligentsia (where are they?) need to introspect. Does the nation want proud, independent and self-respecting Armed Forces who live by the professional soldiers’ honour code and die unquestioningly
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Armed Forces Tribunal to start functioning next month
Armed Forces Tribunal to start functioning next month
VIJAYMOHAN
TRIBUNENEWSSERVICE
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 18
After a series of delays, the much-awaited
Armed Forces Tribunal is finally expected to
start functioning next month. The AFT will
adjudicate on matters pertaining to military
justice and service matters, which at present
are being dealt by the high courts and the SC.
Sources said the appointment of 15 administrative
members, selected from among senior
retired service officers, is over, though the
appointment ofjudicial members, to be selected
from retired high court judges, is underway.
About 12,000 cases related to courts
martial proceedings, and matters such as promotions,
postings, pay and allowances, etc.,
which are pending before various courts, will
be transferred to the AFT. Since the AFT will
be dealing with military matters alone, it will
ensure speedier disposal of cases.
For the Chandigarh Bench, the administrative
members are Lt Gen HS Panag, former
GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen AS
Bahia, former Quarter Master General and Lt
Gen NS Brar, former GOC 10 Corps. This
Bench will have jurisdiction over the states of
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and
Jammu and Kashmir.
Among other members are Lt Gen S
Pattabhiraman, Lt Gen ML Naidu, both former
Vice-Chief of the Anny Staff, Lt Gen
Thomas Mathew, former Adjutant General, Lt
Gen RK Chhabra, former Chief of Staff,
Southern Command and Rear Admiral R
Contractor. The Parliament had passed the
Armed Forces Tribunal Bill on December 7,
2007, following which presidential assent was
received on December 27. Former Supreme
Court judge, Justice AK Mathur, is heading
the tribunal.
The AFT's principal Bench would be based
at New Delhi and premises for it have been
earmarked in RK Puram.
In addition will be eight regional Benches,
Chandigarh, Chennai,Guwahati, Jaipur, Kochi,
Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai. Each Bench will
have judicial and well as administrative members.
All administrative members will have the status
of a judge of the high court with corresponding
salary and service conditions.
VIJAYMOHAN
TRIBUNENEWSSERVICE
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 18
After a series of delays, the much-awaited
Armed Forces Tribunal is finally expected to
start functioning next month. The AFT will
adjudicate on matters pertaining to military
justice and service matters, which at present
are being dealt by the high courts and the SC.
Sources said the appointment of 15 administrative
members, selected from among senior
retired service officers, is over, though the
appointment ofjudicial members, to be selected
from retired high court judges, is underway.
About 12,000 cases related to courts
martial proceedings, and matters such as promotions,
postings, pay and allowances, etc.,
which are pending before various courts, will
be transferred to the AFT. Since the AFT will
be dealing with military matters alone, it will
ensure speedier disposal of cases.
For the Chandigarh Bench, the administrative
members are Lt Gen HS Panag, former
GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen AS
Bahia, former Quarter Master General and Lt
Gen NS Brar, former GOC 10 Corps. This
Bench will have jurisdiction over the states of
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and
Jammu and Kashmir.
Among other members are Lt Gen S
Pattabhiraman, Lt Gen ML Naidu, both former
Vice-Chief of the Anny Staff, Lt Gen
Thomas Mathew, former Adjutant General, Lt
Gen RK Chhabra, former Chief of Staff,
Southern Command and Rear Admiral R
Contractor. The Parliament had passed the
Armed Forces Tribunal Bill on December 7,
2007, following which presidential assent was
received on December 27. Former Supreme
Court judge, Justice AK Mathur, is heading
the tribunal.
The AFT's principal Bench would be based
at New Delhi and premises for it have been
earmarked in RK Puram.
In addition will be eight regional Benches,
Chandigarh, Chennai,Guwahati, Jaipur, Kochi,
Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai. Each Bench will
have judicial and well as administrative members.
All administrative members will have the status
of a judge of the high court with corresponding
salary and service conditions.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
PB4 ...weightage in built in the Table..???Pls check
Dear All,
Doubts clarified for many PB4 people as below:
Lot of Cdr /Lt Cols/Wgcdrs are adding 7 yrs to their service and then looking at the table....but it seems the table already has taken that into account...like below is an officer with 22.5 yrs and after adding weightage = 29.5 yrs and he would have got 25700 basic .....but that is not the case.....or may be this branch has not done it......can any one else confirm that this is correct or wrong assumption..
Rgds
Cdr Sharan
**************************************
Dear Sharan,
Thanks
I had chased the bank with the GOI letter and they have already paid my 40% arrears on 16th June.Syndicate Bank Karol Bagh branch.
In my case 40% arrears upto sep08 came to Rs 1.03L after subtracting amount previously paid, I left after 22.5 Yrs.
In your case
Basic pension is Rs21807 ,it will come to approx the same.
Tax etc will depend on your tax savings investment under sec80C.
My bank paid 40% arrears upto sep08 and full arrears from sep08 to may 09.
Approx Rs 2.0 Lakhs
Cheers enjoy!!!!!
Cdr XXXXX
Doubts clarified for many PB4 people as below:
Lot of Cdr /Lt Cols/Wgcdrs are adding 7 yrs to their service and then looking at the table....but it seems the table already has taken that into account...like below is an officer with 22.5 yrs and after adding weightage = 29.5 yrs and he would have got 25700 basic .....but that is not the case.....or may be this branch has not done it......can any one else confirm that this is correct or wrong assumption..
Rgds
Cdr Sharan
**************************************
Dear Sharan,
Thanks
I had chased the bank with the GOI letter and they have already paid my 40% arrears on 16th June.Syndicate Bank Karol Bagh branch.
In my case 40% arrears upto sep08 came to Rs 1.03L after subtracting amount previously paid, I left after 22.5 Yrs.
In your case
Basic pension is Rs21807 ,it will come to approx the same.
Tax etc will depend on your tax savings investment under sec80C.
My bank paid 40% arrears upto sep08 and full arrears from sep08 to may 09.
Approx Rs 2.0 Lakhs
Cheers enjoy!!!!!
Cdr XXXXX
Military Pension in comparison with other nations
Where to go to obtain or replace missing records?
Over 24 lakh Ex Servicemen and their widows, regardless of when they retired or left military service, do not have "one source" when requesting for lost or missing records and awards to claim entitled pensions and other benefits– the ESM Welfare Department under MOD which has a statistical branch sadly does not have the statistics nor Records!
Secretary ESM Welfare Department should be tasked to get the Statistics and Records of ESM for online downloads
Over 24 lakh Ex Servicemen and their widows, regardless of when they retired or left military service, do not have "one source" when requesting for lost or missing records and awards to claim entitled pensions and other benefits– the ESM Welfare Department under MOD which has a statistical branch sadly does not have the statistics nor Records!
Secretary ESM Welfare Department should be tasked to get the Statistics and Records of ESM for online downloads
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
OROP by Lt Col Inderjit Singh
The email ID of Col Indirjit Singh is - ijsingh34@hotmail.com and his phone numbers are - 91-11-24675078, 26110710
Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
An email received from Lt Col Inderjit Singh, Chairman All India Ex-Services Welfare Association, is reproduced below.
The email ID of Col Indirjit Singh is - ijsingh34@hotmail.com and his phone numbers are - 91-11-24675078, 26110710.
If you wish to have any further clarifications or discussions with Col Inderjit or any one else about the contents of the email below, PLEASE send your email direct to Col Inderjit or the concerned person. PLEASE DO NOT ENDORSE COPIES OF YOUR EMAILS ON THIS SUBJECT, RELATED TO THIS EMAIL, TO ME.
In Service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.
------------
From: Inderjit Singh
To: csk551@dataone.in ; TRUNCATED
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 4:18 PM
Subject: OROP
ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION
Dear Friend,
I suddenly got a call from Brig. R. K. Gulia for attending a meeting at the IESL Headquarter on 15 June 2009 at 1130hrs. He said that was the meeting of the Committee appointed by the MOD for ex-servicemen. Incidentally this Committee is the result of our efforts about which the Honble Raksha Mantri ji confirmed to me through his DO letter dated 16 Feb. 2009. I went there as I am always prepared to go and help the cause of ex-servicemen.
2. I went their and to my horror I found it was his own meeting in which he had invited some people to spread falsehood about achievements of his IESL. Basically these were points which the whole world acknowledges that these materialized only through our efforts.
3. If that was not bad enough, they came out with a paper produced with their half-baked knowledge which they as a Committee were going to present to the Government. This paper had been produced, as per their assertion, by incorporating views of all Organizations except our Association. The Association which has transformed the Govt thinking over the past 30 years and got you many things was not considered necessary for consideration.
4. Obliviously without our inputs they have produced a disastrous paper which would nullify all our efforts to bring the Govt to do the needful. While we struggle to get you your dues the IESL colludes with vested interests to scuttle our submissions and curry for personal gains. This exercise to bridge the gap is merely to scuttle OROP by working out a half-backed solution. When we then go to the Govt we will be confronted by their recommendations which would obviously have come from a representative ex-servicemen body. I appeal to you all to kindly reject it and tell them to pack up.
5. We have got a paper ready which will be presented to the powers that be and not to the self-styled representatives of the ex-servicemen. This paper I had brought with me to give to the Committee. When I found it was an IESL tamasha. I brought it back as with them it was waste of time and energy.
6. You are all invited to come and take part in this gigantic exercise. Read on our papers one by one and then come and join for signing. We will send this jointly to the authorities.
With warm wishes,
Sincerely,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman (ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION)
............
(PRESENTATION ON OROP DATED 15.06.2009)
To,
The Govt Committee
For Ex-servicemen Problems
Ministry of Defence
New Delhi
SUB :- PRESENTATION ON OROP
Dear Sir,
We are grateful that we have been invited to make a presentation to you on OROP.
2. We hope after the presentation the Committee like all previous Committees would realize the folly of delaying the solution to the single most important problem and give the award in our favour.
3. We enclose our paper giving all the details. We hope this will help you in arriving at the right conclusions.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
..............
ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)
GENERAL
Definition
1. Before we try to find a solution to this simplest problem which has been made out as the most complicated and dreadful one, we should know what it actually is. I was the one who first took it up way back in 1982 and as per the objections raised from time to time, modified it to meet all these. The final definition for which no modifications are required is as follows:-
‘Pre 01 Jan. 2006 retirees got the same rates of pension as post 01 Jan. 2006 retirees, by matching up the three factors that govern the pensions of ex-servicemen i.e. rank, length of service and the trade (in case of all ranks below officers ranks only). After this was effected, any future increases be automatically applied to old pensioners. The family, dependents and disability pensions are included for the purposes of this definition. This however definitely does not mean the grant of pensionary benefits such as DCRG and additional value of commutation pension’.
2. Gentlemen we were seeking OROP, the Sixth Pay Commission, from One Rank Two Pensions (ORTP) prior to their award has improved by making it One Rank Four Pensions (ORFP). Further they have by their award saved us from the problem of having to match the factors that governed our pensions.
3. They even changed the rule sanctified by V CPC for bringing all previous pensioners to the minimum rates of the Sixth CPC to our disadvantage. Further they have changed the name of Rank Pay into Grade Pay and sanction it for themselves too. With this they while bringing themselves at par with us for Rank Pay, have also attempted to shut us up for OROP.
Attitudinal Change
4. We have been seeking OROP ever since 1982. We have had very many Committees of the Govt and Parliament recommending very strongly that this be given to the ex-servicemen. Despite that this problem lingers on. Why ? We, especially the Bureaucrats need to do a soul-searching. My observations over the years are that unless there is an attitudinal change in the Bureaucracy nothing can be done. I do believe that this elite Committee are ready to exercise a positive approach to this problem and not go all out to find ways to complicate this simple issue so much that no further Committee ever dares to touch this issue up again ?
Other Countries
5. The leadership of the strongest Nation i.e. US and the tiniest Nation Singapore very proudly say that they would give the best to the people who do the most difficult job for the Nation. The Armed Forces are the one who do that and they will get the best tangible and non tangible benefits from the grateful Nation.
6. The United States give OROP to the Armed Forces and not to civilians. They however call it 100% protection against inflation for pay and pensions. Benefits given by them are shown in the table below:-
TABLE:: PROVISIONS FOR FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND MILITARY SYSTEMS IN USA
Provision Average Civilian System Military System
a. Retirement Average Highest of last 3 years pay Terminal Basic Pay
b. Pension Begin (i) 55 years age or over with Upon retirement with more
at least 30 years service or more than 20 years of service
(ii) 60 years age or over with 20 years of service or more
(iii ) 62 years age or over with 5 years of service or more
c. Rate of Pension 33.75% of not the last pay 50 % of the last pay drawn
drawn but average of last 3 years pay
d. Maximum pension 60 % of the average of last pay drawn 75% of the last pay drawn. admissible But they are required to contribute They do not have to
4 to 7 % of their salary contribute any thing
towards pension fund
e. Inflation Pensions are not protected Pensions fully protected against inflation against inflation
7. What happens in our Country? In times of calamity, whether it is man made or otherwise, the hell is squeezed out of the Armed Forces and after the job is done, our grateful Nation wants to hang them up to the nearest pole till they are dead.
8. This attitude has to change to working out the best always for the Armed Forces ? Rather than stating ‘the soldiers knew the terms of engagement, if they did not like these why did they join the Armed Forces’. If the attitude changes, there is no dearth of political support to this matter as would be known from the recommendations of various Committees I will be talking about.
CONSIDERATION OF OROP
9. A number of times over the past twenty seven years, after we presented this Concept, we managed to force the Government into looking into this matter more seriously. Many major exercises were done. Every report emphasised strongly its implementation. The comments of these committees are given in succeeding paragraphs.
10. Estimates Committee 1980-81. The Estimates Committee 1980-81 (Seventh Lok Sabha, Fifteenth Report on Resettlement of Ex-servicemen) observed as given in succeeding paragraphs.
11. The Committee find that disparity in pensions is perhaps the most annoying of the problems that is agitating the minds of Ex-Servicemen. The Ministry have admitted that a Major General who might have retired in 1953 gets less pension than even a Major who retired in 1979. The Committee take note of the explanations given by the Ministry that the employee’s retiral benefits are determined with reference to rules in force on the date of retirement. Liberalisation in retirement benefits is made effective only from a prospective date and not from a retrospective date. In order, however, to narrow the disparity between the pensions admissible to old and new pensioners, the Government, it is stated, have granted ad hoc relief.
12. The Committee cannot be oblivious of the heartburning that the disparity in pensions would be causing to Ex-Servicemen. It is natural in the present day society in which rank structure implies differentials in emoluments and this is as valid before retirement as afterwards. The Committee appreciates the limitations placed by the general pension policy on the Defence Ministry which are otherwise fully conscious of the inequality that has resulted from this policy. This issue is like a thorn in the flesh of Ex-Servicemen and this ‘Thorn’ freshens and deepens the wound almost every month when an ex-serviceman who had senior appointment in the Armed Forces is chagrined to find that his pension packet is woefully lower than that of an ex-serviceman who was many grades junior to him. In the Armed Forces the pensions are in most cases fixed with reference to the rank held and not as done in the civil side, with reference to the pay drawn during the last year. Seen against this background what an ex-serviceman desires is that pension after retirement should remain related to ranks just as the pension and pay were related to rank before retirement. It is an extension of the well established pre-retirement principle to post-retirement period on a continuing basis. The Committee has gone into this matter. They strongly feel that disparity in pension is inequitable and unfair and there is no justification to perpetuate it particularly among ex-servicemen where rank structure have always been the principle determinant of emoluments, perks and privileges. The Committee recommended that this matter should be examined with a fresh approach as above and just solution found to end the disparity in pensions to the satisfaction of large body of ex-servicemen.
13. High Level Committee. The second such exercise was done way back in 1984 when the Government accepted our proposal to appoint a High Level Committee headed by Sh K P Singh Deo the then Minister of State for Defence. This Committee made the following recommendations:-
‘Ex-servicemen throughout the country have raised this point very emphatically. They are of the view that a Defence Forces pensioner irrespective of the date of his retirement should get the same pension as another pensioner who retired later for the same rank and the same length of service. Whenever, pensions are revised the same should be applicable automatically and with prospective effect to existing pensioners. Similarly, other kinds of pensions like family pension, special family pension, widows pension and so on, whenever revised should again be automatically applicable to older cases, in the light of principle which has been already established with respect to the pensions of High Court and Supreme Court Judges. This proposal is indeed worth consideration’.
14. Although the High Level Committee recommended its consideration, no effort was made to examine the matter seriously till six Members of our Association went on indefinite fast in 1987. A number of meetings with the leadership were held thereafter. As a result of this superhuman effort a number of serious exercises were undertaken by the Government but without any end result.
15. Jafa Committee. In 1989 the Government changed. The new Prime Minister appointed Jafa Committee to implement his promise of ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) for ex-servicemen. This Committee did every thing to scuttle this Concept rather than find ways and means to implement it. This Committee could not complete its recommendations due to lack of unanimity. The Bureaucrats however worked out an Ad hoc increase and tried to force it down on the ex-servicemen in Oct 90. The ex-servicemen termed it as “Betrayal of their Trust” and rejected it.
16. The half truths and lies trotted out by this Committee are being utilized by the Bureaucrats to mislead the leadership in denying the ex-servicemen the grant of this One Rank One Pension.
17. High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC). As soon as the government changed in 1991, series of representations were made to the leadership. As a result of these representations the Government announced the appointment of a High Level Empowered Committee for improving the pensions of ex-servicemen. The Committee would have liked to work on OROP, but were inhibited by the serious resource crunch that the Nation was facing at that time. They had however seen the merits of this Concept and therefore did not make any mention of it in their Report to ensure that its future consideration was not affected in any manner.
18. Inspite of the financial constraints and despite all the efforts by Bureaucrats to scuttle this effort, the High Level Empowered Committee worked out a reasonable award on 28 Dec 91.
19. The award had to be interpreted into a Government Order by the Bureaucrats for its implementation. They produced a Government Order vide their letter No 1(2)92/d(pension/Services) of 16 Mar 92. What these Bureaucrats could not achieve in the HLEC, they managed to achieve through the Government Order. They scuttled all the good work of the Committee through this order denying One Time Increase award to majority of ex-servicemen.
20. The matter was brought to the notice of the leadership who appointed another Committee for removing the anomalies in the earlier Government Order. This Committee after two years of deliberations produced an order creating even more obnoxious anomalies. These were finally got rectified through the V CPC.
RECENT INITIATIVES
Standing Committee on Defence
21. We had made presentation to the Defence Committee of the Parliament on 28 Apr. 2003. Based on our presentation the Standing Committee made a strong recommendation to the Govt. on One Rank One Pension (OROP).
