CSD Scam: Brigadier in the race to make money gets trapped

CSD scam: Another brigadier held
Express news service : Mumbai, Wed Jul 04 2012, 06:08 hrs
Who heads the Corrupt CSD(I)? Organisation Chart

Click on Chart for enlargemet

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a brigadier for his alleged role in the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) scam, busted by the agency last week. Brig Anuj Kainthla, the joint general manager of CSD, has been arrested for accepting an illegal gratification of Rs 7.5 lakh from a private company, Sankalp Consumer Products. He is the second officer of the same rank and the fifth person to be arrested by the CBI in the case so far.
On Saturday, the agency had arrested another joint general manager of CSD — Bikas Ranjan Daschaudhary who holds a rank equivalent to a brigadier — and Milind Govilkar of Sankalp besides two other company employees. Kainthla has been sent to CBI custody till July 5, 2012.
A CBI officer said the case was registered based on an information that Sankalp Consumers Products allegedly acted as a marketing arm and representative of many companies in an unauthorised manner against the policy laid down by CSD. The department operates from its head office at Mumbai and has depots all over India to provide consumer goods to both serving and retired defence personnel.
The CBI has alleged that Sankalp, through Govilkar and CSD officials, had entered into a criminal conspiracy with each other and manipulated demands of CSD items in favour of Sankalp’s clients. It says the company was favoured by CSD officials at various stages such as introduction of items, price revision, delayed and excess supply, demand creation and budget allocation. It also told the court that these favours were extended in lieu of huge illegal gratifications to CSD officials. Reader's Comment
Curruption in Army , Urgent Ateps Required
Maj Shyam S Sharam (veteran) | 05-Jul-2012
Previous Army Chief Gen V K Singh had taken strong measures to curb corruption in Army, that invited malacious camplaints against him by the vested interests in Army as well as in the MoD. We expect current Army Chief to address corruption in Army with urgencey and bring corrupt officers to book.
Brig Anuj Kainthla takes Rs 7.5 lakhs bribe to pay for his house and ruins his career
Comment: CSD is a giant organisation with the sole aim of spinning money at all costs and any means. The profit factor and sharing the profit should be done away with. This needs to be run on no- profit- no- loss basis. All unit run CSD outfits must be manned by Service or Retired Military personnel. CSD should not be used as a civilian employment agency. The Depots should be outsourced to MNC's like Tata's (Chroma) who are also into retailing countrywide.

Premier Military Training Institutions: Are they afflicted with corruption?

'No order yet on Lt Gen Jatindar's transfer'
Zee News Thursday, July 05, 2012, 13:14
Pune: A National Defence Academy (NDA) spokesman Thursday said it had not received any official communication "so far" regarding immediate transfer of Academy commandant Lt Gen Jatindar Singh, ordered by Defence Minister AK Antony.
"No official communication from Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been received at NDA in this regard so far", Lt Commander G Girish, PRO NDA said here.
Asked as to who is holding the charge at the Khadakwasla based Academy, embroiled in a bribery scam, he said "the status quo continues till we get official orders." A release issued by MoD in Delhi yesterday said, "Defence minister A K Antony has ordered that Lt Gen Jatinder Singh, Commandant NDA, be immediately shifted from the Academy. This is with the view to ensure a free and fair investigation in the alleged bribery racket in the recruitment of Group C posts in NDA, Khadakwasla." The CBI-ACB has arrested Col Kulbir Singh, staff officer to the NDA commandant, Col Anil Kumar Singh presiding officer of NDA's recruitment board and a few others in connection with the alleged scam that was unearthed on June 25.
Jatindar Singh had assumed charge of the premiere defence academy on January 1, 2011.
The NDA sources said training activities of the cadets of the 128th batch of the Academy were being carried out as usual. PTI
No order yet on Lt Gen Jatindar's transfer
Lt Gen under lens for recruitment scam shunted out
Defence Academy recruitment scam: AK Antony orders shifting of commandant Lt. Gen Jatinder Singh
Comment: Corrupt Officers leading the Training Establishments is very dangerous. All the nine pointer ACR Ratings are a suspect. How are the 9 pointer ACR reflected Corrupt Officers are to be weeded out. The only method now is to get hold of the reporting officers who are skewed in their judgement. Promotions based on ACR's will ruin the Military and its reputation will hit ground zero. We need to eliminate senior officers on physical and medical standards. The Medical records should not be fudged for promotions. Lt Gen Jatinder Singh is a classic case of poor Medical and Physical Standards. We need to gun for the corrupt and physically unfit officers and not depend on skewed ACR's for promotion.

