AN APPEAL TO SMT.SONIA GANDHI FOR OROP

 AN APPEAL TO MRS SONIA GANDHI TO GRANT JUSTICE TO THE DEFENCE PERSONNEL

Date:  14 Sep 2010 To, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Congress President & UPA Chairperson, 10 Janpath, New Delhi -11 AN APPEAL TO MRS SONIA GANDHI TO GRANT JUSTICE TO THE DEFENCE PERSONNEL Dear Madam, 1.   We the veteran defence personnel of India appeal to you for your personal intervention to grant justice to the Defence Personnel. The Govt has not only not considered our genuine demands but has adopted indifferent attitude towards us.   The manner the Govt is contesting the Court Rulings given in favour of Defence Personnel, reveal its intentions and attitude towards our demands. 2.   The main demand of “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) which means Same Rank-Same Length of Service-Same Pension irrespective of the date of retirement. The All party Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence with the strength of 31 MPs while tabling its report on 07th May 2010 has strongly recommended grant of OROP to the Defence Personnel holistically.   Over four months have passed, the Govt has not taken decision on this important demand of Defence Personnel having far reaching consequences on the profession of arms.   The chairman of the Defence Committee Sh Satpal Ji Maharaj has once again written a letter to Defence Minister on 27 Aug 2010 strongly recommending the grant of OROP (Copy attached). 3.   Majority of the 740 MPs support our demand of OROP, however it is reliably learnt that one or two senior bureaucrats in the Govt want to teach lesson to the veteran soldiers for airing their views in public, depositing medals and signing memorandum to the Supreme Commander in blood.   A copy of the letter of Sh.Rajeev Chandrashekar and independent MP written to the PM on not accepting the enhancement of pension of MPs  till OROP is granted to the Defence Personnel is enclosed for your perusal please. 4.   While passing a very significant and important order, the Supreme Court has asked the Govt to consider setting up of Separate Independent Commission headed by a retired judge both for serving and retired members of the Armed Forces.  A bench comprising of Justice Markandey Katju and T. S. Thakur asked Attorney General GE Vahanvati and Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to forward the suggestion to the Govt and get its response by October 18, the next date of hearing of the rank pay case.  The following other observations have been made by the Supreme Court:- (a)  The forces are disciplined, that is the reason why they do not hold violent rallies.   BUT THEY ARE RETURNING MEDALS IN PROTEST.   They have done so much for the country, but they get a feeling that bureaucrats don’t hear them. (b) There is discontentment amongst the serving and the retired armed forces personnel highlighted by recent return of medals, burning of artificial limbs and fratricidal assaults.  (c)   Armed Forced have many grievances which are not being properly addressed by   the Union Govt.  (d)   SC slammed the Govt for making Defence personnel run from pillar to post for getting their salary disputes resolved.  “The day the soldiers are forced to fight for their salaries, it would be a sad day for the country, the bench remarked”. 5.  The above order of the SC bench and its observations clearly reveal apathy, neglect and negative attitude of the Govt and bureaucracy towards the grievances of pay and pensions of Defence Personnel.  6.   Madam Sonia Gandhi, we the defence personnel are asking for equity and justice which the Govt should have considered and granted to us.   The Supreme Court in its order on 08 Sep 2010 critisised the Govt for making the  defence personnel run from pillar to post for getting their salary disputes resolved. The apex court said the sane advice of Chanakya was valid even today and it was unfortunate that army personnel are forced to knock the doors of the court for rectifying their salary anomalies”.  However, SC graciously did not mention the complete quote of Kautalya to the King Maurya given 2000 year back. Excerpt from a letter from Kautilya to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, mentioned in the formers 'Arthashastra', about 2000 years ago. “Pataliputra rests each night in peaceful comfort, O King, secure in the belief that the distant borders of Magadha are inviolate and the interiors are safe and secure, thanks only to the Mauryan Army standing vigil with naked swords and eyes peeled for action, day and night, in weather fair and foul, all eight pahars (round the clock), quite unmindful of personal discomfort and hardship, all through the year, year after year. To this man, O Rajadhiraja, you owe a debt: please, therefore, see to it, suo motu, that the soldier continuously gets his dues in every form and respect, be they his needs or his wants, for he is not likely to ask for them himself. The day the soldier has to demand his dues will be a sad day for Magadha for then, on that day, you will have lost all moral sanction to be King!”   7.  Madam we feel the Govt must be considerate towards the armed forces who are the strongest pillar of our democracy and once again appeal to you to intervene in the matter and ask the Govt to grant OROP at the earliest.  With Kind Regards, Jai Hind                                   Yours Sincerely,  Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM, Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570 Email : satbirsm@gmail.com  Copy to :- Mr Manmohan Singh Hon’ble Prime Minister Of India, 7 Race Course Road, New Delhi 110011 Sh. A.K. Antony, Defence Minister, 104, South Block, New Delhi    Gen Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC, Chief of the Army Staff Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Army) South Block, New Delhi-110011  Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Naval Staff Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Navy) South Block, New Delhi-110011 Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, PVSM, VSM, ADC Chief of the Air Staff Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Air Force)  Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi-110011

-----------

WE THE PEOPLE - NDTV - ON OROP ON 12.09.10 AT 8 PM.