22. The MOD submitted an Action Taken Report to the Committee virtually telling them that their recommendation could not be accepted. True to their reputation and designs of denying the ex-servicemen their rightful dues, the bureaucrats did not stint at misleading the Standing Committee of the Parliament. They spoke blatant lies to scuttle this initiative also. Unfortunately for them their lies were recorded and became public through parliamentary documents. We brought these to the notice of the Standing Committee. Based on our submissions the Committee rejected the Action Taken Report of the MOD and forcefully asked the Govt. to do the little act in compensation for the sacrifices made by soldiers. Some of their quotes are given below:-
a) ‘The Nation must repay its debt to those defendants of the motherland with gratitude and humility. We should, instead of, looking for precedents in this regard, create precedents for the others to emulate. Any amount paid in this regard will be small token of our gratitude to them’. (Twentieth Report on Welfare of Servicemen and Ex-servicemen – Aug 2003.
b) ‘The committee are disappointed at the report of the Inter-Ministerial committee constituted to examine the feasibility of application of the long pending demand of ‘One Rank One Pension’ for the ex-servicemen. The committee do not concur with the findings of the Inter-Ministerial committee that bringing into force of the proposal would entail numerous administrative, financial and legal implications as well as repercussions on the civil side’. (Fourth Report – Apr 2005)
23. As a result the Govt. appointed a Group of Ministers Committee (GOM) to examine these
problems.
GOM Award
24. The GoM announced its award on 25 Jan 2006, with this award they had brought all pre 1.1.1996 PBORs retirees to the maximum scale of the fifth CPC award. They had however not given the latest rates given on 10 Oct 1997. This meant that One Rank One Pension had not been given. Further they had not given even a penny to officers. The family pensioners and some more categories had also been left out of this award. The major shortcomings were as follows:-
(a) Full One Rank One Pension (OROP). The UPA in the CMP who committed to giving this to ex-servicemen. Full OROP meant the leveling off with the latest pensions of soldiers which were awarded on 10 Oct 1997. The GOM had given the maximum of Fifth Pay Commission award. It was therefore not OROP.
(b) Family Pensioners. The notification specifically denied the award to the families. In the absence of such a statement the families would have got the increase automatically after the husbands pensions were increased as their family pension is 60% of the husband’s pensions. It is the greatest injustice.
(c ) Officers Pension. The Officers had not been given even a penny. It was tragic that the officers who made the Army what it was - a strong Fighting Force – had been ignored. Bringing about the possibility of reverting to pre 1998 situation when a Sub Major got more pension than pre 1986 Lt Col. How could that be allowed to happen again ?
(d) Others. Many more categories had been denied the benefit. This is one of the techniques the bureaucracy employs to deny us our rightful dues. First they create anomalies and then use these for denying more things.
25. After this award the situation as it prevailed was that PBOR of the Armed Forces were having full parity with V CPC rates where as civilians continued to be on modified parity granted by V CPC. Officers of the Armed Forces were not given anything so they also were on modified parity.
26. A precedent of giving full parity with Pay Commission rates to Armed Forces had been set. All that is needed is to maintain it. To rectify the short fall of that award, the officers also to be brought on full parity.
WHY EX-SERVICEMEN SHOULD GET OROP
27. The Armed Forces deserve to get OROP for the following reasons: -
(a) Soldiers can not serve up to the age of 60 years, where as their civilian
counterparts can.
(b) A Soldier retires around the age of 35 years. The effect of inflation on their pensions over a long period is disastrous.
(c) The Sacrifices they make for the Nation, they deserve to get better deals for pay and pensions.
(d) Sh. K. P. Singh Deo, High Level Committee of 1984 strongly recommended that OROP be given.
(e) Presidential commitment to the Joint Session of Parliament in Dec 1989.
(f) Strong recommendations of the Standing Committee on Defence of the Parliament after rejecting the blatant lies of the Action Taken Report of the MOD in Apr 2005 and again in their Sixteenth Report on 30 Apr. 2007.
(g) Commitment of over 450 Hon’ble Members of Parliament through their Party’s Election Manifestoes given at one time or the other.
RECOMMENDATIONS
28. The ex-servicemen’s long standing demand of One Rank One Pension should be granted without any conditions and also applied to all pensioners including officers without exception. Its grant does not need any complicated theories. All that is required is to follow the principles of the Award given by Group of Ministers on 25 Jan 2006 which means granting the old retirees the maximum of the rank that has been awarded by the Sixth Pay Commission by matching up the three factors that govern our pensions.
29. If there is any difficulty in implementation we are prepared to help the Govt in finding a way out.
CONCLUSION
30. The efforts of the vested interests to deny ex-servicemen their rightful dues of ONE RANK ONE PENSION by any means can well be gauged from the submissions made above.
31 It may be seen that these vested interests have not stopped at anything to achieve their objective. They spread misinformation and when that did not work, disinformation was resorted to. When all else failed they tried to achieve their objective by suppression of information.
32. We emphatically state that ONE RANK ONE PENSION is a definite Concept which is easily implementable. Its acceptance would for all times lay down definite rules which the vested interests would not be able to distort or misinterpret to reduce the ex-servicemen community to beggars. The vested interests would not be able to issue dictats every now and then to reduce every exercise of revising pensions of ex-servicemen to a mockery, a play ground for testing their ability to disseminate falsehood and taking away already granted facilities rather than improve upon these. Above all it would save the future Pay Commissions for all times all the efforts, that is normally required for finalizing the pensions.
33. Ours in the only Nation where the Soldiers not only operate in the most difficult terrains such as Siachin Glacier, but also are called out for every natural or even more hazardous man made disasters every now and then. The beauty is that they have always done the Nation proud. It is here again only, that the Armed Forces are the poorest paid and reduced to beggars. The time has now come when the Nation has to pay back for their services by making theirs the elite service once again as was prevalent prior to 1953.
34. The panacea for all this is ONE RANK ONE PENSION. We have struggled for it for the past almost 30 years. No diluting of this concept will be acceptable. In the past 30 years we have always got everything through the Govt of the Ruling Party only. It is in the fitness of the things that the credit for solving this single most important problem goes to the present Govt. We would look forward to it.
(PAPER SUBMISSION TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE REGARDING OROP DATED 15.06.2009)
Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
An email received from Lt Col Inderjit Singh, Chairman All India Ex-Services Welfare Association, is reproduced below.
The email ID of Col Indirjit Singh is - ijsingh34@hotmail.com and his phone numbers are - 91-11-24675078, 26110710.
If you wish to have any further clarifications or discussions with Col Inderjit or any one else about the contents of the email below, PLEASE send your email direct to Col Inderjit or the concerned person. PLEASE DO NOT ENDORSE COPIES OF YOUR EMAILS ON THIS SUBJECT, RELATED TO THIS EMAIL, TO ME.
In Service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.
------------
From: Inderjit Singh
To: csk551@dataone.in ; TRUNCATED
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 4:18 PM
Subject: OROP
ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION
Dear Friend,
I suddenly got a call from Brig. R. K. Gulia for attending a meeting at the IESL Headquarter on 15 June 2009 at 1130hrs. He said that was the meeting of the Committee appointed by the MOD for ex-servicemen. Incidentally this Committee is the result of our efforts about which the Honble Raksha Mantri ji confirmed to me through his DO letter dated 16 Feb. 2009. I went there as I am always prepared to go and help the cause of ex-servicemen.
2. I went their and to my horror I found it was his own meeting in which he had invited some people to spread falsehood about achievements of his IESL. Basically these were points which the whole world acknowledges that these materialized only through our efforts.
3. If that was not bad enough, they came out with a paper produced with their half-baked knowledge which they as a Committee were going to present to the Government. This paper had been produced, as per their assertion, by incorporating views of all Organizations except our Association. The Association which has transformed the Govt thinking over the past 30 years and got you many things was not considered necessary for consideration.
4. Obliviously without our inputs they have produced a disastrous paper which would nullify all our efforts to bring the Govt to do the needful. While we struggle to get you your dues the IESL colludes with vested interests to scuttle our submissions and curry for personal gains. This exercise to bridge the gap is merely to scuttle OROP by working out a half-backed solution. When we then go to the Govt we will be confronted by their recommendations which would obviously have come from a representative ex-servicemen body. I appeal to you all to kindly reject it and tell them to pack up.
5. We have got a paper ready which will be presented to the powers that be and not to the self-styled representatives of the ex-servicemen. This paper I had brought with me to give to the Committee. When I found it was an IESL tamasha. I brought it back as with them it was waste of time and energy.
6. You are all invited to come and take part in this gigantic exercise. Read on our papers one by one and then come and join for signing. We will send this jointly to the authorities.
With warm wishes,
Sincerely,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman (ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION)
............
(PRESENTATION ON OROP DATED 15.06.2009)
To,
The Govt Committee
For Ex-servicemen Problems
Ministry of Defence
New Delhi
SUB :- PRESENTATION ON OROP
Dear Sir,
We are grateful that we have been invited to make a presentation to you on OROP.
2. We hope after the presentation the Committee like all previous Committees would realize the folly of delaying the solution to the single most important problem and give the award in our favour.
3. We enclose our paper giving all the details. We hope this will help you in arriving at the right conclusions.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
..............
ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)
GENERAL
Definition
1. Before we try to find a solution to this simplest problem which has been made out as the most complicated and dreadful one, we should know what it actually is. I was the one who first took it up way back in 1982 and as per the objections raised from time to time, modified it to meet all these. The final definition for which no modifications are required is as follows:-
‘Pre 01 Jan. 2006 retirees got the same rates of pension as post 01 Jan. 2006 retirees, by matching up the three factors that govern the pensions of ex-servicemen i.e. rank, length of service and the trade (in case of all ranks below officers ranks only). After this was effected, any future increases be automatically applied to old pensioners. The family, dependents and disability pensions are included for the purposes of this definition. This however definitely does not mean the grant of pensionary benefits such as DCRG and additional value of commutation pension’.
2. Gentlemen we were seeking OROP, the Sixth Pay Commission, from One Rank Two Pensions (ORTP) prior to their award has improved by making it One Rank Four Pensions (ORFP). Further they have by their award saved us from the problem of having to match the factors that governed our pensions.
3. They even changed the rule sanctified by V CPC for bringing all previous pensioners to the minimum rates of the Sixth CPC to our disadvantage. Further they have changed the name of Rank Pay into Grade Pay and sanction it for themselves too. With this they while bringing themselves at par with us for Rank Pay, have also attempted to shut us up for OROP.
Attitudinal Change
4. We have been seeking OROP ever since 1982. We have had very many Committees of the Govt and Parliament recommending very strongly that this be given to the ex-servicemen. Despite that this problem lingers on. Why ? We, especially the Bureaucrats need to do a soul-searching. My observations over the years are that unless there is an attitudinal change in the Bureaucracy nothing can be done. I do believe that this elite Committee are ready to exercise a positive approach to this problem and not go all out to find ways to complicate this simple issue so much that no further Committee ever dares to touch this issue up again ?
Other Countries
5. The leadership of the strongest Nation i.e. US and the tiniest Nation Singapore very proudly say that they would give the best to the people who do the most difficult job for the Nation. The Armed Forces are the one who do that and they will get the best tangible and non tangible benefits from the grateful Nation.
6. The United States give OROP to the Armed Forces and not to civilians. They however call it 100% protection against inflation for pay and pensions. Benefits given by them are shown in the table below:-
TABLE:: PROVISIONS FOR FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND MILITARY SYSTEMS IN USA
Provision Average Civilian System Military System
a. Retirement Average Highest of last 3 years pay Terminal Basic Pay
b. Pension Begin (i) 55 years age or over with Upon retirement with more
at least 30 years service or more than 20 years of service
(ii) 60 years age or over with 20 years of service or more
(iii ) 62 years age or over with 5 years of service or more
c. Rate of Pension 33.75% of not the last pay 50 % of the last pay drawn
drawn but average of last 3 years pay
d. Maximum pension 60 % of the average of last pay drawn 75% of the last pay drawn. admissible But they are required to contribute They do not have to
4 to 7 % of their salary contribute any thing
towards pension fund
e. Inflation Pensions are not protected Pensions fully protected against inflation against inflation
7. What happens in our Country? In times of calamity, whether it is man made or otherwise, the hell is squeezed out of the Armed Forces and after the job is done, our grateful Nation wants to hang them up to the nearest pole till they are dead.
8. This attitude has to change to working out the best always for the Armed Forces ? Rather than stating ‘the soldiers knew the terms of engagement, if they did not like these why did they join the Armed Forces’. If the attitude changes, there is no dearth of political support to this matter as would be known from the recommendations of various Committees I will be talking about.
CONSIDERATION OF OROP
9. A number of times over the past twenty seven years, after we presented this Concept, we managed to force the Government into looking into this matter more seriously. Many major exercises were done. Every report emphasised strongly its implementation. The comments of these committees are given in succeeding paragraphs.
10. Estimates Committee 1980-81. The Estimates Committee 1980-81 (Seventh Lok Sabha, Fifteenth Report on Resettlement of Ex-servicemen) observed as given in succeeding paragraphs.
11. The Committee find that disparity in pensions is perhaps the most annoying of the problems that is agitating the minds of Ex-Servicemen. The Ministry have admitted that a Major General who might have retired in 1953 gets less pension than even a Major who retired in 1979. The Committee take note of the explanations given by the Ministry that the employee’s retiral benefits are determined with reference to rules in force on the date of retirement. Liberalisation in retirement benefits is made effective only from a prospective date and not from a retrospective date. In order, however, to narrow the disparity between the pensions admissible to old and new pensioners, the Government, it is stated, have granted ad hoc relief.
12. The Committee cannot be oblivious of the heartburning that the disparity in pensions would be causing to Ex-Servicemen. It is natural in the present day society in which rank structure implies differentials in emoluments and this is as valid before retirement as afterwards. The Committee appreciates the limitations placed by the general pension policy on the Defence Ministry which are otherwise fully conscious of the inequality that has resulted from this policy. This issue is like a thorn in the flesh of Ex-Servicemen and this ‘Thorn’ freshens and deepens the wound almost every month when an ex-serviceman who had senior appointment in the Armed Forces is chagrined to find that his pension packet is woefully lower than that of an ex-serviceman who was many grades junior to him. In the Armed Forces the pensions are in most cases fixed with reference to the rank held and not as done in the civil side, with reference to the pay drawn during the last year. Seen against this background what an ex-serviceman desires is that pension after retirement should remain related to ranks just as the pension and pay were related to rank before retirement. It is an extension of the well established pre-retirement principle to post-retirement period on a continuing basis. The Committee has gone into this matter. They strongly feel that disparity in pension is inequitable and unfair and there is no justification to perpetuate it particularly among ex-servicemen where rank structure have always been the principle determinant of emoluments, perks and privileges. The Committee recommended that this matter should be examined with a fresh approach as above and just solution found to end the disparity in pensions to the satisfaction of large body of ex-servicemen.
13. High Level Committee. The second such exercise was done way back in 1984 when the Government accepted our proposal to appoint a High Level Committee headed by Sh K P Singh Deo the then Minister of State for Defence. This Committee made the following recommendations:-
‘Ex-servicemen throughout the country have raised this point very emphatically. They are of the view that a Defence Forces pensioner irrespective of the date of his retirement should get the same pension as another pensioner who retired later for the same rank and the same length of service. Whenever, pensions are revised the same should be applicable automatically and with prospective effect to existing pensioners. Similarly, other kinds of pensions like family pension, special family pension, widows pension and so on, whenever revised should again be automatically applicable to older cases, in the light of principle which has been already established with respect to the pensions of High Court and Supreme Court Judges. This proposal is indeed worth consideration’.
14. Although the High Level Committee recommended its consideration, no effort was made to examine the matter seriously till six Members of our Association went on indefinite fast in 1987. A number of meetings with the leadership were held thereafter. As a result of this superhuman effort a number of serious exercises were undertaken by the Government but without any end result.
15. Jafa Committee. In 1989 the Government changed. The new Prime Minister appointed Jafa Committee to implement his promise of ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) for ex-servicemen. This Committee did every thing to scuttle this Concept rather than find ways and means to implement it. This Committee could not complete its recommendations due to lack of unanimity. The Bureaucrats however worked out an Ad hoc increase and tried to force it down on the ex-servicemen in Oct 90. The ex-servicemen termed it as “Betrayal of their Trust” and rejected it.
16. The half truths and lies trotted out by this Committee are being utilized by the Bureaucrats to mislead the leadership in denying the ex-servicemen the grant of this One Rank One Pension.
17. High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC). As soon as the government changed in 1991, series of representations were made to the leadership. As a result of these representations the Government announced the appointment of a High Level Empowered Committee for improving the pensions of ex-servicemen. The Committee would have liked to work on OROP, but were inhibited by the serious resource crunch that the Nation was facing at that time. They had however seen the merits of this Concept and therefore did not make any mention of it in their Report to ensure that its future consideration was not affected in any manner.
18. Inspite of the financial constraints and despite all the efforts by Bureaucrats to scuttle this effort, the High Level Empowered Committee worked out a reasonable award on 28 Dec 91.
19. The award had to be interpreted into a Government Order by the Bureaucrats for its implementation. They produced a Government Order vide their letter No 1(2)92/d(pension/Services) of 16 Mar 92. What these Bureaucrats could not achieve in the HLEC, they managed to achieve through the Government Order. They scuttled all the good work of the Committee through this order denying One Time Increase award to majority of ex-servicemen.
20. The matter was brought to the notice of the leadership who appointed another Committee for removing the anomalies in the earlier Government Order. This Committee after two years of deliberations produced an order creating even more obnoxious anomalies. These were finally got rectified through the V CPC.
RECENT INITIATIVES
Standing Committee on Defence
21. We had made presentation to the Defence Committee of the Parliament on 28 Apr. 2003. Based on our presentation the Standing Committee made a strong recommendation to the Govt. on One Rank One Pension (OROP).
22. The MOD submitted an Action Taken Report to the Committee virtually telling them that their recommendation could not be accepted. True to their reputation and designs of denying the ex-servicemen their rightful dues, the bureaucrats did not stint at misleading the Standing Committee of the Parliament. They spoke blatant lies to scuttle this initiative also. Unfortunately for them their lies were recorded and became public through parliamentary documents. We brought these to the notice of the Standing Committee. Based on our submissions the Committee rejected the Action Taken Report of the MOD and forcefully asked the Govt. to do the little act in compensation for the sacrifices made by soldiers. Some of their quotes are given below:-
a) ‘The Nation must repay its debt to those defendants of the motherland with gratitude and humility. We should, instead of, looking for precedents in this regard, create precedents for the others to emulate. Any amount paid in this regard will be small token of our gratitude to them’. (Twentieth Report on Welfare of Servicemen and Ex-servicemen – Aug 2003.
b) ‘The committee are disappointed at the report of the Inter-Ministerial committee constituted to examine the feasibility of application of the long pending demand of ‘One Rank One Pension’ for the ex-servicemen. The committee do not concur with the findings of the Inter-Ministerial committee that bringing into force of the proposal would entail numerous administrative, financial and legal implications as well as repercussions on the civil side’. (Fourth Report – Apr 2005)
23. As a result the Govt. appointed a Group of Ministers Committee (GOM) to examine these
problems.
