Abolish sahayak system: House panel to Army

Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 4, 2010
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence today asked the Indian Army to abolish the “colonial” practice of employing jawans as sahayaks of officers. It also expressed "strong displeasure" over the Defence Ministry's procedure to assess the exact level of indigenisation achieved by its production agencies to manufacture equipment.

On sahayaks, the committee asked the Army to abolish the "demeaning and humiliating" system. In an action taken report tabled in both the Houses of the Parliament, the committee said it was unable to comprehend why it was necessary to continue with the sahayak system that "lowers the self-esteem of a jawan" when the Navy and Air force have abandoned it.

Several jawans were engaged at the residence of senior officers for domestic work and to serve the family members of officers. In reply, to the committee's suggestion, the Defence Ministry had said a sahayak was "a comrade-in-arms" to officers.

The Army has issued instructions to its units to ensure that combatant soldiers were under no circumstances be employed on a job not in conformity with the dignity and self-respect of a soldier.
Abolish sahayak system: House panel to Army

Bureaucrats hoodwink the Nation by giving false inputs to Parliament on ESM Pensions

PRESS RELEASE
EX-SERVICEMEN DEPLORE PRIME MINISTER’s STATEMENT
1. The Executive Committee of the All India Defence Brotherhood (Regd) in a meeting today strongly deplored the answer given by the Prime Minister to a question raised in the Parliament on 03 March by Hon’ble Shri LK Advani, Chairman of the NDA, as to why the "One Rank One Pension" (OROP) had not been implemented. The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh made a WRONG statement on the floor of the House, which was telecast live by the Lok Sabha TV Channel, that the enhancement of pensions to JCO’S and Jawans announced by the Govt on 06 July 09 had been implemented.
2. The fact is, till today, NO Jawan or JCO has received due enhancement of their pensions. Even the Service HQs, where an inquiry was made, have confirmed that NO orders for enhancement of pensions of JCOs and Jawans, as announced by the Govt on 06 July 2009 have been received. Only the fifth Pay Commission (pre- 1996) retirees have been brought closer to post 1996 retirees. PARITY BETWEEN PRE AND POST 6TH PAY COMMISSION RETIREES HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AT ALL. To cover up his govt’s neglect of the defence forces, the PM blatantly accused Mr Adavani of trying to create a rift between the govt and the Defence Forces by raising such a question, even though it was a most pertinent one for the ‘Morale’ of the latter, which is a ‘Battle Winning’ factor.
4. As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s ruling, ‘Pension’ is ‘Deferred Wages’ for the ‘Services Rendered’ (earlier). Irrespective of their date of retirement, two persons who rendered the same service, both in terms of ‘Quality’ and ‘Quantity’ should get the same ‘Deferred Wages’ (Pension). In the Defence Forces the ‘Quality’ of service is defined by the ‘Rank’ attained and the ‘Quantity’ by the length of service under similar ‘Determinants’ of Pension. Hence the demand of the OROP, which goes back to 1980s and had been accepted ‘in Principle’ by many Prime Ministers including Mrs Indira Gandhi, Mr VP Singh and Mr AB Vajpayee, etc. Unlike the Civilians, the Soldiers are the only people whose everything depends upon “Ranks”, whether it be, age of retirement, length of service in a ‘Rank’etc. The world over "Ranks" conform to internationally accepted norms, eg a Battalion is commanded by a Lt Colonel/ Colonel and a ship by a Captain. If everything depends upon "Rank", their pension should also depend upon it, irrespective of their date of retirement. An old Naib Subedar, who has enormous responsibilities, gets LESS pension than a newly retired Civilian ‘Chaprasi’ (Peon). An old Sepoy gets much less than a newly retired Sepoy. IS THIS JUSTICE?
5. Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President promised, in a vast Ex-Servicemen’s "Rally" in November 2002, to grant them One Rank One Pension if voted to power. Tragically that promise has NOT been fulfilled. Reference to OROP was also made in their 2004 election manifesto.
6. The ‘Standing Committee on Defence’ (13th Lok Sabha) in its 20th Report had strongly recommended implementation of OROP and even to make a ‘Precedent’ in this regards. This Report was tabled in both the houses of the Parliament by December 2003. It thus has the sanction of the Parliament. But unfortunately it has not been implemented till date. Denying the OROP at this stage is gravely unjust.
7. Misguiding the Parliament and the Nation, by no less a person than the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, is a very serious matter of impropriety. The Bureaucrats have again connived by wrongly advising the Prime Minister, which is condemnable. We strongly protest and request the PM to honour the commitments made on One Rank One Pension.
Sd/-
BRIG HARWANT SINGH (RETD)
PRESIDENT
ALL INDIA DEFENCE BROTHERHOOD (Regd)
PM committed parliamentary impropriety: Advani
PM claim on army pension false: Advani

Will Printed Book Survive?

