Ex-servicemen want pension anomalies rectified

Patiala, February 4
The Punjab Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association said its “one rank, one pension” demand, had only been accepted in principle by various governments. In April 1999, the association claimed, the Defence Minister had assured the ex-servicemen the demand would be implemented the moment he reached Delhi but nothing was done.

The Sixth Pay Commission, it said, had complicated the issue by introducing stretched pay bands for serving soldiers, thus creating huge gap in the pensions of veterans and newly retired or soon-to-retire soldiers.

Association general secretary, Col Kuldeep Singh Grewal, asserted a sepoy at present with seven years of service was getting Rs 10,640 as pay. Even if he retired with the same pay without earning any increment, he was likely to get 70 per cent of this pay as basic pension i.e. Rs. 7448 plus 16 per cent dearness allowance as applicable today raising the entitlement to Rs 9464. But, a sepoy who retired in 2006 was entitled to basic pension of Rs 4667. Similarly, among the officer cadre there would be huge gap in the pension of those who retired before and after 2006.

Grewal demanded separate pay commission to carry out revision of pay and pensions and look into the anomalies pointed out.
Ex-servicemen want pension anomalies rectified