Ms.Bharkha Dutt with Lt.Gen.Oberai on NDTV

A LIVELY DEBATE ON OROP BY NDTV’S Ms.BHARKHA DUTT

Our kudos to Ms.Bharkha Dutt for having conducted

such a wonderful debate on OROP.

A great achievement by IESM.

Our special thanks to Shri Rajeev Chandra Sekar M.P.

Capt.Sidhu’s expression was powerful.

The IESM leaders deserves full appreciation.

It seems the Former Defence Secretary Ms.Indhu Liberhan complicated

the issue (in the past)  as not legally tenable.  Therefore more and more

contempt petitions and review petitions are piling in the Supreme court.

A learned professor says “difference in the pensions of a Son and Father”

is the law of nature.  A cruel man made injustice is being called “law of nature”.

The message by Gen.Raj Kadyan “Dying for the Country & Getting killed are Different”

The outcome of the debate is very clear

It is not the people of India who deny OROP

It is not the politicians who deny OROP

It is not the civilian employees who deny OROP

It is the bureaucrats (R) bureaucrats who Deny OROP TO ARMED FORCES.

YOU CAN VIEW THE 50 MINUTES PROGRAMME 

BY CLICKING HERE

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/pension-for-ex-armymen-a-question-of-equality/163348

IESL AND IESM UNITY IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR

If they are fighting for the same cause, then

let them come under one umbrella.

IESL & IESM (Unity effort-1)
IESL & IESM can easily join,
'Cos they are two sides of the same coin.
Difference is only in their name,
As their aim and objective is nearly same.
IESL has size and IESM has speed,
Together they can complete the deed.
Let ego and proud disappear,
And unity and grace reappear.
They can sit across the table and decide
And let the great opportunity not slide.
It is for those two million ex servicemen,
That we officers work and toil as gentlemen.
Their unity will bring thunder,
Then none can commit a blunder.
This is my humble request,
Let it not get simply past.
BRIGADIER KARTAR SINGH
PRESIDENT, Rajashtan ESL.

"indianexserviceman blog is proud to dedicate its services

for the unity of these great organisations"

long live ex-servicemen unity.

A GRAND ARMY MELA AT MADURAI

THE INDIAN ARMY’S GRAND MELA AT MADURAI

It is proposed to conduct a grand Army Mela at Madurai (The Temple city of Tamilnadu) on 15, 16 and 17^th October, 2010. (For Three days)

The Mela will comprise of the following events.

Recruitment Rally

 Presentation ceremony cum esm. Rally

Awareness & Assistance camp

Image projection events

 Weapon/Equipments display

Motor cycle display

Band display

Hot Air Balooning

Para Motor display

Cultural Programmes

 Fire Works

Dog Show

Horse Show

Medical Camp

SKY DIVING

 

AKASH GANGA

And many more.

It will be a greatest show of the Indian army.

First of its kind to be seen in south India.

For more details contact: ESM Helpline Centre, Fort St. George, Chennai.

HELP THE BANKS TO GET YOUR CORRECT PENSION

HELP THE BANKS TO GET YOUR CORRECT PENSION

Defence pension is a dry subject.  All the pension paying banks are finding it very difficult to cope up with the mounting pressure from the defence pensioners.  The main reason for mounting complaints against banks on defence pension payments is due to lack of awareness on the part of defence pensioners and family pensioners.

Most of the defence pensioners, just accept whatever the banks pays.  The never verify the correctness of their pension payment on monthly basis, because they believe that the banks will never make any mistake, they will always pay correct pension.  Banks on the other hand takes it for granted, since there is no complaint from the pensioner their payment is correct.

Now, due to the repeated announcement in various pensioners meetings about the entitlement of each class of pensioners, things are coming out.  Therefore the importance of individual awareness is very important.

Every defence pensioner must keep certain important particulars such as Rank, qualifying service, Group, date of discharge, date of birth, percentage of disability etc., etc., in memory to get their correct pension.