Dear friends,
More than five hundred years ago, Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468) revolutionized the printing process. He was a goldsmith who is credited with the invention of the movable-type printing press. and over the last five centuries, we have all benefited by his invention. The technology created by him brought the price of the printed book so steeply that the works of learned men could reach out to the people at an affordable coast.
And then came the era ushered in by Bill Gates. He and his colleagues devised a computer which is within the reach of people. What I 'key in' just now will reach hundreds of my friends within a few seconds.
The question which now faces mankind is: Will the printed book survive? And if so, for how long?
I seek your views.
Regards, and love
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

OROP: A flash Back!

Dear Brig Friends,
How time flies!
Over an year ago, in 23 2009, I wrote a paper on OROP at the invitation of Ms Indu Jain for Vijayavani. It was published online on 23 Feb 2009. Recently I saw the piece, and what surprised me is the number of responses it evoked. In fact the last comment is no more than two months old. This shows the kind of passions which the subject evoked, For those who have the time and the inclination to do so, please click on the following URL and see the piece for yourselves:
Indian military: Nation owes you
Regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

AFT: Full Relief to Pre 2006 Maj Gens and Equivalent Retirees

Dear Friends,
1. This is to inform you all that a group of pre 2006 retiree Maj Gens/AVMs/R Adms had on 26 Feb 2010 filed a class suit at AFT Chandigarh with plea to get the same relief as was given to pre 1996 retiree Maj Gen/AVMs/R Adms by the Supreme Court in the case of Maj Gen Vains and others Vs union of India. You all will be pleased to know that with the grace of God, AFT Chandigarh in its first hearing on 04 Mar 2010 at 1030 AM has granted full relief to all Pre 2006 retiree Maj Gens/AVMs/R Adms as per the above SC judgement and has ordered the Union of India to implement the judgement with in three months.
2. This is an important judgement. It will pave the way for getting similar relief for other Jawans, JCOs and Officers, if the Govt still continues to do Injustice to the Defence Personnel.
3. Our cause has been too strong and our resolve to Unite has paid off. Let all ESM of India Unite to fight for Justice. We will forward the AFT judgement as soon it is received.
4. Govt may implement the AFT judgement or appeal to SC. We will keep you informed.
5. I wish to remind all ESM to volunteer for depositing medals and signing of Memorandum to be sent to the President, PM & RM in Blood on 14 Mar 2010 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi from 10 AM to 2 PM.
With Warm Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement

IESM: Press Release

JCO'S AND JAWANS NOT YET GRANTED ENHANCEMENT OF PENSIONS
Dated : 03 March 2010

Dear Members of the Media,
1. Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) an organization spear heading the protest Movement since 27 Apr 2008 to get Justice to the Defence Personnel, whishes to inform the people of India that the Govt continues to do Injustice to the Armed Forces specially the Ex-Servicemen. We watched with dismay on Lok Sabha TV Channel, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh making a Statement on the floor of the house that the enhancement of pensions to JCO’S and Jawans announced by the Govt on 06 July 09 has been implemented. This was in response to the statement by Hon’ble Shiri LK Adwani that OROP for which the Govt had earmarked over Rs 2100 Crores per year to benefit 12 Lacs JCO’S and Jawans has not been implemented.

2. The fact is, till today no Jawan or JCO has received any orders for the enhancement of pensions. Even the Service HQs where an inquiry was made has confirmed that orders for enhancement of pensions of JCO’S and Jawans as announced by the Govt on 06 July 2009 have not been received.