GOM Award
24. The GoM announced its award on 25 Jan 2006, with this award they had brought all pre 1.1.1996 PBORs retirees to the maximum scale of the fifth CPC award. They had however not given the latest rates given on 10 Oct 1997. This meant that One Rank One Pension had not been given. Further they had not given even a penny to officers. The family pensioners and some more categories had also been left out of this award. The major shortcomings were as follows:-
(a) Full One Rank One Pension (OROP). The UPA in the CMP who committed to giving this to ex-servicemen. Full OROP meant the leveling off with the latest pensions of soldiers which were awarded on 10 Oct 1997. The GOM had given the maximum of Fifth Pay Commission award. It was therefore not OROP.
(b) Family Pensioners. The notification specifically denied the award to the families. In the absence of such a statement the families would have got the increase automatically after the husbands pensions were increased as their family pension is 60% of the husband’s pensions. It is the greatest injustice.
(c ) Officers Pension. The Officers had not been given even a penny. It was tragic that the officers who made the Army what it was - a strong Fighting Force – had been ignored. Bringing about the possibility of reverting to pre 1998 situation when a Sub Major got more pension than pre 1986 Lt Col. How could that be allowed to happen again ?
(d) Others. Many more categories had been denied the benefit. This is one of the techniques the bureaucracy employs to deny us our rightful dues. First they create anomalies and then use these for denying more things.
25. After this award the situation as it prevailed was that PBOR of the Armed Forces were having full parity with V CPC rates where as civilians continued to be on modified parity granted by V CPC. Officers of the Armed Forces were not given anything so they also were on modified parity.
26. A precedent of giving full parity with Pay Commission rates to Armed Forces had been set. All that is needed is to maintain it. To rectify the short fall of that award, the officers also to be brought on full parity.
WHY EX-SERVICEMEN SHOULD GET OROP
27. The Armed Forces deserve to get OROP for the following reasons: -
(a) Soldiers can not serve up to the age of 60 years, where as their civilian
counterparts can.
(b) A Soldier retires around the age of 35 years. The effect of inflation on their pensions over a long period is disastrous.
(c) The Sacrifices they make for the Nation, they deserve to get better deals for pay and pensions.
(d) Sh. K. P. Singh Deo, High Level Committee of 1984 strongly recommended that OROP be given.
(e) Presidential commitment to the Joint Session of Parliament in Dec 1989.
(f) Strong recommendations of the Standing Committee on Defence of the Parliament after rejecting the blatant lies of the Action Taken Report of the MOD in Apr 2005 and again in their Sixteenth Report on 30 Apr. 2007.
(g) Commitment of over 450 Hon’ble Members of Parliament through their Party’s Election Manifestoes given at one time or the other.
RECOMMENDATIONS
28. The ex-servicemen’s long standing demand of One Rank One Pension should be granted without any conditions and also applied to all pensioners including officers without exception. Its grant does not need any complicated theories. All that is required is to follow the principles of the Award given by Group of Ministers on 25 Jan 2006 which means granting the old retirees the maximum of the rank that has been awarded by the Sixth Pay Commission by matching up the three factors that govern our pensions.
29. If there is any difficulty in implementation we are prepared to help the Govt in finding a way out.
CONCLUSION
30. The efforts of the vested interests to deny ex-servicemen their rightful dues of ONE RANK ONE PENSION by any means can well be gauged from the submissions made above.
31 It may be seen that these vested interests have not stopped at anything to achieve their objective. They spread misinformation and when that did not work, disinformation was resorted to. When all else failed they tried to achieve their objective by suppression of information.
32. We emphatically state that ONE RANK ONE PENSION is a definite Concept which is easily implementable. Its acceptance would for all times lay down definite rules which the vested interests would not be able to distort or misinterpret to reduce the ex-servicemen community to beggars. The vested interests would not be able to issue dictats every now and then to reduce every exercise of revising pensions of ex-servicemen to a mockery, a play ground for testing their ability to disseminate falsehood and taking away already granted facilities rather than improve upon these. Above all it would save the future Pay Commissions for all times all the efforts, that is normally required for finalizing the pensions.
33. Ours in the only Nation where the Soldiers not only operate in the most difficult terrains such as Siachin Glacier, but also are called out for every natural or even more hazardous man made disasters every now and then. The beauty is that they have always done the Nation proud. It is here again only, that the Armed Forces are the poorest paid and reduced to beggars. The time has now come when the Nation has to pay back for their services by making theirs the elite service once again as was prevalent prior to 1953.
34. The panacea for all this is ONE RANK ONE PENSION. We have struggled for it for the past almost 30 years. No diluting of this concept will be acceptable. In the past 30 years we have always got everything through the Govt of the Ruling Party only. It is in the fitness of the things that the credit for solving this single most important problem goes to the present Govt. We would look forward to it.
(PAPER SUBMISSION TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE REGARDING OROP DATED 15.06.2009)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
NFDC OROP by Vice Admiral Harinder Singh
Dear Members,
1. We have kept you briefed on the progress with our quest for OROP and in our last communication informed you of the inclusion of our demand in the President address to the Parliament.
2. After some discussion, all the major orgs fighting for OROP mutually decided to pool their resources and forward a single consolidated paper for consideration by the CabSecs Committee. This was co-ordinated by the IESL
and we agreed to be one of the members and RAdm Sushil Ramsay was nominated as our representative on this committee. One of the other major issues was to safeguard the rights of the PBOR, who must come first, before us, as per our ethos and this was always kept in mind.
3. The committee received and looked into a large number of proposals that had been received by various orgs. RAdm Ramsay generally co-ordinated the examination of the proposal and has in fact in due course prepared the
paper, presented the same before the entire committee and the Presidents of the participating Organisations. There were generous contributions by MajGen Radhakrsinan and some others. The final Presentation was very well
attended and more importantly generated very constructive and meaningful discussions. All constructive and rational suggestions were thereafter incorporated in the final proposal.
4. The three Tables agreed to, are quite explicit to indicate the basis for formulation of our projections which were finalised with a view to arrive at a consensus. In addition we have included request for resolution of another anomaly for the pre 01 Jan 2006 Pensioners relating to Disability
Pension/War Injury Pension/Special Family Pension/Liberalised Family Pension/Dependent Pension(Special), etc, which have emerged out of recent
GOI notifications of 04 and 05 May 2006.
5. At the conclusion of the deliberations it was agreed to forward the attached proposal to the GOI for consideration. It may be added that the service headquarters were also requested and have forwarded a proposal. We feel that our proposal is somewhat better than the one forwarded by them and we all owe thanks to RAdm S Ramsay for the remendous amount of effort put in and a job well done.
6. I , may conclude by saying that it is a very difficult task to
synthesise and harmonise the views and aspirations of a large number of the Veterans of various vintages, issues and differently impacted by various Pay Commissions. We have arrived at an agreed consensus and that should be
accepted as the most viable solution. Am sure, there will be some who will take issue but it is a corporate decision and is best left at that. We have, as a major milestone, managed consensus amongst all the major stakeholders and that's good too.
Recommended Pension Tables
Regards
Vice Admiral Harinder Singh (Retd)
President , NFDC
C 26, Sector 23, Noida 201301
Tel 0120-2412412, 9811668776
Positive Aspects
The existing wide Pension Disparity between a Sepoy and Lt Gen has been bridged to the right ratio of 3:10. The Government needs to accept the recommendations without creating anomalies or riders to the recommendations.
***************************************************
BRIEF FOR NFDC ON ONE RANK ONE PENSION
Recommendations
TABLE 1: PBORs GROUP “X”
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay 3
Maximum Pay 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Sepoy 12240 25600 18920 13244/13250@ 20 13
Naik 12850 26000 19425 13597/13600@ 22 11
Havaldar 13920 26400 20160 14112/14120@ 24 9
Nb Subedar 18340 42400 30370 15185/15190# 28 5
Subedar 20560 42800 31680 15840# 28 5
Subedar Major 21690 43000 32345 16173/16180# 28 5
TABLE 2: PBORs GROUP “Y”
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay 3
Maximum Pay 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Sepoy 10250 24200 17225 12057/12060@ 20 13
Naik 11040 24600 17820 12474/12480@ 22 11
Havaldar 11640 25000 18320 12824/12830@ 24 9
Nb Subedar 16660 41000 28830 14415/14420# 28 5
Subedar 18880 41400 30140 15070# 28 5
Subedar Major 19360 41600 30480 15240# 28 5
Notes for Tables 1 & 2: @ - 70% of notional pay. # - 50% of notional pay. (In this regard please refer to Additional Recommendations placed at Para 8 below).
TABLE 3: OFFICERS
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay as per SAI/02/2008 3
Maximum Pay as per respective Pay Band 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension @ 50% of Notional pay rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Lt 27000 50500 38750 19375/19380 24 9
Capt 30700 51200 40950 20475/20480 24 9
Major 36410 51700 44055 22028/22030 24 9
Lt Col (S) 52530 81000 66765 33383/33390 26 7
Lt Col(TS) 52530 81000 66765 33383/33390 28 5
Col 55590 81700 68645 34323/34330 26 7
Brigadier 58290 81900 70095 35048/35050 28 5
Major General 62050 & 77000+6000 * 72525 36263/36270 30 3
Lt General 69850 79000+6000 * 77425 38713/38720 30 3
Notes: & - For Major Generals, minimum pay as per fitment table corresponding to Rs 19400.00, in the pre-revised scale of Rs 18400.00-22400.00, has been used in the Table 3 as minimum pay of a Brigadier was Rs 19100.00. * - Notional MSP of Rs 6000.00 has been added to avoid anomaly in the future.
6. While researching the best possible solution, due reliance was placed on the precedence of ‘Rank Based Pension (OROP)’, which existed in the early 1960s, or before, in fine-tuning/working out the projections made in Para 5 above in respect of both PBOR and Officer rank pensioners.
Disability Pension/ War Injury Pension/ Special Family Pension
7. Last but not the least it is observed in the latest GoI, MoD notifications No. 16(6) /2008(1) /D(Pension/Policy) dated 04 May 2009 and 16(6)/2008(2)/D(Pension/Policy) dated 05 May 2009 on disability pension/ war injury Pension/Special family Pension /Liberalised family Pension/Dependent Pension(Special)/Dependent Pension (Liberalised) /Special Pension / Pension for Armed Forces Officers and Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBOR) retired/discharged/died/invalided out from service prior to 01. 01. 2006 and after 01. 01 2006, has created disparity between the two categories of pensioners. In the case of post 01. 01. 2006 pensioners, Disability Pension has been revised/enhanced in percentage terms of the pay and based on the gravity/element of disability, whereas in case of pre 01. 01. 2006 pensioners the gravity/element of disability has been determined on the fixed slabs basis. This runs contrary to the basic tenets of natural justice and leads to discrimination, it is recommended that the revision in respect of pre 01. 01. 2006 to be also enhanced in percentage term of the revised pay scales and thereafter, quantum related to pension.
1. We have kept you briefed on the progress with our quest for OROP and in our last communication informed you of the inclusion of our demand in the President address to the Parliament.
2. After some discussion, all the major orgs fighting for OROP mutually decided to pool their resources and forward a single consolidated paper for consideration by the CabSecs Committee. This was co-ordinated by the IESL
and we agreed to be one of the members and RAdm Sushil Ramsay was nominated as our representative on this committee. One of the other major issues was to safeguard the rights of the PBOR, who must come first, before us, as per our ethos and this was always kept in mind.
3. The committee received and looked into a large number of proposals that had been received by various orgs. RAdm Ramsay generally co-ordinated the examination of the proposal and has in fact in due course prepared the
paper, presented the same before the entire committee and the Presidents of the participating Organisations. There were generous contributions by MajGen Radhakrsinan and some others. The final Presentation was very well
attended and more importantly generated very constructive and meaningful discussions. All constructive and rational suggestions were thereafter incorporated in the final proposal.
4. The three Tables agreed to, are quite explicit to indicate the basis for formulation of our projections which were finalised with a view to arrive at a consensus. In addition we have included request for resolution of another anomaly for the pre 01 Jan 2006 Pensioners relating to Disability
Pension/War Injury Pension/Special Family Pension/Liberalised Family Pension/Dependent Pension(Special), etc, which have emerged out of recent
GOI notifications of 04 and 05 May 2006.
5. At the conclusion of the deliberations it was agreed to forward the attached proposal to the GOI for consideration. It may be added that the service headquarters were also requested and have forwarded a proposal. We feel that our proposal is somewhat better than the one forwarded by them and we all owe thanks to RAdm S Ramsay for the remendous amount of effort put in and a job well done.
6. I , may conclude by saying that it is a very difficult task to
synthesise and harmonise the views and aspirations of a large number of the Veterans of various vintages, issues and differently impacted by various Pay Commissions. We have arrived at an agreed consensus and that should be
accepted as the most viable solution. Am sure, there will be some who will take issue but it is a corporate decision and is best left at that. We have, as a major milestone, managed consensus amongst all the major stakeholders and that's good too.
Recommended Pension Tables
Regards
Vice Admiral Harinder Singh (Retd)
President , NFDC
C 26, Sector 23, Noida 201301
Tel 0120-2412412, 9811668776
Positive Aspects
The existing wide Pension Disparity between a Sepoy and Lt Gen has been bridged to the right ratio of 3:10. The Government needs to accept the recommendations without creating anomalies or riders to the recommendations.
***************************************************
BRIEF FOR NFDC ON ONE RANK ONE PENSION
Recommendations
TABLE 1: PBORs GROUP “X”
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay 3
Maximum Pay 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Sepoy 12240 25600 18920 13244/13250@ 20 13
Naik 12850 26000 19425 13597/13600@ 22 11
Havaldar 13920 26400 20160 14112/14120@ 24 9
Nb Subedar 18340 42400 30370 15185/15190# 28 5
Subedar 20560 42800 31680 15840# 28 5
Subedar Major 21690 43000 32345 16173/16180# 28 5
TABLE 2: PBORs GROUP “Y”
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay 3
Maximum Pay 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Sepoy 10250 24200 17225 12057/12060@ 20 13
Naik 11040 24600 17820 12474/12480@ 22 11
Havaldar 11640 25000 18320 12824/12830@ 24 9
Nb Subedar 16660 41000 28830 14415/14420# 28 5
Subedar 18880 41400 30140 15070# 28 5
Subedar Major 19360 41600 30480 15240# 28 5
Notes for Tables 1 & 2: @ - 70% of notional pay. # - 50% of notional pay. (In this regard please refer to Additional Recommendations placed at Para 8 below).
TABLE 3: OFFICERS
1
Rank 2
Minimum Pay as per SAI/02/2008 3
Maximum Pay as per respective Pay Band 4
Notional Pay 5
Pension @ 50% of Notional pay rounded off to multiple of Rs 10.00 6
Qualifying service in years for pension as per Column 5 7
Weightage in years
Lt 27000 50500 38750 19375/19380 24 9
Capt 30700 51200 40950 20475/20480 24 9
Major 36410 51700 44055 22028/22030 24 9
Lt Col (S) 52530 81000 66765 33383/33390 26 7
Lt Col(TS) 52530 81000 66765 33383/33390 28 5
Col 55590 81700 68645 34323/34330 26 7
Brigadier 58290 81900 70095 35048/35050 28 5
Major General 62050 & 77000+6000 * 72525 36263/36270 30 3
Lt General 69850 79000+6000 * 77425 38713/38720 30 3
Notes: & - For Major Generals, minimum pay as per fitment table corresponding to Rs 19400.00, in the pre-revised scale of Rs 18400.00-22400.00, has been used in the Table 3 as minimum pay of a Brigadier was Rs 19100.00. * - Notional MSP of Rs 6000.00 has been added to avoid anomaly in the future.
6. While researching the best possible solution, due reliance was placed on the precedence of ‘Rank Based Pension (OROP)’, which existed in the early 1960s, or before, in fine-tuning/working out the projections made in Para 5 above in respect of both PBOR and Officer rank pensioners.
Disability Pension/ War Injury Pension/ Special Family Pension
7. Last but not the least it is observed in the latest GoI, MoD notifications No. 16(6) /2008(1) /D(Pension/Policy) dated 04 May 2009 and 16(6)/2008(2)/D(Pension/Policy) dated 05 May 2009 on disability pension/ war injury Pension/Special family Pension /Liberalised family Pension/Dependent Pension(Special)/Dependent Pension (Liberalised) /Special Pension / Pension for Armed Forces Officers and Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBOR) retired/discharged/died/invalided out from service prior to 01. 01. 2006 and after 01. 01 2006, has created disparity between the two categories of pensioners. In the case of post 01. 01. 2006 pensioners, Disability Pension has been revised/enhanced in percentage terms of the pay and based on the gravity/element of disability, whereas in case of pre 01. 01. 2006 pensioners the gravity/element of disability has been determined on the fixed slabs basis. This runs contrary to the basic tenets of natural justice and leads to discrimination, it is recommended that the revision in respect of pre 01. 01. 2006 to be also enhanced in percentage term of the revised pay scales and thereafter, quantum related to pension.
Views on IESL/IESM by Lt Col James Kanagaraj
Dear Brig Kamboj,
I was saddened to hear about the activity of IESL. This is really projecting a black spot on the whole ESM community. I have posted an appeal cum response to the negative attitude of IESL in a subtle manner which is given below. We need to get more members into our fold, including free mass membership drive for the the present. If our membership is about a lakh then our voice cannot be silenced by IESL.
With regards and best wishes,
James Kanagaraj
Blog Team
Veteran Voice: An Appeal
It is necessary that we Ex- Servicemen at this juncture, reduce to silence by an overwhelming vote those who so far have prevented union, and who at the same time have acted as if they had all the members in their pockets. Do not be deterred from "Governing Body" of some Unions or Leagues whose intentions by the fact that this or that majority resolution does not suit you. Such resolutions may be altered in the course of time. But the disgrace of separating here without accomplishing any results can never be blotted out; should such happen it would be equal to a crime against our cause which is the cause of the whole ESM community. But the form can be found in which minor differences of opinion can be resolved in harmony, which the striving for a higher universally acknowledged ideal, common to us all, demands.
Now friends, our sense of duty must be stronger than our self-will; our love for the cause must make us forget personal injustices we may have suffered; our entire thinking, feeling, and wishing must be consumed by enthusiasm for the work of rescue which we have to perform in common with Ex- Servicemen all over the Nation. But perhaps one or other among you may say:
“These are but words, phrases which cannot stand before the real facts as they exist.”
We need the movement to gather voice and so let us join IESM in greater numbers to silence those who seek to silence the voice of the majority. We have full faith in the leadership of Raj Kadyan. The movement has grown leaps and bounds in a short span of time. Let us therefore doubly resolve to be motivated to maintain the momentum. We have miles to go before we achieve our goals!