Service Tax: Air & Water heavily polluted would be taxed in India

Strong Military, Strong Security, Strong Nation
Hon’ble Defence Minister Sh. A. K Antony
1. 64 years ago Winston Churchill while opposing grant of freedom to our country said:- “Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low caliber & men of straw. They will have sweet tongues & silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power & India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air & water would be taxed in India.” 2. We don’t need another Churchill or an eminent astrologer to predict that if the present misgovernance rather no governance at all continues for another couple of years, our country will fall into such an abyss that it will take generations to retrieve us from this.
3. Today we are at a cross road where most of our Institutions of Democracy have either been demolished or under grave stress of demolition. One Institution ie our Patriotic Defence Forces on which the Nation has been surviving for the past 63 years is under severe attack by forces inimical to it. The best way to destroy a country is to demoralize its Defence Forces.
4. The events of the recent past reveal sinister design to undermine the morale and operational preparedness of the Defence Forces.
Why such a poor state of Defence Preparedness?

Who are responsible?

Why no action taken against defaulters?

Why no accountability?

What is required to be done?
5. These questions will have to be answered by the present Govt. Strong and time bound action plans need to be effectively and efficiently initiated. The PM, RM and the three Chiefs must regularly brief the Nation and the Parliament. The following need to be carried out on Operation Immediate Basis:
(a) Establishment of CDS.
(b) CDS & the Chiefs be brought on the decision making loop of the Govt.
(c) The Defence Ministry be restructured to have serving defence officers at the decision making levels.
(d) The defence procurement procedures be streamlined, made transparent and all projects completed within a given time frame. Individuals responsible for any delay be held accountable and action taken against them. Funds allotted for the procurement must be carried forward and not allowed to be lapsed till the budgeted items are procured. (e) DESW must be restructured to have serving officer as its head and serving and ESM on other appointments.
(f) ESM Commission manned by ESM be constituted on priority
(g) Jump Technology concept be followed for all Defence Procurements.
What is Jump Tech Concept? The Nations Defence Requirements for the next 15 – 20 years be worked out and best available eqpt with Tech transfer be procured off the shelf from the world in a most transparent manner and in a given time frame. Own R & D be tasked to develop what other advanced countries are planning and developing in the next to 15 – 20 years. Time bound responsibility, auth and accountability be introduced and implemented for indigenous productions. Sufficient funds for own R & D be earmarked with major business houses encouraged to join in Defence Production.
(h) Defence University be made operational forthwith. All retired officers of the rank of Major General and above be offered to be on the panel of experts. For other ranks of officers, applications be asked and officers selected for fellowship. The pool of experts to function as Indep Think Tanks for National Security formulations. Regular interaction with serving fraternity and other institutions be incorporated to arrive at sound security plans to qualitatively improve defence preparedness. (j) All anti Defence Forces Propaganda be stopped forthwith. Any wrong doings be investigated on priority and exemplary punishment given to those found guilty within a time frame of one year.
(k) The Generals be allowed to function like Generals to win Wars and not made psycophants.
(l) One Rank One Pension (OROP), Non Functional Upgrade (NFU) be sanctioned for Defence personnel at the earliest.
(m) All the anomalies of the previous Pay Commissions be resolved at the earliest.
(n) Court judgements given in favour of Defnece Personnel be implemented.
(o) Widows pension be enhanced at the earliest.
6. The above are a few of many other issues which need to be addressed by the Govt without any further delay.
7. In order to get due justice, it is proposed to start an intense Citizens Movement to plug all loopholes in our defence preparedness and to initiate actions against all found guilty of dereliction of duty and corruption.
8. An Article regarding Civil- Military relations, written by Brigadier V Mahalingam (Retd) is relevant and is enclosed.
9. May we request you to kindly visualize and analyse the seriousness of the above issues and in the interest of the Nation, take actions on warfooting to address all these issues to ensure that our Defence Forces are ready to face all Security Challenges of 21st Century and with glory win Wars for the Nation.
Shahide Azam Bhagat Singh had once said quote “No development can take place unless you question, criticize and analyse the existing order” unquote.
Let us all join in the effort. “The Soldier Protects What?, Guards Whom ? A piece of terrain!, barren, inhospitable, worthless? NO! For the love of his country, and countrymen, his motherland. He protects, Her citizens, He guards, His Karma, He performs- with honour and pride, for your tomorrow He sacrifices His Today”
With Regards,
Jai Hind Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian Ex Servicemen Movement
Published in Patriot
Civil Military Relations

Does the Army Chief have power and will to redress grieviances of Veterans?