3. It is a very serious matter of impropriety by the person no less than the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on the floor of the house. Is it that some Bureaucrat has goofed it?. Like the 1962 war and Bombay Terror Attack, the concerned Bureaucrat will again get away unscathed.
With Kind Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Retd)
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement

Indian Naval Officer is Padma Bhushan Awardee 2010

Congratulations to Prof A. J Paulraj
Brief Bio
PhD Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, 1973
BE Naval college Engineering, Lonavala, 1966
Montfort, AI High School, Yercaud, 1957- 1960
Cmde AJ Paulraj Arogyaswami (Retd) is a Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University since 1993. His group has developed many key fundamentals of a new field called space-time communications theory and has helped shape a worldwide research and development focus on this technology.
Paulraj's career in India included development of military sonar systems (1971-82), massively parallel computers (1987-91), and the founding three national level laboratories -- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Center for Advanced Computing, and Central Research Laboratories (1986-91). He has received over a dozen national awards in India for his contributions and is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Paulraj moved to Stanford University in 1992, and his interests has since focused on space-time wireless communications. He is the author of over 320 research papers and holds thirty US patents in wireless. He has authored two books in wireless.
In 1999, Paulraj founded Iospan Wireless Inc., which pioneered MIMOOFDMA fixed wireless technology and developed chip sets for fixed wireless systems. Iospan was acquired by Intel Corporation in 2002. In 2004, Paulraj co-founded Beceem Communications, Inc. to develop base band and RF chips sets for WIMAX 802.16e standard. The company has emerged as the leading supplier of Mobile WIMAX chip sets worldwide.
Paulraj is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering where he was elected for his pioneering leadership in MIMO wireless. He received the IEEE Technical Achievement Award in 2003 and several best paper awards from the IEEE and is a Fellow of the IEEE. He was recently acclaimed as the “father of WIMAX” by Business Week.
Paulraj currently serves on Board of Directors for 3 wireless companies and on several advisory boards of companies, universities and foundations.

Padma Bhushan Authority:
34. Prof. Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj Science and Engineering USA
link: Padma Bhushan Awardees 2010
The Indigenous Panoramic Sonar APSOH: Indian Navy

Indo Pak war 1965

An outcome of an engr convoy after PAK airstrike.

PAK shelling of Mtn Regt gun position

The pond had plenty of fish which was later consumed by the gunners

Sitting on the grave yard tomb is the OP party and near the minaret some gunners are digging trenches

The body of a Gunner laid to rest in a sugarcane field near Pagowal village. In due course of time the location of the burial site would have been obliterated
Col Ranga Raj Jairam (Retd)

Greetings

WISHING ALL ESM AND THEIR FAMILIES

A VERY HAPPY AND COLOURFUL HOLI

In service of Indian Military Veterans

RMS Blog Team

Free Rations for Troops: How MOD was bribed?

Lt Gen Krishnaswami Balaram PVSM (Retd)
A DAUGHTER’S TRIBUTE

The many stories that are associated with Dad, the numerous tributes pouring forth from the people who have known him have made me add my personal very favourite tribute to him.

How did Entitled Rations become Authorised to the Defence Services?
At the time Dad was the Adjutant General two of the major issues he handled were the Fourth Pay Commission and getting Authorised rations or Free rations (as it was then called) for the Defence Services.

When the file for the Free rations was ready the General sent it across to the Ministry for approval and signature. The file came back with some observations. Duly rectified the General sent it back. Again the file came back with some fresh observations. The General made the necessary corrections and sent it back. When this had occurred a few times the General got suspicious and sent one of his officers across to the Ministry to find out exactly what was needed to get the file through.

The officer came back and told him that one of the officers in the Ministry who was vital for getting the file signed had a daughter in the Army Medical Corps who was posted in MH X and he wanted her posted to Delhi. “ Is that all?” said the General incredulously. Promptly he picked up the phone and called the DGMS (Army). Giving him the details of the Lady MO he told him “ issue the posting order and a copy of the same to be on my table by the afternoon”.

A little later the DGMS (Army) called him back and told him “ Sir, this lady has been posted to MH X not even three months back. How can I issue another posting order for Delhi?”

To this the General replied “ To you it is issuing the posting order of one Lady Medical Officer. To me it is a question of getting through Free rations for the entire Defence Forces. Issue the posting order and send me a copy within this hour.”

The posting order was issued. A copy of the same was with the General within the hour. The file with the posting order was sent to the Ministry. The file was processed rapidly. Signed and returned to the General.

Free Rations were then authorized and issued to the Defence Forces.

Dad often looked at me and with a twinkle in his say “ Lady Medical Officers………God Bless them!!!!!!!!”
Lt Col (Dr) Radha J Joneja (Retd)

High Court to MoD: Crack down on encroachment in Cantonments

LUCKNOW: In a significant judgment, the Allahabad high court has directed the secretary, ministry of defence, to instruct all the command heads of Indian military to map all defence lands and estates and ensure zero unauthorised occupancy or encroachment thereon.