I was saddened to hear about the activity of IESL. This is really projecting a black spot on the whole ESM community. I have posted an appeal cum response to the negative attitude of IESL in a subtle manner which is given below. We need to get more members into our fold, including free mass membership drive for the the present. If our membership is about a lakh then our voice cannot be silenced by IESL.
With regards and best wishes,
James Kanagaraj
Blog Team
Veteran Voice: An Appeal
It is necessary that we Ex- Servicemen at this juncture, reduce to silence by an overwhelming vote those who so far have prevented union, and who at the same time have acted as if they had all the members in their pockets. Do not be deterred from "Governing Body" of some Unions or Leagues whose intentions by the fact that this or that majority resolution does not suit you. Such resolutions may be altered in the course of time. But the disgrace of separating here without accomplishing any results can never be blotted out; should such happen it would be equal to a crime against our cause which is the cause of the whole ESM community. But the form can be found in which minor differences of opinion can be resolved in harmony, which the striving for a higher universally acknowledged ideal, common to us all, demands.
Now friends, our sense of duty must be stronger than our self-will; our love for the cause must make us forget personal injustices we may have suffered; our entire thinking, feeling, and wishing must be consumed by enthusiasm for the work of rescue which we have to perform in common with Ex- Servicemen all over the Nation. But perhaps one or other among you may say:
“These are but words, phrases which cannot stand before the real facts as they exist.”
We need the movement to gather voice and so let us join IESM in greater numbers to silence those who seek to silence the voice of the majority. We have full faith in the leadership of Raj Kadyan. The movement has grown leaps and bounds in a short span of time. Let us therefore doubly resolve to be motivated to maintain the momentum. We have miles to go before we achieve our goals!
Sad Demise.....
Sorry IESM Pb lost Hav Major Singh Brar & Capt Gurjant Singh both solid leaders
Sir,
1. We feel sad on loosing our 2 IESM Pb most valuable Pillars on 7/6/09 near Muktsar (Pb) in Veh accident. Their Bhog ceremony (antim ardas) on 16/6/09 at their native villages deep in Muktsar were attended by Mohali ESM Org/ NGOs of IESM Pb, incl Col Sohi, Brig Nawab Singh, Col AS Bhinder, Cpl JS Kumbrah & RP Singh. Both Gurudwaras of near by villages were jam packed by ESM & their famies mainly. We shared their grief & apprised them of latest developments in Delhi.
Col Sohi. Coord IESM Pb. 9815107744
Sir,
1. We feel sad on loosing our 2 IESM Pb most valuable Pillars on 7/6/09 near Muktsar (Pb) in Veh accident. Their Bhog ceremony (antim ardas) on 16/6/09 at their native villages deep in Muktsar were attended by Mohali ESM Org/ NGOs of IESM Pb, incl Col Sohi, Brig Nawab Singh, Col AS Bhinder, Cpl JS Kumbrah & RP Singh. Both Gurudwaras of near by villages were jam packed by ESM & their famies mainly. We shared their grief & apprised them of latest developments in Delhi.
Col Sohi. Coord IESM Pb. 9815107744
Kargil day 26 July- Medical Camp at Panchkula, a befitting tribute
Ref: IESM/Pb/ 09/ 03 Dated: 13 Jun 09.
To
1. HQ, West Comd, Chandimandir.
2. Stn Cdr, Stn HQ, Chandimandir.
3. Comdt, Comd Hosp, Chandimandir.
4. Dir, Sainik Welfare Haryana, Panchkula.
5. C/ man Def Vetn Poly, Ph-6, Mohali.
Kargil Day – on 26 Jul 09 (Sunday), as Medical Camp at Panchkula
Sir,
1. Various Ex-Servicemen Org/ Assn & NGOs of Tricity & around are of the opinion to remember Kargil Day historical event of 26 Jul 99, in the shape of providing medical cover/ care to the poor & needy. To make this event a big success, we need coop, help & asst of our brothern in services & various other segments. Therefore, we request you all, to come fwd for volunteer help & contributions for the mankind in the shape of Medicines, medical experts and materials.
2. Brig K Kant (Coord IESM North Haryana) is kindly coordinating all admn & activities for the Medical Camp, at Major Shankla Memorial park, Sector 2, Panchkula, wef 9am to 2pm. You may kindly contact Brig Kant at Mob 9876116898 (Email: kkrishan123@sify.com) immediately, directly for your volunteer valuable contributions & services please. This step will raise our image & social value. We shall also share our views on OROP & other ESM issues, there.
3. We also request all ESM, families & respectable widows to join up at the above memorial, to make it more meaningful & memorable event for our Kargil martyrs, please. Suitable media coverage will also be arranged to cover this special activity.
4. We will also welcome your any other suggestion, please.
Your’s Sincerely,
Copy to: (Lt Col SS Sohi, Retd), Coord IESM Pb.
1. All concerned. & President, ESM Grievances Cell (R).
For info, help & to take part/ grace to park, please.
To
1. HQ, West Comd, Chandimandir.
2. Stn Cdr, Stn HQ, Chandimandir.
3. Comdt, Comd Hosp, Chandimandir.
4. Dir, Sainik Welfare Haryana, Panchkula.
5. C/ man Def Vetn Poly, Ph-6, Mohali.
Kargil Day – on 26 Jul 09 (Sunday), as Medical Camp at Panchkula
Sir,
1. Various Ex-Servicemen Org/ Assn & NGOs of Tricity & around are of the opinion to remember Kargil Day historical event of 26 Jul 99, in the shape of providing medical cover/ care to the poor & needy. To make this event a big success, we need coop, help & asst of our brothern in services & various other segments. Therefore, we request you all, to come fwd for volunteer help & contributions for the mankind in the shape of Medicines, medical experts and materials.
2. Brig K Kant (Coord IESM North Haryana) is kindly coordinating all admn & activities for the Medical Camp, at Major Shankla Memorial park, Sector 2, Panchkula, wef 9am to 2pm. You may kindly contact Brig Kant at Mob 9876116898 (Email: kkrishan123@sify.com) immediately, directly for your volunteer valuable contributions & services please. This step will raise our image & social value. We shall also share our views on OROP & other ESM issues, there.
3. We also request all ESM, families & respectable widows to join up at the above memorial, to make it more meaningful & memorable event for our Kargil martyrs, please. Suitable media coverage will also be arranged to cover this special activity.
4. We will also welcome your any other suggestion, please.
Your’s Sincerely,
Copy to: (Lt Col SS Sohi, Retd), Coord IESM Pb.
1. All concerned. & President, ESM Grievances Cell (R).
For info, help & to take part/ grace to park, please.
Monday, June 15, 2009
UT admin enhances monthly allowance of decorated soldiers : Chandigarh
Punjab Newsline Network. Tuesday, 09 June 2009
CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Administration has enhanced the monthly allowance for various Decorations. For Paramvir Chakra the revised rate of monthly allowance is Rs. 10,000, Ashok Chakra Rs. 10,000 and Sarvotam Yudh Seva Medal Rs. 2,500.
An official spokesman said here Tuesday that allowance has been revised for Mahavir Chakra and Kirti Chakra revised allowance is Rs. 7,500 each, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal it is Rs.2000, Vir Chakra and Shauriya Chakra is Rs. 3,500 each, for Yudh seva Medal it is Rs. 1,500 and for Sena Medal (Gallantry) it is Rs 2,000. For Mention-in-Dispatches it is Rs.1,000, for PVSM it is Rs.2,000 AVSM 1,500 and VSM and Sena Medal (Distinguished Service) is Rs. 1,000 each.
The Administration has also fixed lump sum one time monetary grants to the future gallantry awardees of Paramvir Chakra is Rs.25,00,000, for Ashok Chakra Rs. 25,00,000, Mahavir Chakra and Kirti Chakra Rs.15,00,000 each, for Vir Chakra and Shauriya Chakra it is Rs. 10,00,000 each. For Sena Medal (Gallantry) and Sarvotam Yudh Seva Medal Rs.5, 00,000 and for Yudh Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Sewa Medal Rs.3, 00,000 . For Mention-in-Despatches ,Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal it is Rs. 2,50,000 each and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal is Rs. 4,00,000.For Vishisht Sewa Medal and Sena Medal (Distinguished Service) it is Rs 2,00,000 .
The lump sum rates will apply only to the future winners of these awards and the previous cases would not be re-opened. These amounts will be given in lump sum to the future awardees only once and they would not be entitled to any other benefits. The rates will be applicable from the date of issuance of notification that is June 5, 2009, spokesman added.
UT admin enhances monthly allowance of decorated soldiers
Related Reading
Gallantry awards sans Honour or Respect
Comment: There should be uniform scale of monetary allowances to be followed by the State Governments. Why this region wise discrimination when the Jawan has served to protect the territorial integrity of India?
CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Administration has enhanced the monthly allowance for various Decorations. For Paramvir Chakra the revised rate of monthly allowance is Rs. 10,000, Ashok Chakra Rs. 10,000 and Sarvotam Yudh Seva Medal Rs. 2,500.
An official spokesman said here Tuesday that allowance has been revised for Mahavir Chakra and Kirti Chakra revised allowance is Rs. 7,500 each, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal it is Rs.2000, Vir Chakra and Shauriya Chakra is Rs. 3,500 each, for Yudh seva Medal it is Rs. 1,500 and for Sena Medal (Gallantry) it is Rs 2,000. For Mention-in-Dispatches it is Rs.1,000, for PVSM it is Rs.2,000 AVSM 1,500 and VSM and Sena Medal (Distinguished Service) is Rs. 1,000 each.
The Administration has also fixed lump sum one time monetary grants to the future gallantry awardees of Paramvir Chakra is Rs.25,00,000, for Ashok Chakra Rs. 25,00,000, Mahavir Chakra and Kirti Chakra Rs.15,00,000 each, for Vir Chakra and Shauriya Chakra it is Rs. 10,00,000 each. For Sena Medal (Gallantry) and Sarvotam Yudh Seva Medal Rs.5, 00,000 and for Yudh Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Sewa Medal Rs.3, 00,000 . For Mention-in-Despatches ,Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal it is Rs. 2,50,000 each and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal is Rs. 4,00,000.For Vishisht Sewa Medal and Sena Medal (Distinguished Service) it is Rs 2,00,000 .
The lump sum rates will apply only to the future winners of these awards and the previous cases would not be re-opened. These amounts will be given in lump sum to the future awardees only once and they would not be entitled to any other benefits. The rates will be applicable from the date of issuance of notification that is June 5, 2009, spokesman added.
UT admin enhances monthly allowance of decorated soldiers
Related Reading
Gallantry awards sans Honour or Respect
Comment: There should be uniform scale of monetary allowances to be followed by the State Governments. Why this region wise discrimination when the Jawan has served to protect the territorial integrity of India?
Mail from Maj Gen Rajendra Prakash ..Dehra Dun
From: Rajendra Prakash rp1930@gmail.com
Subject: Internet and Soldier-Bureaucrat Imbroglio.
To: "Defence Watch" info@defencewatch.org , "Kamboj,CS, Brig" kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in
Date: Monday, 15 June, 2009, 1:16 PM
Below is a recent letter from (an unnamed) officer, presently serving in the 'mad house' in Delhi, addressed to a senior retired friend. The letter contains the writer's reactions to the large number of articles and opinion pieces lately appearing in the print media, on the plight of the ESM community, as also, the large 'outpourings' of our 'grief', presented via cyber-space !
The tone of the text below is cynical and light-hearted, but I think it contains much hard-headed wisdom.
Maybe, your readers may find it amusing (and perhaps instructive) to look at the piece below !
(Maj Gen Rajendra Prakash, Dehra Dun)
.........
Dear---
I enjoy most of the inputs you forward (even if I [sensibly] don't reply
to the vast majority of them). However, on this Sunday morning, with at
least a few moments to breathe after several weeks of death-by-South Block,
I think that I ought to share some thoughts on this and similar pieces.
To begin with, Sir, NOBODY in the civilian bureaucracy of the Ministry of
Defence accesses the Internet. Very few of the worthies in that lot read
newspaper reports from Kolkata or Chennai or Mumbai or Bangalore or
Chandigarh (everything outside of Delhi is the 'boondocks').
So when we write in these sorts of media (critical blog-sites such as
Pragmatic Euphony included) we are, for the most part, "preaching to the
converted", looking for sympathy and empathy.
What type/ form of media does the defence establishment bureaucrat read?
If he/she is between the apointments of Under-Secretary and Joint Secretary,
the answer is "nothing" but the Delhi dailies.
Even when a bureaucrat does deign to read something (if it's more than 4
pages in length,it must feature a Garfield-type Comic-Interlude), as soon as
he sees that the article is written by a retired member of the Armed Forces
fraternity (or more correctly, now that we are graced by the presence of
both genders, the Armed Forces 'Community'), bias is immediately ascribed.
SO: either we get the well established/iconic doyens of the Delhi
mainstream media (both print and electronic) to espouse our cause, or we
look at sites such as "Whispers in the Corridors" or magazines such as the
newly-launched one by India Today entitled "Bureaucrat" [Today?] (or some
such name).
In sum, Sir, if we cannot figure out what the bureaucrat is reading and
what he considers to be a medium that is worthy of his 'razor-sharp and
well-honed' intelllect (for the IFS this is nothing less than the "Foreign
Affairs"journal), all this breast-beating of ours -- howsoever justified and
howsoever emotive and heart-wrenching -- is utterly in vain.
Get hard intel on what types/forms of media are accessed by the defence
and financial bureacuracy. Of these, get refined intel on which of these
types/forms influence them. Within these, whose articles/pieces does he
consider to be influential? Target those.
The other option is to recognise that the Superior Judiciary of India
still stands independent of the Executive and the Legislature. So if the
Executive -- largely subverted by the bureaucracy -- remains unmoved, our
best options lie with the Judiciary (the Superior Judiciary).
Finally, we have our [largely-geriatric] Think Tanks (which all-too-often
follow a predictable life-cycle : 'Think Tank' to 'Ink Tank' to 'Drink Tank'
to 'wink Tank' to 'Blink Tank' 'Sink Tank' to 'Septic Tank' and repeat. Do
not cross GO. Do not collect $200!). Almost all our think-tanks end-up,
once again, as Old Boys Clubs, preaching largely to the converted (and often
to the somnolent). Yet, their greatest potential lies untapped. Many of
the erstwhile bureaucrats who are members of these think-tanks are still
influential with their serving counterparts. Now that they have finally
found the time to be enlightened on matters security (which includes, of
course, the whole business of how a society ought to regard its armed forces
and vice-versa) they need to be sent back to the cocktail circuits and
power-lunches that their serving brethren attend. Here they need to bring
their influence to bear upon the file-and-safety-obsessed ladies and
gentlemen that form the rotting and badly rusted steel frame of India. That
might facilitate some 'Awakening of the Bureaucratic Cerebral Device' that
passes for a brain (that lot can, of course, become an awfully contrived
acronym : ABCD", which even South Block ought to be able to handle (but only
just).
Let's stop lamenting to one another. We already wear the shoes and we
already know how they pinch
------------
Subject: Internet and Soldier-Bureaucrat Imbroglio.
To: "Defence Watch" info@defencewatch.org , "Kamboj,CS, Brig" kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in
Date: Monday, 15 June, 2009, 1:16 PM
Below is a recent letter from (an unnamed) officer, presently serving in the 'mad house' in Delhi, addressed to a senior retired friend. The letter contains the writer's reactions to the large number of articles and opinion pieces lately appearing in the print media, on the plight of the ESM community, as also, the large 'outpourings' of our 'grief', presented via cyber-space !
The tone of the text below is cynical and light-hearted, but I think it contains much hard-headed wisdom.
Maybe, your readers may find it amusing (and perhaps instructive) to look at the piece below !
(Maj Gen Rajendra Prakash, Dehra Dun)
.........
Dear---
I enjoy most of the inputs you forward (even if I [sensibly] don't reply
to the vast majority of them). However, on this Sunday morning, with at
least a few moments to breathe after several weeks of death-by-South Block,
I think that I ought to share some thoughts on this and similar pieces.
To begin with, Sir, NOBODY in the civilian bureaucracy of the Ministry of
Defence accesses the Internet. Very few of the worthies in that lot read
newspaper reports from Kolkata or Chennai or Mumbai or Bangalore or
Chandigarh (everything outside of Delhi is the 'boondocks').
So when we write in these sorts of media (critical blog-sites such as
Pragmatic Euphony included) we are, for the most part, "preaching to the
converted", looking for sympathy and empathy.
What type/ form of media does the defence establishment bureaucrat read?
If he/she is between the apointments of Under-Secretary and Joint Secretary,
the answer is "nothing" but the Delhi dailies.
Even when a bureaucrat does deign to read something (if it's more than 4
pages in length,it must feature a Garfield-type Comic-Interlude), as soon as
he sees that the article is written by a retired member of the Armed Forces
fraternity (or more correctly, now that we are graced by the presence of
both genders, the Armed Forces 'Community'), bias is immediately ascribed.
SO: either we get the well established/iconic doyens of the Delhi
mainstream media (both print and electronic) to espouse our cause, or we
look at sites such as "Whispers in the Corridors" or magazines such as the
newly-launched one by India Today entitled "Bureaucrat" [Today?] (or some
such name).
In sum, Sir, if we cannot figure out what the bureaucrat is reading and
what he considers to be a medium that is worthy of his 'razor-sharp and
well-honed' intelllect (for the IFS this is nothing less than the "Foreign
Affairs"journal), all this breast-beating of ours -- howsoever justified and
howsoever emotive and heart-wrenching -- is utterly in vain.
Get hard intel on what types/forms of media are accessed by the defence
and financial bureacuracy. Of these, get refined intel on which of these
types/forms influence them. Within these, whose articles/pieces does he
consider to be influential? Target those.
The other option is to recognise that the Superior Judiciary of India
still stands independent of the Executive and the Legislature. So if the
Executive -- largely subverted by the bureaucracy -- remains unmoved, our
best options lie with the Judiciary (the Superior Judiciary).
Finally, we have our [largely-geriatric] Think Tanks (which all-too-often
follow a predictable life-cycle : 'Think Tank' to 'Ink Tank' to 'Drink Tank'
to 'wink Tank' to 'Blink Tank' 'Sink Tank' to 'Septic Tank' and repeat. Do
not cross GO. Do not collect $200!). Almost all our think-tanks end-up,
once again, as Old Boys Clubs, preaching largely to the converted (and often
to the somnolent). Yet, their greatest potential lies untapped. Many of
the erstwhile bureaucrats who are members of these think-tanks are still
influential with their serving counterparts. Now that they have finally
found the time to be enlightened on matters security (which includes, of
course, the whole business of how a society ought to regard its armed forces
and vice-versa) they need to be sent back to the cocktail circuits and
power-lunches that their serving brethren attend. Here they need to bring
their influence to bear upon the file-and-safety-obsessed ladies and
gentlemen that form the rotting and badly rusted steel frame of India. That
might facilitate some 'Awakening of the Bureaucratic Cerebral Device' that
passes for a brain (that lot can, of course, become an awfully contrived
acronym : ABCD", which even South Block ought to be able to handle (but only
just).
