Monday, November 28, 2011

Pension for Ex-Servicemen of Pre-Independence Era

Ex-servicemen with service less than 15 years as PBOR and less than 20 years as Commissioned Officers are not entitled to pension as minimum qualifying service is a mandatory requirement to earn pension.

Minimum qualifying service is an essential criterion for earning pension in the Armed Forces as per the existing Army, Navy & Air Force Pension Regulations.

There is no proposal under consideration of the government to grant pension to a large number of armed forces personnel who retired during pre-independence period but are still alive and not entitled to any pensionary benefits.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju in written reply to Shri G.M. Siddeshwara in Lok Sabha on 28 Nov. Source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=77660

Army weapons to be exhibited to attribute 'Army Mela'

Display of weapons and army equipment including artillery guns and fly past by fighter jets and helicopters as well as various cultural events will mark the ‘Army Mela’ here on December 10 under aegis of the Southern Army Command.

The Southern Command of the Army chose this town as the venue of this year’s ‘Army Mela’ to showcase modern military weapons and equipment as part of allowing the public to see the Army’s facilities and capabilities as also to create awareness among ex-service personnel on various welfare schemes being implemented for them, Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre Deputy Commandant V.U. Manoj said at a press meet here on Monday.
Apart from the display of the weapons and equipment, the mela would also include a military pageant and facilities for ex-service persons to redress their grievances and to get assistance, he informed. A stall would be opened for those interested in participating in the Army’s recruitment drive.

The pageant to be held at the Jawahar Stadium on December 10 would be inaugurated by Defence Minister A.K. Antony. The spectacle would start with the fly past by fighter aircrafts including Dornier light transport aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force, Lt. Col. Manoj said. The show would also include para motoring, sky diving, hot air balloon, daring feats of the Army’s Dare Devil motor cycle riders, horse show and dog show and band display, among others.

An exhibition showcasing the weapons would begin at the Police Maidan at 8.30 a.m. The exhibition featuring an array of weapons possessed by the Army would include T-72 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, BrahMos missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers, various improvised explosive devices, and nuclear, biological and chemical warfare suit, artillery guns and bridging equipment. Maj. Gen. A.K. Pradhan, General Officer Commanding (Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area) would formally open the exhibition at 8.30 a.m. Both the exhibition and the pageant would be open to the public, Lt. Col. Manoj said. A full dress rehearsal of the Army Mela programmes would be held on December 8 would also be open to the public, he added.

He also informed that ex-servicemen grievance/help stalls would be opened by various regiments and corps and also by the Sailors Bureau and the IAF to address grievances of ex-servicemen. A free medical camp would also be organised for the retired jawans, he added. He said that the district administration, the Kannur municipality and the police had extended their co-operation for holding the event. The ‘mela’ would culminate with a cultural event and fireworks. Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article2668027.ece

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Ex-servicemen Join OROP Campaign in Delhi


Pune: Joining the nationwide campaign for One Rank One Pension, members of Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM) from the city participated in a rally in New Delhi on Saturday 12th of Nov 2011. With signatures signed with blood and medals in their hands to be returned to the President, over 3,000 ex-servicemen reiterated their demands of One Rank One Pension (OROP), National Commission for the Armed Forces and an Independent and Exclusive Pay Commission for the Armed Forces. Over 10 members from the city had joined the campaign with a few taking part in the delegation that wanted to meet President Pratibha Patil but could not do so.


“This is a serious issue and the government has not been taking due notice of the ex-servicemens’ demands. We now plan to intensify the movement. The ideal outcome of today’s movement will be to go back to our states and build up individual rallies to generate pressure on the government,” said Brigadier (retd) Sharad Luktuke, member, IESM, speaking to Newsline from Delhi. The rally that began at 10.15 am at Jantar Mantar concluded around 3 pm.