The judgment may have far-reaching consequences as it could lead to prompt eviction of tens of thousands of civilians who have been occupying the military land in the absence of any clear-cut ruling on the real ownership of the land.

Justice Rakesh Sharma issued the directives in his judgment on a petition filed by Vishnu Narain Garg against the Government of India (GoI) over possession of a 62 bigha land in Sachendi village of Kanpur City district. The case pertained to the dispute over ownership of the land that was acquired to serve as Military Camping Ground (padaao) after the uprising of 1857 when the Britishers strengthened their army establishments particularly in cities which witnessed action during the First War of Independence.

Emphasising on the need of land for the military, the bench stated that the army was already short of land required for "military purposes" for its day to day affairs and operations including regular training. Highlighting the role of the Indian Army, the bench noted that it was essential that the military was provided with the required elements including land to maintain its training levels and guard our nation.

After having reasoned out the importance and necessity of the defence land, the court expressed concern over the encroachment of defence land by land mafia and land-grabbers around the defence estates in different districts of Uttar Pradesh and beyond. "It has been brought to the notice of the court that entertainment centres and commercial establishments run by private parties are being brought up uninterruptedly on army land," the judgment stated.

The court also observed that the military commanders heading the commands owe it to the nation to ensure that the land earmarked for military purposes does not go into unauthorised hands.
Read the full article
High Court to MoD: Crack down on encroachment in Cantonments

Army’s officer intake hits new low

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
By Saurabh Joshi
The number of officers being commissioned by the Indian Army annually has fallen for the second consecutive year.

Figures revealed to StratPost indicate that the army commissioned 1374 officers in 2009. While in earlier years, the army has ordinarily commissioned some 1750 officers every year, which is also below par by 250, the intake fell sharply in 2008 to 1506 and has continued its slide in 2009.

Significantly, 2008 also saw a substantial deficit in the annual net intake of officers, with the number of officers being commissioned falling far lower than the number of officers leaving the service due to superannuation, premature retirement or resignation. While in 2004 and ‘05, the army saw a net gain of some 400 officers each year, this number dropped to a little less than 200 in 2006, to a figure of -22 in ‘07 and more steeply to -294 in ‘08.

This is the result of a steep drop in the number of officers commissioned in 2008 from previous years and a concurrent, gradual and continuing increase in the number of officers leaving the service. The number of officers leaving the service annually increased from a little over 1300 in 2004 to 1800 in 2008.

While 2009 did see a net gain of 83 officers, in actual terms, worryingly, the number of officers being commissioned in comparison to earlier years has continued its fall, in spite of the circumstances of the economic recession as well as the enticements of the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. The army has also taken measures in the past to increase recruitment, like easing benchmarks for recruitment and allowing a ten to fifteen per cent over-subscription of the capacity of the military academies in accordance with operational imperatives.

Also, although the number of applications for premature retirement and resignations fell in 2009, largely due to the recession and the recent pay hikes, the army has further tried to stem the flow of officers out of the army by curtailing approvals of such applications. While around 57 per cent of the applications for premature retirement were approved in 2006, the figure fell to around 36 per cent in 2009. Similarly, while almost 50 per cent of resignations were approved in 2006, only 18.6 per cent were permitted in 2009.

Although the second Officers Training Academy (OTA) coming up at Gaya with a likely capacity of around 700, may contribute to beefing up the army’s officer intake, sources in the army say it will take up to 2014 to be established and may be too late for urgent action to be implemented to bolster the strength of the officer intake, especially since existing academies are already running below capacity.

These figures are likely to worsen the shortage of some 11,500 officers in the 1.2 million-strong army that has a sanctioned officer-strength of over 46,000 officers

Army’s officer intake hits new low

Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash defends himself in Sukhna case

New Delhi, February 28, 2010
Former Military Secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash, facing disciplinary action in the Sukhna land case, has said that Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor did not apply his mind fully to his reply to the show cause notice issued to him for administrative action in the matter.
In an interview to journalist Karan Thapar on the Devil's Advocate show on television channel CNN IBN, Lt Gen Prakash said that the report of the Court of Inquiry was received by the Headquarters of the Eastern Command around December 22 or 23.
Read Full article:
Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash defends himself in Sukhna case