Addressing ex-servicemen's issues is top priority: Army Chief PTI | 07:07 PM,Jul 01,2012
Pathankot, Jul 1 (PTI) Listing the welfare of ex-servicemen and war widows as his top priority, Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh today said the issue of one-rank-one-pension is being looked at the ministerial level and the Army is geared up for speedy redressal of their grievances. "The government and the Army are sensitive to their needs and would take every step to ensure that ex-servicemen and their families are looked after well, the Army Chief said here, addressing an ex-servicemen's rally organised here on the occasion of celebrations of Golden Jubilee of 21 Sub Area. He assured the ex-servicemen that all their complaints routed to district Sainik Welfare Boards and area commanders will be attended. Meanwhile, a wife of a mentally-challenged ex-servicemen shouted during the function complaining that she had not been given regular job despite her repeated plea to the authorities. "My husband, an ex-serviceman is mentally challenged. I had been applying for regular job for the last 8 years, but every time I submitted my file, it was thrown in dustbin by authorities concerned at 21 sub Area," shouted Sharda Pathania while Gen Singh was taking round to hear the complainants. Earlier, Gen Singh accompanied by his wife visited Rising Star Corps at Yol near Dharamsala to review the operational preparedness of the Corps.
ex-servicemen's issues is top priority: Army Chief
Comment: Complaints routed through the Sainik Welfare Boards get dumped, as the civilan personnel manning these basic state run clerical units are clueless as to how the grieviances are to be tackled and resolved. There is total dearth of knowledge or information on the current welfare measures. The civilains are employed for their own career prospects and not knowing what their job content is. It is really a sad state of affairs. No Chief can ever resolve this monsterous organistion which exists in shoddy offices tailor made to churn out more paper work and heap of files rather than addressing the issue for which they are employed. These organisations need to be disbanded totally and save the tax payers money.

CSD Scam: Spurious Brands Promoted

Senior manager among four arrested in defence canteen scam
Mumbai, Jul 1, 2012, (PTI):
The CBI has arrested a general manager of Ministry of Defence's Canteen Stores Separtment (CSD) and three others here in an alleged graft case related to promotion of some brands for supplying to defence forces' canteens
The CBI sources said they have arrested Joint General Manager Bikas Ranjan Daschaudhary, who holds rank equivalent to a Brigadier, Milind Govilkar of private firm Sankalp Consumer Products Limited and two others in the alleged graft case.
The case was registered on the information that Sankalp Consumers Products Pvt Ltd allegedly acted as marketing arm and representative of number of companies in an unauthorised manner against the policy laid by CSD, they said.
Sankalp through Govilkar and officials of CSD allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy with each other and in furtherance of the said conspiracy manipulated various demands of CSD items in favour of the clients of Sankalp, the sources said.
They said the company was allegedly favoured by CSD officials at various stages in CSD such as introduction of items, price revision, delayed and excess supply, demand creation, budget allocation etc.
Such favours were allegedly extended in lieu of huge illegal gratifications to CSD officials.On a tip-off, CBI arrested Daschaudhary and Govilkar red-handed while they were allegedly receiving bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh at former's residence, they said.
"Searches were also conducted at 20 places in the country at the official and residential premises of the accused persons and the suspected officials. During the search incriminating documents, huge cash and jewellery were recovered," CBI said in a statement.
CSD operates from its Head Office at Mumbai and has depots all over India to provide consumer goods to the active duty and retired personnel of Army, Navy and Air Force.
Senior manager among four arrested in defence canteen scam
Comment: The Military run CSD Depots and Unit Run Canteens are a hotbed of corruption. All the CSD depots dump unwanted and spurious stuff to the unit run canteens. If units refuse the spurious or unwanted stuff than they are victimised by not issuing items on the demand list. Depot officals take crates of liquor from units to materialise the items demanded through monthly Intent (list of items). Very difficult to catch the hardened criminals. The corrupt must be weeded out. The CBI catching the smaller fish is not enough, it must go after the bigger ones sitting in MOD who plan and execute the wholesale loot and receive bribes incognito.