Let's stop lamenting to one another. We already wear the shoes and we
already know how they pinch
------------
Views by Lt Col Rajnath Kumar on meeting at IESL HQ
rajnath kumar
dateMon, Jun 15, 2009 at 9:34 PM
subjectRe: OROP..Meeting held at IESL HQ today 15 Jun 2009..Views by Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Dear Sir
If the allegations are true, Brig Gulia is making mokery of IESM toprove that he is a hero.
This type of activities are not in the interest of IESM. He should be publically denounced and rejected.
Rajnath Kumar
lt Col ( Retd)
dateMon, Jun 15, 2009 at 9:34 PM
subjectRe: OROP..Meeting held at IESL HQ today 15 Jun 2009..Views by Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Dear Sir
If the allegations are true, Brig Gulia is making mokery of IESM toprove that he is a hero.
This type of activities are not in the interest of IESM. He should be publically denounced and rejected.
Rajnath Kumar
lt Col ( Retd)
ECHS: Army freezes empanelment of Fortis at Chandigarh
Arun Sharma, Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 8
An ex-serviceman while going through a notice informing them of de empanelment of Fortis hospital at ECHS centre, Sector 29, in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
In a significant development that could put hundreds of ex-servicemen patients, specially those suffering from heart ailments, in a spot, the Army authorities have put on hold the re-empanelment of Fortis Hospital while accusing it of “overcharging and harassing” Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) beneficiaries.
While Fortis Hospital stopped the treatment of fresh referral cases after the expiry of the empanelment term on May 17, the Army authorities recently displayed notices at its Referral Centre at Sector 29, stating that until the issue of overcharging and harassment of beneficiaries was not resolved, the scheme would not be extended.
The notice states: “No referral is being given for Fortis Institute and Multi Speciality Hospital as agreement has not been signed for the reasons - (a) overcharging ECHC; (b) charging extra money from ECHS beneficiaries; and (c) making veterans run around to get referrals during emergencies”.
The Army authorities and the Fortis management refused to comment, but maintained that “efforts were on to resolve the issue”.
An Army spokesman said they had received several complaints from ECHS beneficiaries about the shabby treatment meted out to them. He said several complaints regarding overcharging had also been received.
However, the director of Fortis, Dr Ashish Banerjee, denied such incidents, maintaining that they were in contract with the ECHS since 2004 and since the same wasn’t renewed, they had stopped accepting new indoor patients. Another official of the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the settlement of the outstanding payments of crores of rupees by the Army had become a bone of contention.
Claims and counterclaims notwithstanding, the impasse is going to cause suffering to patients, but the allegations of harassment are not unfounded. Readers would recall the incident where representatives of the ex-servicemen association of Chandigarh and Mohali had staged a dharna outside Fortis Hospital in May to seek the release of the body of a warrant officer.
While the ex-servicemen association and the family members of the deceased had accused the hospital of harassing them and not releasing the body, Fortis had denied the allegations and stated that the patient was not registered as member of the ECHS at the time of admission and the authorities were not ready to reimburse the expenses on his treatment.
ECHS: Army freezes empanelment of Fortis
Comment: Crores of Rupees are paid to the empaneled Hospitals which are only utilised by less than 1% ESM. Whereas funds transferred to empaneled Hospitals is in the range of over 50% of the allotted budget. There is a need to ensure that empaneled Hospitals do not eat up all the ECHS budgetry resources and 99% ESM left high and dry by the skewed expenditure analysis. The Popularity of the scheme is only about 40% implying only about 9 lakh ESM have found favour with ECHS. Great majority of about 15 lakh ESM who reside in villages have not found the ECHS favourable. We need to drastically prune the scheme and make it accessible to all ESM in a just and equitable manner.
An ex-serviceman while going through a notice informing them of de empanelment of Fortis hospital at ECHS centre, Sector 29, in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
In a significant development that could put hundreds of ex-servicemen patients, specially those suffering from heart ailments, in a spot, the Army authorities have put on hold the re-empanelment of Fortis Hospital while accusing it of “overcharging and harassing” Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) beneficiaries.
While Fortis Hospital stopped the treatment of fresh referral cases after the expiry of the empanelment term on May 17, the Army authorities recently displayed notices at its Referral Centre at Sector 29, stating that until the issue of overcharging and harassment of beneficiaries was not resolved, the scheme would not be extended.
The notice states: “No referral is being given for Fortis Institute and Multi Speciality Hospital as agreement has not been signed for the reasons - (a) overcharging ECHC; (b) charging extra money from ECHS beneficiaries; and (c) making veterans run around to get referrals during emergencies”.
The Army authorities and the Fortis management refused to comment, but maintained that “efforts were on to resolve the issue”.
An Army spokesman said they had received several complaints from ECHS beneficiaries about the shabby treatment meted out to them. He said several complaints regarding overcharging had also been received.
However, the director of Fortis, Dr Ashish Banerjee, denied such incidents, maintaining that they were in contract with the ECHS since 2004 and since the same wasn’t renewed, they had stopped accepting new indoor patients. Another official of the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the settlement of the outstanding payments of crores of rupees by the Army had become a bone of contention.
Claims and counterclaims notwithstanding, the impasse is going to cause suffering to patients, but the allegations of harassment are not unfounded. Readers would recall the incident where representatives of the ex-servicemen association of Chandigarh and Mohali had staged a dharna outside Fortis Hospital in May to seek the release of the body of a warrant officer.
While the ex-servicemen association and the family members of the deceased had accused the hospital of harassing them and not releasing the body, Fortis had denied the allegations and stated that the patient was not registered as member of the ECHS at the time of admission and the authorities were not ready to reimburse the expenses on his treatment.
ECHS: Army freezes empanelment of Fortis
Comment: Crores of Rupees are paid to the empaneled Hospitals which are only utilised by less than 1% ESM. Whereas funds transferred to empaneled Hospitals is in the range of over 50% of the allotted budget. There is a need to ensure that empaneled Hospitals do not eat up all the ECHS budgetry resources and 99% ESM left high and dry by the skewed expenditure analysis. The Popularity of the scheme is only about 40% implying only about 9 lakh ESM have found favour with ECHS. Great majority of about 15 lakh ESM who reside in villages have not found the ECHS favourable. We need to drastically prune the scheme and make it accessible to all ESM in a just and equitable manner.
Views by Lt Col Inderjit singh at IESL meet on 15 Jun 2009
ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION
The email ID of Col Indirjit Singh is - ijsingh34@hotmail.com and his phone numbers are - 91-11-24675078, 26110710
Dear Friend,
I suddenly got a call from Brig. R. K. Gulia for attending a meeting at the IESL Headquarter on 15 June 2009 at 1130hrs. He said that was the meeting of the Committee appointed by the MOD for ex-servicemen. Incidentally this Committee is the result of our efforts about which the Honble Raksha Mantri ji confirmed to me through his DO letter dated 16 Feb. 2009. I went there as I am always prepared to go and help the cause of ex-servicemen.
2. I went their and to my horror I found it was his own meeting in which he had invited some people to spread falsehood about achievements of his IESL. Basically these were points which the whole world acknowledges that these materialized only through our efforts.
3. If that was not bad enough, they came out with a paper produced with their half-baked knowledge which they as a Committee were going to present to the Government. This paper had been produced, as per their assertion, by incorporating views of all Organizations except our Association. The Association which has transformed the Govt thinking over the past 30 years and got you many things was not considered necessary for consideration.
4. Obliviously without our inputs they have produced a disastrous paper which would nullify all our efforts to bring the Govt to do the needful. While we struggle to get you your dues the IESL colludes with vested interests to scuttle our submissions and curry for personal gains. This exercise to bridge the gap is merely to scuttle OROP by working out a half-backed solution. When we then go to the Govt we will be confronted by their recommendations which would obviously have come from a representative ex-servicemen body. I appeal to you all to kindly reject it and tell them to pack up.
5. We have got a paper ready which will be presented to the powers that be and not to the self-styled representatives of the ex-servicemen. This paper I had brought with me to give to the Committee. When I found it was an IESL tamasha. I brought it back as with them it was waste of time and energy.
6. You are all invited to come and take part in this gigantic exercise. Read on our papers one by one and then come and join for signing. We will send this jointly to the authorities.
With warm wishes,
Sincerely,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
The email ID of Col Indirjit Singh is - ijsingh34@hotmail.com and his phone numbers are - 91-11-24675078, 26110710
Dear Friend,
I suddenly got a call from Brig. R. K. Gulia for attending a meeting at the IESL Headquarter on 15 June 2009 at 1130hrs. He said that was the meeting of the Committee appointed by the MOD for ex-servicemen. Incidentally this Committee is the result of our efforts about which the Honble Raksha Mantri ji confirmed to me through his DO letter dated 16 Feb. 2009. I went there as I am always prepared to go and help the cause of ex-servicemen.
2. I went their and to my horror I found it was his own meeting in which he had invited some people to spread falsehood about achievements of his IESL. Basically these were points which the whole world acknowledges that these materialized only through our efforts.
3. If that was not bad enough, they came out with a paper produced with their half-baked knowledge which they as a Committee were going to present to the Government. This paper had been produced, as per their assertion, by incorporating views of all Organizations except our Association. The Association which has transformed the Govt thinking over the past 30 years and got you many things was not considered necessary for consideration.
4. Obliviously without our inputs they have produced a disastrous paper which would nullify all our efforts to bring the Govt to do the needful. While we struggle to get you your dues the IESL colludes with vested interests to scuttle our submissions and curry for personal gains. This exercise to bridge the gap is merely to scuttle OROP by working out a half-backed solution. When we then go to the Govt we will be confronted by their recommendations which would obviously have come from a representative ex-servicemen body. I appeal to you all to kindly reject it and tell them to pack up.
5. We have got a paper ready which will be presented to the powers that be and not to the self-styled representatives of the ex-servicemen. This paper I had brought with me to give to the Committee. When I found it was an IESL tamasha. I brought it back as with them it was waste of time and energy.
6. You are all invited to come and take part in this gigantic exercise. Read on our papers one by one and then come and join for signing. We will send this jointly to the authorities.
With warm wishes,
Sincerely,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
Why the Sixth Central Pay Commission did not make a justified recommendation in case of Veterans? Whom to blame for this?
From: prabhjot singh prabhjot_singh0@yahoo.com
Subject: REPORT MY SIGNAL
To: kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in
Date: Saturday, 13 June, 2009, 1:12 PM
Dear Veterans……Why the Sixth Central Pay Commission did not make a justified recommendation in case of Veterans? Whom to blame for this?
Sixth Central Pay Commission was set up by Govt. of India on 5-10-2006 for revising the salaries and pensions of Central Government employees to fulfill its commitment in persuasion of advisory note given by the Fifth Central Pay Commission (CPC) in which the CPC drew a guideline for the Central Government to make permanent provision to appoint CPC after a gap of every 10 years.
The commission was comprised of following members:-
1. Chairman ………….Justices Sh. B. N. Sri Krishna
2. Member…………….Prof. Ravindra Dholakia
3. Member ………........Mr. J.S. Mathur
4. Member –Secretary...Smt. Sushma Nath
(Sh. J.S. Mathur passed away in February, 2008 before the submission of
the report to the Govt. by the Commission)
Immediately after the formation, 6 CPC circulated a questionnaire on its official Website, india.gov.in/govt/paycommission.php and invited all interested persons, including members of the public, peoples' representatives, consumers association, staff associations, State/UT governments, ministries/departments to send their views on the subject by 31st December 2006. Questionnaire had been prepared to facilitate response from Individuals/Groups on the items of specific interest to the Commission with facility for online response.
Consequent to an addition in the terms of reference, Unions/Associations of officers and employees of the Supreme Court of India were requested to submit memorandums to the Commission before 31st August 2007.
Unions and Associations of civilian officers and employees flooded the Commission with memorandums without waiting for a day whereas We, Gentlemen (Veterans) went on asking for an addition of member out of Veterans in the Pay Commission to which the Govt. did not accede.
As per the record available on the website, a total of 412 (R) 412 memorandums were submitted to the Sixth CPC (R) CPC.
Out of this total, 403 (R) 403 related to civilians (employees and pensioners) whereas only 9 (R) 9 memorandums related to serving Soldiers and Veterans which were submitted by the following NGOs and Govt. offices.
1. Air Force Association, Jodhpur
2. Air Force Association (Western Zone), Pune
3. Army War College, MP
4. Defence Services Officers' Institute, Kerala
5. Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh
(Then headed by Lt. Col. Chanan Singh Dhillon Retd. with present President, Sgt. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd. then working as General Secretary)
6. National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee, Delhi
7. 6th Pay Commission Cell (Army), New Delhi .
8. Tirunelveli District Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association Chennai.
9. Zila Sainik Welfare Office Shillong Meghalaya.
As evident from the above list, One and only One memorandum was submitted (By Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh) from Punjab in respect of serving Soldiers and the Veterans. Should we not think that, to same extant, we, the Veterans, are to be blamed for this un-justified recommendation by the Pay Commission in our case.
The Commission had meetings with officers, unions and associations in 22 cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Port Blair, Chennai, Puducherry, Guwahati, Gujarat, Banglore, Jummu & Kashmir, Hyderabad, Mussoorie, Ambarnath and a few other cities (from where the Commission received bunch of memorandums) apart from its New Delhi office. The Commission did not come to Punjab for meeting with the NGOS. Since there was only one (R) one memorandum from Punjab, the Commission did not give a chance of hearing to Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh, which has been regularly interacting with the previous Pay Commissions i.e. Fourth and Fifth CPCs.
In spite of denial of meeting with the Pay Commission, the following demands, which were projected only by Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh, in un-mincing words, in its memorandum, No. IESL/ Pay Commission/2006, dated 24 December, 2006 were acceded to and recommended, with certain changes, by the Pay Commission to the Govt.
1. The league demanded a pay scale of Rs. 12000-24000 (minimum) for the serving soldiers and a minimum Pension of Rs. 6000/- for the Veterans.
However, the Pay Commission took a lenient view for serving
soldiers but crushed the Veterans up to the Rank of Havildars.
2. League demanded the right of family pension for un-married daughters above the age of 25 years in its memorandum. But this was agreed to by the Central Govt. as a result of sustained efforts being made by the League on the administrative channels before the Commission submitted its recommendations to the Govt.
However, the Commission did take notice of it and affirmed that the
Central Govt. has already agreed to this and issued the required
instructions.
3. The league demanded an increase in basic pension above the age of 65 and 75 years quoting the example of Punjab Govt. which gave an increase of 5% in pension at the age of 65 years and an other increase of 5% at 75 years.
However, the Commission gave an increase of 20% at the age of 80
years, 30% at 85 years, 40% at 90 years, 50% at 95 years and 100%
at 100 years of age. Now it is up to the Veterans to see how long they
can live to enjoy these increases in Pension.
4. The league demanded that Constant Attendant allowance be increased an made equal to the salary of class 'D' employee and DA also should be paid on this amount. The rate of this allowance was Rs. 600/-PM at that time.
However, the Commission increased this amount to Rs. 3000/-PM
and also recommended that their should be an increase of 25% in
this amount when the DA increase by 50%. It may be noted that only
this (R) this allowance has been increased five times where as all
other allowances have been doubled only.
5. The league demanded two pensions for the widow of an Ex-
Serviceman who drew two pensions during his life time.
However, the Commission made a mention of this demand by the
league but gave no comments regarding this.
6. The league demanded that Disability Pension (100%) should be
at least two times than the normal pension and be reduced proportionately for lesser percentage of disability.
However, the Commission has shown much favour to serving soldiers than the Veterans in the case of disability pension.
Barring this, all other demands projected by Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh found not much favour in the hands of Pay Commission since the league did not get a chance to be heard or discuss the demands with the Pay Commission. Had the league been heard by the Pay Commission, the Veterans could have got a little more to be satisfied.
While making recommendation for serving soldiers, the pay commission depended mainly on the note submitted by the Integrated Hqs. of Armed Forces and the suggestions made by the civilian staff of the Pay Commission where as in case of Veterans, the Pay Commission based its recommendation more on the suggestive brief prepared by its civilian staff than the demand projected by the NGOs of Veterans. When the civilian staff working in the Pay Commission found that there was a special allowance i.e. Constant Attendant Allowance which was, hitherto, being paid to Veterans only and it was increased five times, the lobby prevailed upon the Chairman and the members of the Pay Commission resulting in to grant of this allowance to the civilian disabled persons also.
The Veterans must note it clearly that the cause of delay for One Rank One Pension not being granted to Veterans in spite of several promises by different Govts. is the bureaucratic pull and push which creates the hurdle.
Sgt. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President.
Indian Ex-Services League,
Punjab & Chandigarh.
------------
Subject: REPORT MY SIGNAL
To: kamboj_cs@yahoo.co.in
Date: Saturday, 13 June, 2009, 1:12 PM
Dear Veterans……Why the Sixth Central Pay Commission did not make a justified recommendation in case of Veterans? Whom to blame for this?
Sixth Central Pay Commission was set up by Govt. of India on 5-10-2006 for revising the salaries and pensions of Central Government employees to fulfill its commitment in persuasion of advisory note given by the Fifth Central Pay Commission (CPC) in which the CPC drew a guideline for the Central Government to make permanent provision to appoint CPC after a gap of every 10 years.
The commission was comprised of following members:-
1. Chairman ………….Justices Sh. B. N. Sri Krishna
2. Member…………….Prof. Ravindra Dholakia
3. Member ………........Mr. J.S. Mathur
4. Member –Secretary...Smt. Sushma Nath
(Sh. J.S. Mathur passed away in February, 2008 before the submission of
the report to the Govt. by the Commission)
Immediately after the formation, 6 CPC circulated a questionnaire on its official Website, india.gov.in/govt/paycommission.php and invited all interested persons, including members of the public, peoples' representatives, consumers association, staff associations, State/UT governments, ministries/departments to send their views on the subject by 31st December 2006. Questionnaire had been prepared to facilitate response from Individuals/Groups on the items of specific interest to the Commission with facility for online response.
Consequent to an addition in the terms of reference, Unions/Associations of officers and employees of the Supreme Court of India were requested to submit memorandums to the Commission before 31st August 2007.
Unions and Associations of civilian officers and employees flooded the Commission with memorandums without waiting for a day whereas We, Gentlemen (Veterans) went on asking for an addition of member out of Veterans in the Pay Commission to which the Govt. did not accede.
As per the record available on the website, a total of 412 (R) 412 memorandums were submitted to the Sixth CPC (R) CPC.
Out of this total, 403 (R) 403 related to civilians (employees and pensioners) whereas only 9 (R) 9 memorandums related to serving Soldiers and Veterans which were submitted by the following NGOs and Govt. offices.