A press release issued by IESM said, “The Defence veterans, their families and supporters have now resolved to intensify their protest movement across the country to highlight the grave injustice which the Centre is doing to them by not accepting their genuine demands in total disregard to the services rendered by the erstwhile soldiers. The graver injustice has been done to Defence widows, who are in receipt of family pension, by excluding them from the ambit of enhancement of pensions of JCOs and Other Ranks carried out in Mar 2010.” Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Ex-servicemen-from-city-join-OROP-campaign-in-Delhi/874999/

Quick and Accurate Disbursement of Pension to Ex-Servicemen


For information of Defence Pensioners


Government of India has taken a number of  decisions to improve the benefits of defence pensioners. The most  recent improvements are implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission Report and further improvements as per Cabinet Secretary Committee’s Report.


2. In order to enable Defence pensioners to know their correct entitlement as a result of various Govt. orders,  the  Controller  General  of  Defence  Accounts  (CGDA)  has  developed  a software  called “Suvigya”.  This software requires some minimum inputs to be provided about the pensioner (e.g. date of discharge/ retirement, rank / group, qualifying service, date of birth, initial pension etc.).  On the basis of this information, “Suvigya” shows the changes in pension as a result of different revisions and the latest pension entitlements.  The software also provides for taking print-out of the result.


3. “Suvigya”  software has been installed in the offices of Rajya / Zila Sainik Boards and Defence Pension Disbursement Offices (DPDOs) in a phased manner. Defence pensioners can approach any of these offices (irrespective of where they reside or the agency from which they draw their pension) to know their correct entitlements through “Suvigya”.  In case they are not being paid their pension as per entitlement, they may take up the matter with their Pension Disbursing Agencies.Source:http://www.davp.nic.in, http://www.davp.nic.in/WriteReadData/ADS/eng_10406_1_1112b.pdf

TNEB to Recruit 75 more Ex-servicemen to Crackdown Power Theft



CHENNAI: Ex-servicemen who were roped into the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) have cracked 1,004 cases of power theft in a month and levied fines worth Rs 227.73 lakh on erring consumers across the state. Impressed by their work, the TNEB has decided to recruit 75 more ex-servicemen to crackdown on power theft. 


In her election manifesto, chief minister J Jayalalithaa had said ex-servicemen will be hired to curtail energy theft. Soon after, 25 teams of ex-servicemen were formed and trained from September 26 to October 1 to detect electricity theft/misuse in 25 distribution circles prone to theft. 


Each team comprises five ex-servicemen. They were trained to detect power theft, the basics of electricity flow, how meters can be tampered with and other technical details. The Coimbatore and Namakkal squads have levied fines to the tune of Rs 19 lakh. 


TheMadurai metro andChennai south teams have levied fines to the tune of Rs 16 lakh, and Dharmapuri and Trichy, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively. Most of these cases related to tampered meters andillegalcollections.The additional 15 squads will be formedtodetecttheftin 15distribution circles. 


Theft is a major part of the state's transmission and distribution lossesthattake away 18% of all power generation. "Crores of rupees can be saved by detecting power theft.Theboard'sfinancialsituation will improve to a great extent," said a source. Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/10851781.cms

Halted Projects Taken up at General House Meet


Nominated councillors of the MC, on Friday, complained that proposed projects were lying incomplete. The issue was raised during the meeting of the General House. Due to the code of conduct, no development agenda items were discussed.


Nominated councillor, Brig K S Chandpuri said that he had been demanding that the quota for ex-servicemen in Class 3 and 4 posts be filled. “Even though the Centre has approved the posts, recruitment is not being done,” he said. Mayor Ravinder Pal Singh Pali stated that permission was still awaited from the Administration on the issue.


Brig Chandpuri also complained about the proposed international stadium which has seen no construction eventhough it has received approval from the MC


Councillor Dr Pam Rajput stated that the project of Mahila Bhawan should be completed at the earliest. The proposal was mooted in the beginning of this term, but no construction has been done.


