Chennai, March 13, 2008
Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman, a former Vice Chief of Army Staff, who retired from service in 2006 and returned to the city to settle down here, has been struggling for the last 14 months to get his ration card for his family. He has held several key posts in the Army including GOC in C Western Command.
The General has been denied a ration card as he refused to grease the palms of officials. Despite making several complaints to civil supplies department, the officials there have not taken any steps to provide the ration cards," alleged a senior Army Officer. With the efforts of representatives of the retired Army Officer, who had visited the civil supplies department many times coming to a naught, Gen Pattabhiraman approached Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary LK Tripathy for his intervention.
"At a recently held Rally at Pallavaram for Ex- Servicemen, the matter was taken with the Chief Secretary and he had assured us that the Lt Gen would receive his Ration Card by Monday," the officials said. They also pointed out that many ESM faced similar problems after retirement as they could never settle down in a place while in service.
"We have asked the State Government Officials to give a special consideration for all ESM and issue them essential Ration Cards and documents. If this is how an Army General is treated, one can imagine the problems encountered by simple Jawans whose level of approach is the the lowest rung of the ladder. Jawans finally end up paying the bribes." the Army Officials added.
Pradeep Damodaran
Reproduced from Deccan Chronicle 14 March 2008
News Clip forwarded by Maj PM Ravindran (Retd)
Comments: The General was keen to obtain the Family Ration Card only for purposes of Identity Proof and not for obtaining Rations. The drivers license, Retired Army Officers Identity Card, Credit and ATM cards, ESM Soldiers Identity Card issued by Sainik Zilla Boards are all invalid as Identity Proof. The Citizens Voter Identity Card and PAN card are also not generally (not) accepted as identity proof as it can be tampered with. The other only valid Identity Proof is Indian Passport. Can the ESM expect a National Identity Proof acceptable All India to be issued by the MoD in the near future, like Passports issued by MEA?
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This is not an official Blog site. This forum is run by team of ex- Corps of Signals, Indian Army, Veterans for social networking of Indian Defence Veterans. It is not affiliated to or officially recognized by the MoD or the AHQ, Director General of Signals or Government/ State.
The Report My Signal Forum will endeavor to edit/ delete any material which is considered offensive, undesirable and or impinging on national security. The Blog Team is very conscious of potentially questionable content. However, where a content is posted and between posting and removal from the blog in such cases, the act does not reflect either the condoning or endorsing of said material by the Team.
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