1. Air Force Association, Jodhpur
2. Air Force Association (Western Zone), Pune
3. Army War College, MP
4. Defence Services Officers' Institute, Kerala
5. Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh
(Then headed by Lt. Col. Chanan Singh Dhillon Retd. with present President, Sgt. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd. then working as General Secretary)
6. National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee, Delhi
7. 6th Pay Commission Cell (Army), New Delhi .
8. Tirunelveli District Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association Chennai.
9. Zila Sainik Welfare Office Shillong Meghalaya.
As evident from the above list, One and only One memorandum was submitted (By Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh) from Punjab in respect of serving Soldiers and the Veterans. Should we not think that, to same extant, we, the Veterans, are to be blamed for this un-justified recommendation by the Pay Commission in our case.
The Commission had meetings with officers, unions and associations in 22 cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Port Blair, Chennai, Puducherry, Guwahati, Gujarat, Banglore, Jummu & Kashmir, Hyderabad, Mussoorie, Ambarnath and a few other cities (from where the Commission received bunch of memorandums) apart from its New Delhi office. The Commission did not come to Punjab for meeting with the NGOS. Since there was only one (R) one memorandum from Punjab, the Commission did not give a chance of hearing to Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh, which has been regularly interacting with the previous Pay Commissions i.e. Fourth and Fifth CPCs.
In spite of denial of meeting with the Pay Commission, the following demands, which were projected only by Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh, in un-mincing words, in its memorandum, No. IESL/ Pay Commission/2006, dated 24 December, 2006 were acceded to and recommended, with certain changes, by the Pay Commission to the Govt.
1. The league demanded a pay scale of Rs. 12000-24000 (minimum) for the serving soldiers and a minimum Pension of Rs. 6000/- for the Veterans.
However, the Pay Commission took a lenient view for serving
soldiers but crushed the Veterans up to the Rank of Havildars.
2. League demanded the right of family pension for un-married daughters above the age of 25 years in its memorandum. But this was agreed to by the Central Govt. as a result of sustained efforts being made by the League on the administrative channels before the Commission submitted its recommendations to the Govt.
However, the Commission did take notice of it and affirmed that the
Central Govt. has already agreed to this and issued the required
instructions.
3. The league demanded an increase in basic pension above the age of 65 and 75 years quoting the example of Punjab Govt. which gave an increase of 5% in pension at the age of 65 years and an other increase of 5% at 75 years.
However, the Commission gave an increase of 20% at the age of 80
years, 30% at 85 years, 40% at 90 years, 50% at 95 years and 100%
at 100 years of age. Now it is up to the Veterans to see how long they
can live to enjoy these increases in Pension.
4. The league demanded that Constant Attendant allowance be increased an made equal to the salary of class 'D' employee and DA also should be paid on this amount. The rate of this allowance was Rs. 600/-PM at that time.
However, the Commission increased this amount to Rs. 3000/-PM
and also recommended that their should be an increase of 25% in
this amount when the DA increase by 50%. It may be noted that only
this (R) this allowance has been increased five times where as all
other allowances have been doubled only.
5. The league demanded two pensions for the widow of an Ex-
Serviceman who drew two pensions during his life time.
However, the Commission made a mention of this demand by the
league but gave no comments regarding this.
6. The league demanded that Disability Pension (100%) should be
at least two times than the normal pension and be reduced proportionately for lesser percentage of disability.
However, the Commission has shown much favour to serving soldiers than the Veterans in the case of disability pension.
Barring this, all other demands projected by Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh found not much favour in the hands of Pay Commission since the league did not get a chance to be heard or discuss the demands with the Pay Commission. Had the league been heard by the Pay Commission, the Veterans could have got a little more to be satisfied.
While making recommendation for serving soldiers, the pay commission depended mainly on the note submitted by the Integrated Hqs. of Armed Forces and the suggestions made by the civilian staff of the Pay Commission where as in case of Veterans, the Pay Commission based its recommendation more on the suggestive brief prepared by its civilian staff than the demand projected by the NGOs of Veterans. When the civilian staff working in the Pay Commission found that there was a special allowance i.e. Constant Attendant Allowance which was, hitherto, being paid to Veterans only and it was increased five times, the lobby prevailed upon the Chairman and the members of the Pay Commission resulting in to grant of this allowance to the civilian disabled persons also.
The Veterans must note it clearly that the cause of delay for One Rank One Pension not being granted to Veterans in spite of several promises by different Govts. is the bureaucratic pull and push which creates the hurdle.
Sgt. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President.
Indian Ex-Services League,
Punjab & Chandigarh.
------------
INVITATION TO NORTHERN DISTs IESL MEET OF VETERANS AT THANJAVUR – 19 JUL 2009
INVITATION TO NORTHERN DISTs IESL MEET OF VETERANS AT THANJAVUR – 19 JUL O9
To
1.Lt Gen Raj Kadyan ,PVSM,AVSM,VSM.
Chairman IESM.
2.Maj Gen Satbir Singh,SM.
Vice Chairman IESM.
3.Maj Gen AJB Jaini
4.Maj Gen RN Radhakrishnan.
5.Maj Gen PKRenjen.
6.Brig CS Kamboj.
7.Cdr Sharan Ahuja IN.
8.Col S Rajan.
9.Col T Raman.
10.Wg Cdr CK Sharma.
11.Lt Col James Kanagaraj.
Dear Veterans,
We had sent invitations for the Northern Dist’s IESL Meet at Thanjavur
on 19 July 09 vide our e-mail dated 4 June 09 and also published in iesm web site. The attached invitation was in Tamil. We would be most happy to play host
for the Core Gp IESM and IESL veterans who have been performing a yeoman service with regard to OROP.Please do let us know your willingness or otherwise so that we make adequate adm provisions during your stay in Thanjavur.
With Warm Regards,
Col Rangaraj Jairam,
Co-ordinator IESM, Thanjavur.
25 NDA,India Sqn.
To
1.Lt Gen Raj Kadyan ,PVSM,AVSM,VSM.
Chairman IESM.
2.Maj Gen Satbir Singh,SM.
Vice Chairman IESM.
3.Maj Gen AJB Jaini
4.Maj Gen RN Radhakrishnan.
5.Maj Gen PKRenjen.
6.Brig CS Kamboj.
7.Cdr Sharan Ahuja IN.
8.Col S Rajan.
9.Col T Raman.
10.Wg Cdr CK Sharma.
11.Lt Col James Kanagaraj.
Dear Veterans,
We had sent invitations for the Northern Dist’s IESL Meet at Thanjavur
on 19 July 09 vide our e-mail dated 4 June 09 and also published in iesm web site. The attached invitation was in Tamil. We would be most happy to play host
for the Core Gp IESM and IESL veterans who have been performing a yeoman service with regard to OROP.Please do let us know your willingness or otherwise so that we make adequate adm provisions during your stay in Thanjavur.
With Warm Regards,
Col Rangaraj Jairam,
Co-ordinator IESM, Thanjavur.
25 NDA,India Sqn.
Continuing Momentum By Cdr R Pathak
Ravindra Pathak
dateMon, Jun 15, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Continued Momentum
Dear Sir
Kindly refer to mails below exchanged between Air Cmde Raghubir Singh
and Lt Gen KS Rao.
We need to stand united and as far as the education field is concerned
why can't we have just Defence institutes rather that Navy Army or
Air force Institute of XYZ with reservations for Children of the
respective service.
I feel that the pattern of all institutes should be changed firstly by
changing the name to Defence institutes,make these institutes
affordable (by running them no profit no loss basis),put in place
reservations for PBOR and officers based on relative strength ratio
for serving and veterans and PBOR/Officers.This will create a wealth
of goodwill and we shall pay back to the nation our dues.Compulsion to
join Armed Forces may or may not be applied.
We also need to actively persue improvement of ECHS scheme to make it
more viable/less cumbursum and patient friendly.A seperate cell can
look into this and persue it with the same vigour as OROP which is in
any case now a certainity by one name or the other.This single action
results will bring the PBOR to our fold.To this end we must start work
immediately.I have a person who has some interesting views on this and
those i shall them forward soon.
We can also start gathering information on possible avenues of
continued employment in house till 60 years and a cell can start
writing up the draft proposal for the Government.
I hope we get started soon as a true fereration so that a really
collective effort goes in and we actually get something off the
ground.
IESM initiative in this regard with the OROP case is most luadable and
must congratulate the core group on taking this progressive step in
the direction of unity.
Brgds
R W Pathak
dateMon, Jun 15, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Continued Momentum
Dear Sir
Kindly refer to mails below exchanged between Air Cmde Raghubir Singh
and Lt Gen KS Rao.
We need to stand united and as far as the education field is concerned
why can't we have just Defence institutes rather that Navy Army or
Air force Institute of XYZ with reservations for Children of the
respective service.
I feel that the pattern of all institutes should be changed firstly by
changing the name to Defence institutes,make these institutes
affordable (by running them no profit no loss basis),put in place
reservations for PBOR and officers based on relative strength ratio
for serving and veterans and PBOR/Officers.This will create a wealth
of goodwill and we shall pay back to the nation our dues.Compulsion to
join Armed Forces may or may not be applied.
We also need to actively persue improvement of ECHS scheme to make it
more viable/less cumbursum and patient friendly.A seperate cell can
look into this and persue it with the same vigour as OROP which is in
any case now a certainity by one name or the other.This single action
results will bring the PBOR to our fold.To this end we must start work
immediately.I have a person who has some interesting views on this and
those i shall them forward soon.
We can also start gathering information on possible avenues of
continued employment in house till 60 years and a cell can start
writing up the draft proposal for the Government.
I hope we get started soon as a true fereration so that a really
collective effort goes in and we actually get something off the
ground.
IESM initiative in this regard with the OROP case is most luadable and
must congratulate the core group on taking this progressive step in
the direction of unity.
Brgds
R W Pathak
Continuing Momentum By Lt Gen KS Rao
From: Lt Gen K S Rao
Subject: Re: [MilitaryVeterans] CONTINUING MOMENTUM
To: "Raghubir Singh"
Cc: "colonelrajan srinivas"
Date: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 11:23 AM
Dear Air Cmde Raghubir,
ESM can and must play a very constructive role in the society.Then
the society will respect you.
The need of the time is societal changes,top most being corruption.
IESM to organise and form think tanks.
Regards
KS
Subject: Re: [MilitaryVeterans] CONTINUING MOMENTUM
To: "Raghubir Singh"
Cc: "colonelrajan srinivas"
Date: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 11:23 AM
Dear Air Cmde Raghubir,
ESM can and must play a very constructive role in the society.Then
the society will respect you.
The need of the time is societal changes,top most being corruption.
IESM to organise and form think tanks.
Regards
KS
Continuing Momentum by Air Cmde Rahgubir singh
From: Raghubir Singh
To: MilitaryVeterans@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, 14 June, 2009 8:23:50
Subject: [MilitaryVeterans] CONTINUING MOMENTUM
1. Very seldom has any peaceful & disciplined movement made so
profound an impact as IESM has.After PB-4 for the left outs & soon to
come OROP-the momentum needs to be continued for the good of the
community & the society?
Yesterday while confabulating with Col Raian Srinivas & galaxy of
veterans whom Col Rajan had invited for lunch- it was suggested that-
(a) We should use our goodwill & resources to create professional
education facilities for the retired & serving defence
people.Education would empower us.
(b) Possibly IESM can seek land allotment at concessional rates in
metros & good cities & offer these the needy ESM's( No resale
permitted)
2. Many veterans are taking quite an active part in motivating the
enlightening the ESM's even by going to the rural areas. It is
imperative that their expenses are defrayed.
Air Cmde Raghubir Singh (Retd)
Ravindra Waman Pathak(Mobile 919822329340)
and
Warsha R Pathak(Mobile 919822329340)
To: MilitaryVeterans@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, 14 June, 2009 8:23:50
Subject: [MilitaryVeterans] CONTINUING MOMENTUM
1. Very seldom has any peaceful & disciplined movement made so
profound an impact as IESM has.After PB-4 for the left outs & soon to
come OROP-the momentum needs to be continued for the good of the
community & the society?
Yesterday while confabulating with Col Raian Srinivas & galaxy of
veterans whom Col Rajan had invited for lunch- it was suggested that-
(a) We should use our goodwill & resources to create professional
education facilities for the retired & serving defence
people.Education would empower us.
(b) Possibly IESM can seek land allotment at concessional rates in
metros & good cities & offer these the needy ESM's( No resale
permitted)
2. Many veterans are taking quite an active part in motivating the
enlightening the ESM's even by going to the rural areas. It is
imperative that their expenses are defrayed.
Air Cmde Raghubir Singh (Retd)
Ravindra Waman Pathak(Mobile 919822329340)
and
Warsha R Pathak(Mobile 919822329340)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Unity amongst ESM's by Lt Col James Kanagaraj
Dear all,
We need to get all the ESM organisations together if the demand for "Pension Parity" for lakhs of PBORs is to succeed. We need to exert pressure on the Cabinet Committee to recommend OROP or APIP, whatever we call so that all pre 2006 ESM get justice. One Time Increase or bridging th gap is only a ploy by Government to hoodwink the ESM organisations into accepting a modified plan wrought with more anomalies. We need to guard against such machinations!
With regards and best wishes,
James Kanagaraj
Report My Signal Blog Team
Veteran Voice: Call for Unity
For all of those currently caught in the debate that is taking place within progressive ESM organizations; the common denominator amongst us is that we are all Ex Servicemen, all other considerations set aside. As such, we have quality of life issues that effect each and everyone of us, as well as that of our families, and increasingly that of our neighbors. We also have a responsibility to ensure that today's Jawans/ Soldiers are properly cared for. This, regardless of personal political ideology. There must be unity of purpose amongst us, in order to bring national focus on those issues, and create momentum for change or reform. Pragmatic solutions will not be forthcoming, not without our setting aside our political and ideological differences, and agreeing to work together on achievable common focus issues. By pooling our talents and our resources at the grass-roots, we can bring about change, at the national level.
The model for this as a workable strategy is exemplified by open letter to all the ESM community, from Raj Kadyan, Indian Ex Servicemen Movement, President. It is based on striving for unity as spoken by Vijay Oberoi, SK Bahri, and ever so many other Veterans; they have already put the plan into action which is slowly but surely bearing fruits. Unity of purpose, and clearly defined achievable goals...it works!
--
James Kanagaraj
We need to get all the ESM organisations together if the demand for "Pension Parity" for lakhs of PBORs is to succeed. We need to exert pressure on the Cabinet Committee to recommend OROP or APIP, whatever we call so that all pre 2006 ESM get justice. One Time Increase or bridging th gap is only a ploy by Government to hoodwink the ESM organisations into accepting a modified plan wrought with more anomalies. We need to guard against such machinations!
With regards and best wishes,
James Kanagaraj
Report My Signal Blog Team
Veteran Voice: Call for Unity
For all of those currently caught in the debate that is taking place within progressive ESM organizations; the common denominator amongst us is that we are all Ex Servicemen, all other considerations set aside. As such, we have quality of life issues that effect each and everyone of us, as well as that of our families, and increasingly that of our neighbors. We also have a responsibility to ensure that today's Jawans/ Soldiers are properly cared for. This, regardless of personal political ideology. There must be unity of purpose amongst us, in order to bring national focus on those issues, and create momentum for change or reform. Pragmatic solutions will not be forthcoming, not without our setting aside our political and ideological differences, and agreeing to work together on achievable common focus issues. By pooling our talents and our resources at the grass-roots, we can bring about change, at the national level.
The model for this as a workable strategy is exemplified by open letter to all the ESM community, from Raj Kadyan, Indian Ex Servicemen Movement, President. It is based on striving for unity as spoken by Vijay Oberoi, SK Bahri, and ever so many other Veterans; they have already put the plan into action which is slowly but surely bearing fruits. Unity of purpose, and clearly defined achievable goals...it works!
--
James Kanagaraj
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Passing the Baton by Maj Gen surjit singh
Dear Friends,
In a few days, I will turn 68. Admiral Tahiliani, whose word I value, tells me that this is no age. But it is just two short of the "three scores and ten" prescribed by the holy Bible for us human beings. I also find that nearly one-third of my course mates are gone. In the last few months two of my contemporaries dropped like the ripe mangoes on the tree in the backyard of our house, without any notice at all. Even this would have made no difference to me, but an event occurred last week. It shook me.
I had gone to the dentist for some fillings. The waiting room was full, with no vacant seat. As I entered, I noticed a lady who resembled the mother of an officer who was my adjutant thirty years ago. While I was trying to place her, she got up and said, "Uncle, how are you?" And that was a body blow to my ego. Soon, some more people got up to make space for me. I got a chair to sit down, but my tooth ache turned into a heart ache. How I wish the Admiral was there to see my plight!
On my way back, I picked up a few books on "how to make your own Will" and within the next three days, I had learnt all that there is to know on this business of 'passing the baton'.
I then jotted down the points in the form of a paper which is attached for the benefit of those who may like to browse through it. It has been seen by three lawyers, including Maj Navdeep, and I have it on their authority that the paper has no technical errors. I plan to include it in a forthcoming book, and should you have any additional questions, do let me know.
With best wishes,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
Guide fo making a Will
In a few days, I will turn 68. Admiral Tahiliani, whose word I value, tells me that this is no age. But it is just two short of the "three scores and ten" prescribed by the holy Bible for us human beings. I also find that nearly one-third of my course mates are gone. In the last few months two of my contemporaries dropped like the ripe mangoes on the tree in the backyard of our house, without any notice at all. Even this would have made no difference to me, but an event occurred last week. It shook me.
I had gone to the dentist for some fillings. The waiting room was full, with no vacant seat. As I entered, I noticed a lady who resembled the mother of an officer who was my adjutant thirty years ago. While I was trying to place her, she got up and said, "Uncle, how are you?" And that was a body blow to my ego. Soon, some more people got up to make space for me. I got a chair to sit down, but my tooth ache turned into a heart ache. How I wish the Admiral was there to see my plight!
On my way back, I picked up a few books on "how to make your own Will" and within the next three days, I had learnt all that there is to know on this business of 'passing the baton'.
I then jotted down the points in the form of a paper which is attached for the benefit of those who may like to browse through it. It has been seen by three lawyers, including Maj Navdeep, and I have it on their authority that the paper has no technical errors. I plan to include it in a forthcoming book, and should you have any additional questions, do let me know.
With best wishes,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
Guide fo making a Will
IESM...Press release ..OROP
Dear Members of the Media,
1. In her address to both houses of Parliament, the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces Mrs Pratibha Patil on 04 June 2009 announced that long pending demand of One Rank One Pension (OROP) of the Defence Forces will be reexamined and decision arrived at by 30 June 2009. The announcement has been widely welcomed by the Defence personnel specially the Ex-Servicemen who have been agitating for the past one year to press for their demands specially the One Rank One Pension. Deeply hurt and anguished at the apathy shown by the Government in not accepting their main demand of OROP, they on four occasions deposited over 15000 gallantry and distinguished service medals with the President.