It is due to the non-availability of these particulars in the data base of the banks, most of the pensioners are not getting their correct pension.

Once these particulars are updated in the data bases of the banks, with the help of the pensioners, the problems will be solved forever.  Almost all the banks are centralizing the process of pension payments.  It is expected that a smooth transition will take place in a few months.  Let us all co-operate to the banks by feeding correct particulars about each and every pensioner.

SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

Some useful information from Indian Air Force Website.

Besides the additional pension, certain other new provisions of VI CPC and other key provisions which can affect the entitlement to pension/family pensionary benefits are as follows:-

(a) The minimum pension/family pension wef 01.01.06 is Rs 3500/- plus DR.

(b) The rates for 100% disability element of pension are revised to Rs 5880/-pm for commissioned officers and honorary commissioned officers wef 01-01-06. Similarly it is revised to Rs 4300/- and 3510/- pm for warranted ranks (JWO,WO & MWO) and other ranks respectively. For disability, which is less than 100%, proportionate reduction in the amount will be done. The rates of constant attendant allowance have been increased to Rs 3000/-pm wef 01-01-06 irrespective of rank. This will further increase by 25% every time, when the DR on the revised Pay Band goes up to 50%.

(c) Broad banding of disability pension for invalidated officers is permitted, since

V CPC i.e. 01-01-1996. This broad banding is done to the nearest higher figure at

50%, 75% and 100%. Earlier this facility was not extended to pre 01-01-1996

pensioners. Now, wef 01-07-2009, this facility is extended to all pre 01-01-1996

disability pensioners who were invalidated out of service.

(d) Disability pensioners are exempted from income tax on their complete pension

which includes service element and disability element.

(e) Enhanced family pension (50% of last pay) was payable for seven years from

the date of death of the officer. After VI CPC, enhanced rate of family pension for post retirement death remains unchanged at seven years; however, for in-service death of an officer, the enhanced rate of family pension is now extended to 10 years from earlier period of 07 years. For those cases where enhanced rate of family pension for seven years has been completed before 01 Jan 06, there is no change. However, if seven years of enhanced pension is falling due on 01 Jan 06 or beyond (for service death cases only), then case is to be taken up through this office (Dte of PP&R) for extending the enhanced family pension by three years (total 10 yrs) through issue of Corr PPO by CDA. PBOR should take up case on similar lines with AFRO.

(f) Widows in receipt of Special family Pension (SFP) were permitted to

draw their family pension even after remarriage after V CPC i.e. 01-01- 1996. SFP

is primarily given for death which is attributable to service. Widows, who were

remarried before 01-01-1996, were not eligible for the same. Now widows in receipt of SFP who were remarried before 01-01-1996 and whose family pension was stopped are eligible for grant of SFP wef 20-01-2009. The widows who are eligible should apply to this office in the case of officers and to AFRO for cases related to PBOR.

(g) Widows in receipt of ordinary family pension (OFP) were not eligible for family pension after remarriage. However, as an exception a child less widow after VI CPC, is eligible for ordinary family pension after remarriage, subject to fulfillment of certain laid down income criteria. The widows who are eligible should apply to this office in case of officers and to AFRO for cases of PBOR.

(h) Widows whose husbands were in receipt of gallantry awards (PVC, Ashok

chakra, MVC, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, VM (Gallantry), are entitled  to the same monetary allowance (rates doubled wef 14 May 08) after the death of their husband. In addition, they are exempt from income tax on their full pension.

(j) The recipients of Gallantry award winners of Chakra series (PVC, MVC, Vr C,

Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shourya Chakra) and their widows are entitled for complementary card passes along with a companion from the Indian Railways, for free travel in first class/ second AC. The passes will be issued by the office of

Divisional Railway Manager and Headquarters office of the Railways on receipt of an application on plain paper. Widows will be required to additionally submit copy of death certificate and non remarriage certificate from a gazetted officer.

(k) Handicapped children (not capable of earning livelihood) and Unmarried /

divorced / widow daughter are eligible for family pension subject to fulfillment of

income criteria and Audit verification. For Endorsement of the name of handicapped child in the PPO, an officer can apply during his life time. However, unmarried /divorced / widow daughter can apply for family pension only if she is unmarried/remains divorced at the time of demise of her last surviving parent (father or mother).Her name will not be annotated in the PPO during parent’s life time.

Note:

1. Knowledge is power. Without appropriate knowledge on the provisions of VI CPC, no meaningful action can be initiated by the pre 01-01- 06 pensioners to rectify their incorrect pension fixation.