Dr Pam Rajput, while recalling the past five years in the House, said that the atmosphere of acrimony that was created should be avoided in the next term. “Decisions should not be taken on party basis,” said the doctor.


With the polls due next month, accusations were hurled by elected representatives. Councillor Harjinder Kaur said that work for carpeting roads was stopped in her ward after a complaint was made due to political considerations. Chief Engineer S S Bida said that the work would be started soon.


It was decided that the MC will be starting a pilot project for garbage collection from Sector 22. The details will be worked by the Finance and Contract Committee. Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Stalled-projects-taken-up-at-General-House-meet/880687/

Paramilitary Men Demand for Pay Equality


KANNUR: The All India Central Para-Military Forces Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association will hold a general body meeting on Sunday at the A R Camp Auditorium here to pressure the central government to look into their grievances.


Office bearers of the association said at a press meet here on Friday that injustice was being meted out to nearly 11 lakh paramilitary men in service and seven lakh ex-servicemen and their families.


These men are serving in difficult regions fighting anti-nationals and extremist forces, but the soldiers in CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles were being discriminated against, not being given benefits on par with other defence forces, they alleged.


These forces come under the home ministry, but when it comes to salary and other benefits, they get a step-motherly treatment from the government, they said, adding that unlike defence personnel, paramilitary personnel and the members of their families don't get any medical benefits.


They are demanding that they too be given salary and pension benefits on par with men of other defence services. The one-rank-one-pension scheme should be implemented for them as well, the office bearers said. Following their persistent demand, the Centre has now provided them some facilities, including the provision to get essential goods through the central police canteen.


And the Kerala government has added its bit by abolishing the value added tax (VAT) for goods bought from these canteens, they said.The Central Para-Military Forces Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association has alleged that the government is ignoring the demands of the paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles though they work in the difficult regions fighting the anti-nationals and extremist forces.


While addressing a press conference here on Friday, the association office bearers said the government is doing injustice to the nearly 11 lakh people now working in these forces and also seven lakh ex-servicemen and their families.


Though these forces, which are under the Home Ministry, guard the nation from the intruders as well as the militant forces, when it comes to the salary and other benefits, they get a step-motherly attitude from the government, alleged the association.


They demanded the paramilitary force personnel should also get salary and pension benefits at par with that of other defence forces, and also the one rank one pension scheme should be implemented for them as well.


Also, the association said that unlike the defence personnel, those who work in these forces or their family members don't get any medical benefits.


They said, following their persistent demand the government has now given some facilities including the provision to get essential goods through the central police canteen and also, the Kerala government has abolished the value added tax (VAT) for the articles distributed via these canteens.


The association will hold a general body meeting on November 27 at the A R Camp Auditorium to press the central government to look into their demands, said the office bearers. Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-26/kochi/30444664_1_defence-personnel-office-bearers-defence-forces

Ex-Servicemen to Handle Parkings


Fed up with constant complaints of parking attendants fleecing the public, the MCD will be roping in the services of ex-servicemen to rein in the parking mafia in the city. The agency will allot 42 of its parking sites to ex-servicemen. “To begin with, 12 such sites would be given to them, but we are also planning to give them 30 other sites as there were no takers for these lots after we attached new conditions like the use of hand-held machines,” said ASA Khan, in charge of Remunerative Project cell of MCD. On Saturday, the civic agency called for tenders asking ex-servicemen to apply till December 21.


These parking sites are located in areas such as Jhandewalan, Chandni  Chowk, Shahdara and Pitampura, among others.


“We had received a number of complaints from the public about being overcharged or attendants arguing with them. We want to put an end to that. The ex-servicemen are trained staff and they will be able to deal with such miscreants,” said a senior MCD official.


Delhi’s Lt-Governor had mooted this idea of engaging ex-servicemen to man parking lots. Though the initial plan was to hand over all the parking sites to them but due to opposition from MCD’s political wing, the number was restricted. Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Ex-servicemen-to-handle-parkings/Article1-774548.aspx