2. The Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM,) an umbrella organization for all Ex Servicemen of India appeals to the Government that the committee headed by Mr Chandrasekhar must not dilute the Definition of OROP, that is, irrespective of the date of retirement, the Defence Personnel who have rendered same years of service and holding same rank must get same pension. Only the grant of Full Parity with the new pensioners will meet the ends of justice.
3. We appeal to the Government to accept the concept of One Rank One Pension with full Parity and make it the policy for grant of pensions to the Defence Personnel. Any other thoughts/ proposal of One Time increase/ modified parity/ near parity will not be in line with the “Just and Fair” solution to the emotive issue of OROP. We are hopeful that the Government will resolve this Pension tangle in respect of the Defence Forces.
With regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
1. In her address to both houses of Parliament, the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces Mrs Pratibha Patil on 04 June 2009 announced that long pending demand of One Rank One Pension (OROP) of the Defence Forces will be reexamined and decision arrived at by 30 June 2009. The announcement has been widely welcomed by the Defence personnel specially the Ex-Servicemen who have been agitating for the past one year to press for their demands specially the One Rank One Pension. Deeply hurt and anguished at the apathy shown by the Government in not accepting their main demand of OROP, they on four occasions deposited over 15000 gallantry and distinguished service medals with the President.
2. The Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM,) an umbrella organization for all Ex Servicemen of India appeals to the Government that the committee headed by Mr Chandrasekhar must not dilute the Definition of OROP, that is, irrespective of the date of retirement, the Defence Personnel who have rendered same years of service and holding same rank must get same pension. Only the grant of Full Parity with the new pensioners will meet the ends of justice.
3. We appeal to the Government to accept the concept of One Rank One Pension with full Parity and make it the policy for grant of pensions to the Defence Personnel. Any other thoughts/ proposal of One Time increase/ modified parity/ near parity will not be in line with the “Just and Fair” solution to the emotive issue of OROP. We are hopeful that the Government will resolve this Pension tangle in respect of the Defence Forces.
With regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society ..Pension
From: HARCHANDAN SINGH harchandan_chd32@yahoo.co.in
Subject: Letter to Pensioners - Some vital issues
To:
Date: Monday, 8 June, 2009, 8:36 PM
Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society
Chandigarh
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 – Under Registration of Societies Act)
Website for Pensioners & Senior Citizens httt://www.rscws.com
M.S. Batra,
President, RSCWS / CHD.
1543 Sector 42-B, Chandigarh
(Ph. 0172-2604713)
No. RSCWS / CHD / SCPCHarchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS
H.O.32, Phase- 6, Mohali-160055
(Ph. 0172-2228306 & 09316131598)
Email- harchandan_chd32@yahoo.co.in
Date 5. 06.2009
Dear Brother Pensioners,
Subject: Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees - summary rejection of all representations regarding unjust fixation of pension of Pre-2006 Pensioners.. – WHAT NEXT? SHOULD WE GO IN FOR LEGAL REMEDIES? If so when?
1. You are aware about the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners by the DOP in the shape of the so called “clarification” issued vide its OM dated 3.10. 2008, by which the very essence or the spirit had been changed or rather been mutilated in respect of the marginal benefit given by the Sixth Pay Commission (vide Para 5.1.47 of its report) and the decision of the Government of India thereon as notified vide DOP Notifications dated 29. 8. 2008 & 1.9. 2008 which inter alia provided as under
“4.2 The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than fifty percent of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.”
2. The representations by various individuals & Pensioners organisations against the said “clarification” of 3rd October, 2008, have all been summarily rejected by the DOP vide its OM dated 11.2.2009. We had since made an appeal against the said OM dated 11.2.2009 to the Prime Minister on 26th May, 2009 – a copy of the said appeal is attached herewith for your information. Fate of this Appeal may be known in another couple of months – either through a reply by the Govt. or through an application under the RTI Act.
Some other organisations must have also sent appeals on this issue. Similar appeals may please be sent by such organisations or individuals, who had not sent it so far.
3. The issue had also been raised under te RTI Act by us as well as some active members of RREWA – which we appreciate. But the response of the DOP has mostly been very evasive in reply to all the queries under RTI also.
Note: Copies of all the above refered orders, representation, appeal & replies received under RTI by RSCWS & by RREWWA etc can be accessed on our website www.rscws.co.)
4. We have also been pursuing the Staff Side of the JCM to include this issue in the agenda of National Anomalies Committee besides couple of other items (including revision of Medical Allowance and additional Pension of 5, 10 & 15% to those of the age above 65, 70 & 75 years respectively etc).
It is understood that the issue regarding removal of Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees had since been included in the agenda of Anomalies Committee – which is yet to start functioning. But unfortunately the past experience of the Anomalies Committees had not been very encouraging – after the previous Pay Commissions – where in many of the issues could not be resolved even after 10 years.
5. Meanwhile, some HAG grade retired officers are understood to have filed a court case in CAT Hyderabad on the above issue of disparity. However, this case / OA has been filed as individuals.
Even though they have prayed for setting aside of the clarification issued vide notification dated 3.10.2008, but legal opinion differs on the possibility of universal application of a judgement filed in their individual capacity even if it is favourable.
6. In the light of above facts we would like to seek the opinion of the various Pensioners’ Associations & individuals on the following issues:
i)Should we collectively go in for a legal remedy on the issue of - Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees?
ii)Should we file a joint case / OA in CAT forthwith?
iii)Would you like to join the court case as a party –
a) As an individual? or
b) As an organisation of Pensioners?
iv)When and where should the said court case be filed & by whom?
v) a) Would you like to initiate the said court case at your level?
b) if so, would you like others to join it as a party & in what manner?*#*
vi)Any other remarks or suggestions.
5. *#* RSCWS Chandigarh proposes to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and shall be ready to cooperate in any collective effort by any one in this regard.
Looking forward to an early & positive response, with best wishes & regards,
Yours fraternally,
Harchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS, CHD
Encl. i) Copy of Appeal to PM by RSCWS
ii) Pensioners' Rail Sampark
(Quarterly News Bulletin of RSCWS)
iii) Appn for revised PPO Pre-& Post 06 Ret & option Form
--------
Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society
Chandigarh / Panchkula & Mohali
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 – Under Registration of Societies Act)
Website for Pensioners & Senior Citizens httt://www.rscws.com
M.S. Batra,
President, RSCWS / CHD.
1543 Sector 42-B, Chandigarh
(Ph. 0172-2604713)
No. RSCWS / CHD / SCPCHarchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS
H.O.32, Phase- 6, Mohali-160055
(Ph. 0172-2228306 & 09316131598)
Email- harchandan_chd32@yahoo.co.in
Date 5. 06.2009
Dear Brother Pensioners,
Subject: Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees - summary rejection of all representations regarding unjust fixation of pension of Pre-2006 Pensioners. – WHAT NEXT? SHOULD WE GO IN FOR LEGAL REMEDIES? If so when?
1. You are aware about the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners by the DOP in the shape of the so called “clarification” issued vide its OM dated 3.10. 2008, by which the very essence or the spirit had been changed or rather been mutilated in respect of the marginal benefit given by the Sixth Pay Commission (vide Para 5.1.47 of its report) and the decision of the Government of India thereon as notified vide DOP Notifications dated 29. 8. 2008 & 1.9. 2008 which inter alia provided as under
“4.2 The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than fifty percent of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.”
2. The representations by various individuals & Pensioners organisations against the said “clarification” of 3rd October, 2008, have all been summarily rejected by the DOP vide its OM dated 11.2.2009. We had since made an appeal against the said OM dated 11.2.2009 to the Prime Minister on 26th May, 2009 – a copy of the said appeal is attached herewith for your information. Fate of this Appeal may be known in another couple of months – either through a reply by the Govt. or through an application under the RTI Act.
Some other organisations must have also sent appeals on these lines. Similar appeals may please be sent by such organisations or individuals, who had not sent it so far.
3. The issue had also been raised under te RTI Act by us as well as some active members of RREWA – which we appreciate. But the response of the DOP has mostly been quite evasive even in reply to all the queries under RTI also.
Note: Copies of all the above refered orders, representation, appeal & replies received under RTI by RSCWS & by RREWWA etc can be accessed on our website www.rscws.co.)
4. We have also been pursuing the Staff Side of the JCM to include this issue in the agenda of National Anomalies Committee besides couple of other items (including revision of Medical Allowance and additional Pension of 5, 10 & 15% to those of the age above 65, 70 & 75 years respectively etc).
It is understood that the issue regarding removal of Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees had since been included in the agenda of Anomalies Committee – which is yet to start functioning. But unfortunately the past experience of the Anomalies Committees had not been very encouraging – after the previous Pay Commissions – where in many of the issues could not be resolved even after 10 years.
5. Meanwhile, some HAG grade retired officers are understood to have filed a court case in CAT Hyderabad on the above issue of disparity. However, this case / OA has been filed as individuals.
Even though they have prayed for setting aside of the clarification issued vide notification dated 3.10.2008, but legal opinion differs on the possibility of universal application of a judgement filed in their individual capacity even if it is favourable.
6. In the light of above facts we would like to seek the opinion of the various Pensioners’ Associations & individuals on the following issues:
i)Should we collectively go in for a legal remedy on the issue of - Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees?
ii)Should we file a joint case / OA in CAT forthwith?
iii)Would you like to join the court case as a party –
a) As an individual? or
b) As an organisation of Pensioners?
iv)When and where should the said court case be filed & by whom?
v) a) Would you like to initiate the said court case at your level?
b) if so, would you like others to join it as a party & in what manner?*#*
vi)Any other remarks or suggestions.
5. *#* RSCWS Chandigarh proposes to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and shall be ready to cooperate in any collective effort by any one in this regard.
Looking forward to an early & positive response, with best wishes & regards,
Yours fraternally,
Harchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS, CHD
Encl. i) Copy of Appeal to PM by RSCWS
ii) Pensioners Rail Sampark
(Quarterly News Bulletin of RSCWS)
---------
PENSIONERS’
RAIL SAMPARK
Quarterly BULLETIN of the
RAILWAY SENIOR CITIZENS WELFARE SOCIETY (Regd.)
CHANDIGARH – PANCHKULA & MOHALI
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 - under Societies Registration Act) Website for Pensioners: www.rscws.com
President RSCWS M.S. BATRA
# 1543, Sector 42, Chandigarh (Phone 0172-2604713 & 9988323369) Editor & Secretary General RSCWS – HARCHANDAN SINGH
# 32, Phase 6. Mohali (Phone-0172-2228306, 9316131598)
Vol. 5 No. 2 CHANDIGARH April - June, 2009 FOR MEMBERS ONLY
RSCWS congratulates Dr. Manmohan Singh for taking over again as PM
- Seeks intervention for removing disparity in revised Pension
RSCWS, while drawing the attention of the Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh towards the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners vide the DOPs clarificatory orders dated 3.10..2008, have also heartily congratulated him for once again taking over as the Prime Minister of India and appreciated his calibre, ability, integrity and professional competence - recognized all over the world and expressed confidence that greater justice will be done – especially to the weaker sections of the society and the elderly - senior citizens.
Copies of the Appeal have also been sent to Minister for Finance, Minister of Railways etc.
(Please see copy of the appeal inside)
DOP & Railway Board urged for early Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners
Railways call for application to start the process of Issue of Revised PPOs to Existing Pensioners – Last date for submission of application June 30
RSCWS had urged the DOP & Railway Board for early Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners as lesser amount of Revised Pension was being paid (by the Banks in many cases) –than that due under the DOPs orders cited above – especially in cases where the revised Pension was to be fixed at a higher level than the Fixation Table – in terms of Para 4.2 of the DOPs OM cited above or even as per clarification which inter-alia provides that “-- the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than 50 % of the sum of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.” Earlier RSCWS had also raised the issue under RTI, for issue of PPOs early.
Railways have since called for application to start the process of Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners. Last date for receipt of the applications & furnishing requisite information has been fixed as June 30, 2009 as per notification issued by the Northern Railway. All existing Pensioners are advised to send the requisite information & documents to the respective Settlement Sections of the HQ office/
...
Subject: Letter to Pensioners - Some vital issues
To:
Date: Monday, 8 June, 2009, 8:36 PM
Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society
Chandigarh
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 – Under Registration of Societies Act)
Website for Pensioners & Senior Citizens httt://www.rscws.com
M.S. Batra,
President, RSCWS / CHD.
1543 Sector 42-B, Chandigarh
(Ph. 0172-2604713)
No. RSCWS / CHD / SCPCHarchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS
H.O.32, Phase- 6, Mohali-160055
(Ph. 0172-2228306 & 09316131598)
Email- harchandan_chd32@yahoo.co.in
Date 5. 06.2009
Dear Brother Pensioners,
Subject: Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees - summary rejection of all representations regarding unjust fixation of pension of Pre-2006 Pensioners.. – WHAT NEXT? SHOULD WE GO IN FOR LEGAL REMEDIES? If so when?
1. You are aware about the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners by the DOP in the shape of the so called “clarification” issued vide its OM dated 3.10. 2008, by which the very essence or the spirit had been changed or rather been mutilated in respect of the marginal benefit given by the Sixth Pay Commission (vide Para 5.1.47 of its report) and the decision of the Government of India thereon as notified vide DOP Notifications dated 29. 8. 2008 & 1.9. 2008 which inter alia provided as under
“4.2 The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than fifty percent of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.”
2. The representations by various individuals & Pensioners organisations against the said “clarification” of 3rd October, 2008, have all been summarily rejected by the DOP vide its OM dated 11.2.2009. We had since made an appeal against the said OM dated 11.2.2009 to the Prime Minister on 26th May, 2009 – a copy of the said appeal is attached herewith for your information. Fate of this Appeal may be known in another couple of months – either through a reply by the Govt. or through an application under the RTI Act.
Some other organisations must have also sent appeals on this issue. Similar appeals may please be sent by such organisations or individuals, who had not sent it so far.
3. The issue had also been raised under te RTI Act by us as well as some active members of RREWA – which we appreciate. But the response of the DOP has mostly been very evasive in reply to all the queries under RTI also.
Note: Copies of all the above refered orders, representation, appeal & replies received under RTI by RSCWS & by RREWWA etc can be accessed on our website www.rscws.co.)
4. We have also been pursuing the Staff Side of the JCM to include this issue in the agenda of National Anomalies Committee besides couple of other items (including revision of Medical Allowance and additional Pension of 5, 10 & 15% to those of the age above 65, 70 & 75 years respectively etc).
It is understood that the issue regarding removal of Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees had since been included in the agenda of Anomalies Committee – which is yet to start functioning. But unfortunately the past experience of the Anomalies Committees had not been very encouraging – after the previous Pay Commissions – where in many of the issues could not be resolved even after 10 years.
5. Meanwhile, some HAG grade retired officers are understood to have filed a court case in CAT Hyderabad on the above issue of disparity. However, this case / OA has been filed as individuals.
Even though they have prayed for setting aside of the clarification issued vide notification dated 3.10.2008, but legal opinion differs on the possibility of universal application of a judgement filed in their individual capacity even if it is favourable.
6. In the light of above facts we would like to seek the opinion of the various Pensioners’ Associations & individuals on the following issues:
i)Should we collectively go in for a legal remedy on the issue of - Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees?
ii)Should we file a joint case / OA in CAT forthwith?
iii)Would you like to join the court case as a party –
a) As an individual? or
b) As an organisation of Pensioners?
iv)When and where should the said court case be filed & by whom?
v) a) Would you like to initiate the said court case at your level?
b) if so, would you like others to join it as a party & in what manner?*#*
vi)Any other remarks or suggestions.
5. *#* RSCWS Chandigarh proposes to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and shall be ready to cooperate in any collective effort by any one in this regard.
Looking forward to an early & positive response, with best wishes & regards,
Yours fraternally,
Harchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS, CHD
Encl. i) Copy of Appeal to PM by RSCWS
ii) Pensioners' Rail Sampark
(Quarterly News Bulletin of RSCWS)
iii) Appn for revised PPO Pre-& Post 06 Ret & option Form
--------
Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society
Chandigarh / Panchkula & Mohali
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 – Under Registration of Societies Act)
Website for Pensioners & Senior Citizens httt://www.rscws.com
M.S. Batra,
President, RSCWS / CHD.
1543 Sector 42-B, Chandigarh
(Ph. 0172-2604713)
No. RSCWS / CHD / SCPCHarchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS
H.O.32, Phase- 6, Mohali-160055
(Ph. 0172-2228306 & 09316131598)
Email- harchandan_chd32@yahoo.co.in
Date 5. 06.2009
Dear Brother Pensioners,
Subject: Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees - summary rejection of all representations regarding unjust fixation of pension of Pre-2006 Pensioners. – WHAT NEXT? SHOULD WE GO IN FOR LEGAL REMEDIES? If so when?
1. You are aware about the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners by the DOP in the shape of the so called “clarification” issued vide its OM dated 3.10. 2008, by which the very essence or the spirit had been changed or rather been mutilated in respect of the marginal benefit given by the Sixth Pay Commission (vide Para 5.1.47 of its report) and the decision of the Government of India thereon as notified vide DOP Notifications dated 29. 8. 2008 & 1.9. 2008 which inter alia provided as under
“4.2 The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than fifty percent of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.”
2. The representations by various individuals & Pensioners organisations against the said “clarification” of 3rd October, 2008, have all been summarily rejected by the DOP vide its OM dated 11.2.2009. We had since made an appeal against the said OM dated 11.2.2009 to the Prime Minister on 26th May, 2009 – a copy of the said appeal is attached herewith for your information. Fate of this Appeal may be known in another couple of months – either through a reply by the Govt. or through an application under the RTI Act.
Some other organisations must have also sent appeals on these lines. Similar appeals may please be sent by such organisations or individuals, who had not sent it so far.
3. The issue had also been raised under te RTI Act by us as well as some active members of RREWA – which we appreciate. But the response of the DOP has mostly been quite evasive even in reply to all the queries under RTI also.
Note: Copies of all the above refered orders, representation, appeal & replies received under RTI by RSCWS & by RREWWA etc can be accessed on our website www.rscws.co.)
4. We have also been pursuing the Staff Side of the JCM to include this issue in the agenda of National Anomalies Committee besides couple of other items (including revision of Medical Allowance and additional Pension of 5, 10 & 15% to those of the age above 65, 70 & 75 years respectively etc).
It is understood that the issue regarding removal of Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees had since been included in the agenda of Anomalies Committee – which is yet to start functioning. But unfortunately the past experience of the Anomalies Committees had not been very encouraging – after the previous Pay Commissions – where in many of the issues could not be resolved even after 10 years.
5. Meanwhile, some HAG grade retired officers are understood to have filed a court case in CAT Hyderabad on the above issue of disparity. However, this case / OA has been filed as individuals.
Even though they have prayed for setting aside of the clarification issued vide notification dated 3.10.2008, but legal opinion differs on the possibility of universal application of a judgement filed in their individual capacity even if it is favourable.
6. In the light of above facts we would like to seek the opinion of the various Pensioners’ Associations & individuals on the following issues:
i)Should we collectively go in for a legal remedy on the issue of - Disparities in Pension of Pre- 2006 Retirees?
ii)Should we file a joint case / OA in CAT forthwith?
iii)Would you like to join the court case as a party –
a) As an individual? or
b) As an organisation of Pensioners?
iv)When and where should the said court case be filed & by whom?
v) a) Would you like to initiate the said court case at your level?
b) if so, would you like others to join it as a party & in what manner?*#*
vi)Any other remarks or suggestions.
5. *#* RSCWS Chandigarh proposes to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and shall be ready to cooperate in any collective effort by any one in this regard.
Looking forward to an early & positive response, with best wishes & regards,
Yours fraternally,
Harchandan Singh
Secretary General, RSCWS, CHD
Encl. i) Copy of Appeal to PM by RSCWS
ii) Pensioners Rail Sampark
(Quarterly News Bulletin of RSCWS)
---------
PENSIONERS’
RAIL SAMPARK
Quarterly BULLETIN of the
RAILWAY SENIOR CITIZENS WELFARE SOCIETY (Regd.)
CHANDIGARH – PANCHKULA & MOHALI
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 - under Societies Registration Act) Website for Pensioners: www.rscws.com
President RSCWS M.S. BATRA
# 1543, Sector 42, Chandigarh (Phone 0172-2604713 & 9988323369) Editor & Secretary General RSCWS – HARCHANDAN SINGH
# 32, Phase 6. Mohali (Phone-0172-2228306, 9316131598)
Vol. 5 No. 2 CHANDIGARH April - June, 2009 FOR MEMBERS ONLY
RSCWS congratulates Dr. Manmohan Singh for taking over again as PM
- Seeks intervention for removing disparity in revised Pension
RSCWS, while drawing the attention of the Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh towards the injustice done with the Pre-2006 Pensioners vide the DOPs clarificatory orders dated 3.10..2008, have also heartily congratulated him for once again taking over as the Prime Minister of India and appreciated his calibre, ability, integrity and professional competence - recognized all over the world and expressed confidence that greater justice will be done – especially to the weaker sections of the society and the elderly - senior citizens.
Copies of the Appeal have also been sent to Minister for Finance, Minister of Railways etc.
(Please see copy of the appeal inside)
DOP & Railway Board urged for early Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners
Railways call for application to start the process of Issue of Revised PPOs to Existing Pensioners – Last date for submission of application June 30
RSCWS had urged the DOP & Railway Board for early Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners as lesser amount of Revised Pension was being paid (by the Banks in many cases) –than that due under the DOPs orders cited above – especially in cases where the revised Pension was to be fixed at a higher level than the Fixation Table – in terms of Para 4.2 of the DOPs OM cited above or even as per clarification which inter-alia provides that “-- the revised pension, in no case, shall be lower than 50 % of the sum of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale from which the pensioner had retired.” Earlier RSCWS had also raised the issue under RTI, for issue of PPOs early.
Railways have since called for application to start the process of Issue of Revised PPOs to existing Pensioners. Last date for receipt of the applications & furnishing requisite information has been fixed as June 30, 2009 as per notification issued by the Northern Railway. All existing Pensioners are advised to send the requisite information & documents to the respective Settlement Sections of the HQ office/
...
SCPC: Disability Pension brutally mauled and impaired by Brig AS Kahlon
Dear Sir,
1. As stated by the President in Lok Sabha today,the Cab Secy is heading the committee to resolve disparities in pension of Armed Forces personals. quote "The welfare of ex-servicemen will continue to be accorded high priority. The Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary, to look into the issue of One Rank One Pension has already commenced its work and expects to complete it by the end of June 2009" unquote.
2. The case of disparity in "Disability Pension", a baffling anomaly created recently in May 09, must also be addressed by this committee. The details are given below.
3. We request you to project this issue to the Cabinet & have this anomaly removed through the committee headed by Cabinet Secretary.
4. This Petition may also be brought to notice of all Ministers concerned with this issue.
With Regards,
Brig AS Kahlon
DISABILITY PENSION TO ARMED FORCES PRE 2006 RETIREES
1. Vide 6 CPC recommendations, approved by the GOI Resolution No 305 dated 29 August 2008 in so far as it relates to Disability Pension (DP) for Armed Forces personals the following needs to be noted.
a) Prior to 6 CPC the Armed Forces personal were getting a fixed rate DP of Rs 1550 to Rs 2600 per month, depending on the rank held. Refer para 5.1.66 of 6 CPC Report.
b) The DP for civilian has been granted at 30% of pay all along 6 CPC Report para 5.1.21 (ii) refers.
c) Demand made to 6 CPC for revision of rates of DP for Armed Force personal to percentage basis (30 % of pay) as applicable to civilians is at para 5.1.67 of 6 CPC Report.
d) The 6 CPC, after carrying out due analysis, accepted the demand and recommended that DP for Defense Forces personal be paid @ 30% of pay, similar to as applicable for civilians. 6 CPC report para 5.1.68 refers.
2. Revisions of rates of DP for Defense Forces Personal from fixed to percentage basis @ 30% of pay (as recommended by 6 CPC) was approved by GOI vide Resolution dated 29 August 2008.
Why are only Disabled Personals of Armed Forces being Targetted by NOT giving them DP on %age basis as is being given to ALL Similarly placed Civilians Retirees of ALL VINTAGE.
1. In the notification No 16 (6)/ 2008(2)/D Pension and policy dated 5th May 2009 for Post 01-01-2006 retirees the rates of Disability Pension( DP) have been changed from fixed to 30% of pay as approved by GOI resolution.
2. However in the notification No dated 16/ 06/ 2008(1)/D Pension and Policy dated 4th May 2009 for Pre 2006 retirees the DP rates have not been changed to 30% of pay but revised to fixed rates of Rs 3100 to Rs 5980 pm in total contradiction to 6 CPC recommendations approved by the Cabinet.
3. There is absolutely NO rationale or logic for going against what has been approved by the Cabinet and arbitrarily adopting fixed rates of DP for Pre 2006 retirees of Armed Forces only.
4. following points need to be considered:
a) Keeping in view that ALL CIVILIANS were getting DP @ 30 % of pay the 6 CPC had rightly recommended the SAME (as against fixed DP) to be made applicable to defense personal to remove injustice being done to them vis a vis civilians for the past so many years.
b) In case of Civilians there is no distinction between pre 2006 or post 2006 retirees. ALL were & are getting DP on percentage basis @ 30 % of pay. In good faith this should be applied to ALL Defense pensioners as well, as was recommended by 6 CPC.
c) The 6 CPC Recommendations and its Cabinet approval do not mention anywhere that the revised rates of DP on percentage basis will not be applicable to Pre 2006 retirees of the Armed Forces.
d) This notification divides the single homogeneous class of Armed Forces pensioners into two groups, subjecting them to different treatment, by arbitrarily fixing different rates of DP for each class.
5. The spirit behind the 6 CPC recommendation which was to mitigate the injustice meted out to Armed Forces personal in the past by giving them DP at fixed rates vis a vis civilians who were getting much higher DP on percentage basis (30 % of pay) the CPC had recommended the same rate as applicable for civilians. This was to bring about equality amongst all classes of physically challenged government servants.
6. Therefore there is absolutely no justification in targeting pre 2006 physically challenged retirees of Armed forces only by not giving them DP on percentage basis as are being given to all others, across the board.
7. In View of above it is requested that MOD (ESW Dept) Notification No 16(6)/2008(1)/ D (Pension Policy) Dated 4th May 2009 on Disability Pension for Pre 2006 be cancelled.
8. Also it must be investigated as to who is responsible for targetting these phsically challanged/ war wounded personals of Armed Forces & why has a GOI Resolution, approved by the Cabinet, not been implemented in letter & spirit as intented.
9. It appears to be a deliberate mischief to add another anomaly to host of them already existing & to further compound the existing confusion over 6CPC anomallies related to Armed Forces.
10.Please read the Article given below to further confirm this. JAI HIND.
Ironic ‘Rationalisation’
Ironically, the orders of revision of disability pension and other casualty pensionary awards issued on 04 May 2009 for Armed Forces 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:
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
1. As stated by the President in Lok Sabha today,the Cab Secy is heading the committee to resolve disparities in pension of Armed Forces personals. quote "The welfare of ex-servicemen will continue to be accorded high priority. The Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary, to look into the issue of One Rank One Pension has already commenced its work and expects to complete it by the end of June 2009" unquote.
2. The case of disparity in "Disability Pension", a baffling anomaly created recently in May 09, must also be addressed by this committee. The details are given below.
3. We request you to project this issue to the Cabinet & have this anomaly removed through the committee headed by Cabinet Secretary.
4. This Petition may also be brought to notice of all Ministers concerned with this issue.
With Regards,
Brig AS Kahlon
DISABILITY PENSION TO ARMED FORCES PRE 2006 RETIREES
1. Vide 6 CPC recommendations, approved by the GOI Resolution No 305 dated 29 August 2008 in so far as it relates to Disability Pension (DP) for Armed Forces personals the following needs to be noted.
a) Prior to 6 CPC the Armed Forces personal were getting a fixed rate DP of Rs 1550 to Rs 2600 per month, depending on the rank held. Refer para 5.1.66 of 6 CPC Report.
b) The DP for civilian has been granted at 30% of pay all along 6 CPC Report para 5.1.21 (ii) refers.
c) Demand made to 6 CPC for revision of rates of DP for Armed Force personal to percentage basis (30 % of pay) as applicable to civilians is at para 5.1.67 of 6 CPC Report.
d) The 6 CPC, after carrying out due analysis, accepted the demand and recommended that DP for Defense Forces personal be paid @ 30% of pay, similar to as applicable for civilians. 6 CPC report para 5.1.68 refers.
2. Revisions of rates of DP for Defense Forces Personal from fixed to percentage basis @ 30% of pay (as recommended by 6 CPC) was approved by GOI vide Resolution dated 29 August 2008.
Why are only Disabled Personals of Armed Forces being Targetted by NOT giving them DP on %age basis as is being given to ALL Similarly placed Civilians Retirees of ALL VINTAGE.
1. In the notification No 16 (6)/ 2008(2)/D Pension and policy dated 5th May 2009 for Post 01-01-2006 retirees the rates of Disability Pension( DP) have been changed from fixed to 30% of pay as approved by GOI resolution.
2. However in the notification No dated 16/ 06/ 2008(1)/D Pension and Policy dated 4th May 2009 for Pre 2006 retirees the DP rates have not been changed to 30% of pay but revised to fixed rates of Rs 3100 to Rs 5980 pm in total contradiction to 6 CPC recommendations approved by the Cabinet.
3. There is absolutely NO rationale or logic for going against what has been approved by the Cabinet and arbitrarily adopting fixed rates of DP for Pre 2006 retirees of Armed Forces only.
4. following points need to be considered:
a) Keeping in view that ALL CIVILIANS were getting DP @ 30 % of pay the 6 CPC had rightly recommended the SAME (as against fixed DP) to be made applicable to defense personal to remove injustice being done to them vis a vis civilians for the past so many years.
b) In case of Civilians there is no distinction between pre 2006 or post 2006 retirees. ALL were & are getting DP on percentage basis @ 30 % of pay. In good faith this should be applied to ALL Defense pensioners as well, as was recommended by 6 CPC.
c) The 6 CPC Recommendations and its Cabinet approval do not mention anywhere that the revised rates of DP on percentage basis will not be applicable to Pre 2006 retirees of the Armed Forces.
d) This notification divides the single homogeneous class of Armed Forces pensioners into two groups, subjecting them to different treatment, by arbitrarily fixing different rates of DP for each class.
5. The spirit behind the 6 CPC recommendation which was to mitigate the injustice meted out to Armed Forces personal in the past by giving them DP at fixed rates vis a vis civilians who were getting much higher DP on percentage basis (30 % of pay) the CPC had recommended the same rate as applicable for civilians. This was to bring about equality amongst all classes of physically challenged government servants.
6. Therefore there is absolutely no justification in targeting pre 2006 physically challenged retirees of Armed forces only by not giving them DP on percentage basis as are being given to all others, across the board.
7. In View of above it is requested that MOD (ESW Dept) Notification No 16(6)/2008(1)/ D (Pension Policy) Dated 4th May 2009 on Disability Pension for Pre 2006 be cancelled.
8. Also it must be investigated as to who is responsible for targetting these phsically challanged/ war wounded personals of Armed Forces & why has a GOI Resolution, approved by the Cabinet, not been implemented in letter & spirit as intented.
9. It appears to be a deliberate mischief to add another anomaly to host of them already existing & to further compound the existing confusion over 6CPC anomallies related to Armed Forces.
10.Please read the Article given below to further confirm this. JAI HIND.
Ironic ‘Rationalisation’
Ironically, the orders of revision of disability pension and other casualty pensionary awards issued on 04 May 2009 for Armed Forces 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:
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
Weightage to Calculate Qual service for Pension by wg Cdr CK sharma
From: CK Sharma seekayess@gmail.com
Subject: Weightage to Calculate Qualifying Service for Pension
To: DELETED
Date: Monday, 8 June, 2009, 3:14 PM
Since I have raised this question of a few of you earlier in the day, I have, since then been able to since locate the authority for the "Weightage" years permissible for each rank for calculation of qualifying service for pension.
The file is attached for your ready reference.
Warm Regards!
CK Sharma
(Wg Cdr CK Sharma, Member IESM Steering Committee)
................
http://pcdapension.nic.in/comm/qs.htm
Qualifying Service for Pension
The minimum period of qualifying service (without Weightage) for earning retiring pension shall be 20 years (15 years in the case of late entrants).
Actual qualifying service rendered by the officer plus a weightage (in years) appropriate to the last rank held as indicated below subject to total qualifying service including weightage not exceeding 33 Years.
A fraction of a year equal to 3 months and above but less than 6 months shall be treated as a completed ½ year. Similarly, nine months or more but less than one year shall be treated as a competed one year and reckoned as qualifying service.
This shall, however, not be applicable for completing minimum qualifying service for pensionary award.
Periods of Service Qualifying Service for Pension
Service as a permanent regular Commissioned Officer
Service rendered before attaining the age of 17 years.
Embodied or called out service as an officer of TA or Auxiliary Air Force subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
Service in the rank if followed by permanent regular Commissioned service without a break subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
All leave including study leave with pay.
Period of suspension from duty when the officer is not brought on trial or court martial with result favour-able to the officer.
Service under an Office /Department/Ministry of the Central or State Government.
Any period of Civil service under Central or State Government. if followed by military service subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
Service rendered in the autonomous bodies
The period of ante-date of commission and the period of Secondment subject to the following maxima:-
1. Ante-date of commission –18 months
2. Secondment -12 months
3. when both ante- date and Secondment granted – 24 months
· Service rendered in aid of civil administration.
Weightage Admissible: Service Officers (Other than MNS)
Rank Weightage in Years
Lieutenant 9 years
Captain 9 Years
Major 8 Years
Lt. Col. (TS) 5 Years
Lt. Col. (S) 7 years
Colonel(TS) 7 years
Colonel 7 Years
Brigadier 5 Years
Major General 3 Years
Lt. General 3 Years
Chief of the Army Staff 3 Years
Weightage Admissible : MNS officers
Rank Weightage in Years
Captain 7 Years
Major 6Years
Lt. Colonel 5 Years
Colonel 5 Years
Brigadier 3 Years
Major General 3 Years
Weightage Admissible : ECOs/SSCO
Rank Weightage in Years
12 years and more but less than 20 years5 Years
20 years and aboveRank wise weightage as given for Service Officers (Other than MNS)
Weightage Not Admissible
Weightage is not admissible in following cases:-
· officers who retire pre-maturely for permanent absorption in public sector under takings and autonomous bodies.
· officers of the Territorial Army.
· for determining the minimum qualifying service for retiring pension.
---------
Subject: Weightage to Calculate Qualifying Service for Pension
To: DELETED
Date: Monday, 8 June, 2009, 3:14 PM
Since I have raised this question of a few of you earlier in the day, I have, since then been able to since locate the authority for the "Weightage" years permissible for each rank for calculation of qualifying service for pension.
The file is attached for your ready reference.
Warm Regards!
CK Sharma
(Wg Cdr CK Sharma, Member IESM Steering Committee)
................
http://pcdapension.nic.in/comm/qs.htm
Qualifying Service for Pension
The minimum period of qualifying service (without Weightage) for earning retiring pension shall be 20 years (15 years in the case of late entrants).
Actual qualifying service rendered by the officer plus a weightage (in years) appropriate to the last rank held as indicated below subject to total qualifying service including weightage not exceeding 33 Years.
A fraction of a year equal to 3 months and above but less than 6 months shall be treated as a completed ½ year. Similarly, nine months or more but less than one year shall be treated as a competed one year and reckoned as qualifying service.
This shall, however, not be applicable for completing minimum qualifying service for pensionary award.
Periods of Service Qualifying Service for Pension
Service as a permanent regular Commissioned Officer
Service rendered before attaining the age of 17 years.
Embodied or called out service as an officer of TA or Auxiliary Air Force subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
Service in the rank if followed by permanent regular Commissioned service without a break subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
All leave including study leave with pay.
Period of suspension from duty when the officer is not brought on trial or court martial with result favour-able to the officer.
Service under an Office /Department/Ministry of the Central or State Government.
Any period of Civil service under Central or State Government. if followed by military service subject to refund of gratuity, if any.
Service rendered in the autonomous bodies
The period of ante-date of commission and the period of Secondment subject to the following maxima:-
1. Ante-date of commission –18 months
2. Secondment -12 months
3. when both ante- date and Secondment granted – 24 months
· Service rendered in aid of civil administration.
Weightage Admissible: Service Officers (Other than MNS)
Rank Weightage in Years
Lieutenant 9 years
Captain 9 Years
Major 8 Years
Lt. Col. (TS) 5 Years
Lt. Col. (S) 7 years
Colonel(TS) 7 years
Colonel 7 Years
Brigadier 5 Years
Major General 3 Years
Lt. General 3 Years
Chief of the Army Staff 3 Years
Weightage Admissible : MNS officers
Rank Weightage in Years
Captain 7 Years
Major 6Years
Lt. Colonel 5 Years
Colonel 5 Years
Brigadier 3 Years
Major General 3 Years
Weightage Admissible : ECOs/SSCO
Rank Weightage in Years
12 years and more but less than 20 years5 Years
20 years and aboveRank wise weightage as given for Service Officers (Other than MNS)
Weightage Not Admissible
Weightage is not admissible in following cases:-
· officers who retire pre-maturely for permanent absorption in public sector under takings and autonomous bodies.
· officers of the Territorial Army.
· for determining the minimum qualifying service for retiring pension.
---------
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