Reality Check: President Pratiba Patil Foreign Visits Deflates Economy

Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci sing praises
‘Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’
PTI The Hindu New Delhi, June 18, 2012
Facing criticism over her numerous foreign visits costing the exchequer Rs. 205 crore, President Pratibha Patil got some reprieve from industry chambers, which claimed that her trips had helped opened new vistas for bolstering trade ties.
Ms. Patil’s foreign trips had raised eyebrows when a query made under RTI revealed that Rs. 205 crore had been spent on her travel expenses since she assumed office in July 2007, surpassing the record of all her predecessors.
During her tenure, President Patil has undertaken 12 foreign trips, covering 22 countries across four continents and spending 79 days abroad.
Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci on Monday presented a booklet titled ‘Engaging the World’ to Ms. Patil on Monday. The booklet said that during her visits, issues of concern to Indian industry were raised, MoUs were signed and trade and investment prospects of Indian industry were addressed.
“The impact of these state visits has been multi-pronged. New vistas have been opened for Indian businesses...,” Ficci secretary-general Rajiv Kumar said in a message in the booklet.
Mr. Kumar said that as an active participant in the President’s visits, Ficci was able to expand its reach to new regions, cultivate institutional cooperation and develop business synergies.
CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee said the President’s visits provided good exposure and much-needed access and networking opportunities for the business delegates.
Echoing similar views, Assocham secretary-general D.S. Rawat said the visits to various countries have given a major fillip to the business houses in terms of enhancing their stature and credibility, which in turn has provided them the right platform for meeting their economic engagements in the countries visit.
Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’

ECHS: Letter to Chairman Oversight Committee

Dear General Raviraj,
I was delighted to speak with you on 27 Jun 2012 and to know you were heading a Committee to bring about improvement in the functioning of the ECHS. I would have been happier still if your charter included the possibilities of closing it down for at least those for whom it has become a pain in the neck.
On raising the Association the first essential thing we thought for Veterans was ASSURED MEDICAL FACILITY at Govt expense. During the first ten years we made many suggestions to the Govt about it but when we found a flaw in it we withdrew it, till we arrived at a flawless medicare policy scheme. This scheme was to be fully financed by the Govt.
It took me another ten years to get it sanctioned by no less a person than the Hon'ble PM himself on 26 Jul 2001. After its approval it was passed onto the Service Headquarters by the MOD with directions to produce the best scheme under those parameters and it would be fully financed by the Govt. The Govt was prepared to give that scheme within months.
Then our Service Headquarters came into play and denied us the best. I called it the greatest tragedy of life because my twenty years effort was destroyed , this time not by oft accused hostile bureaucracy but by our own Service Headquarters. When this was being destroyed I went and cried to the Chiefs and got course correction done three times, but finally the AG prevailed by deceit leaving us to curse our luck when we have to avail this facility.
What finally was dumped on us was a third rate copy of the outdated civil scheme of the CGHS. This scheme is basically a flawed scheme. No amount of flogging this dead horse is going to work. Your charter is therefore absolutely daunting and I sympathize with you.
Before the Scheme was launched the AG and the newly appointed MD of ECHS made a presentation at the USI telling us how good it was. I asked for perrmission to speak during the presentation,but was not allowed. Then I made out a paper and distributed to over 500 officers during the presentation. What I wrote then was true then and continues to be true even now. I am attaching that paper for you to go through now (not attached HERE being scan copy in pdf format). Will come back with more later.
This paper was presented to the COSC when they invited me for presntation to them on 25 Nov 2003 and to the Defense Parliamentary Committee several times. They all agreed with me but wanted to see its functioning for some time before reconsidering the decision. Now afer ten years we have not only seen its functioning but also suffered enough. Its time to act before it is too late. I will keep sending you some mails which would give you the immensity of the problem. Warm regards
Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Chairman AEIWA

Are our borders safe with corrupt Officers leading the Military?

IS OUR ARMY TOTALLY HONEST AND NON CORRUPT
Mar 28 2012
Today India is largest buyer of armaments. It buys 10% of the global arms import beating both Pakistan and China. It is the most attractive defence market leading to capital expenditure of Rs.79,579 crores. Still we say Bharat Shanti Priya desh hai.
The fault for this lies firstly with Government and the Defence Ministry. Most of the Defence Minister and their deputies do not know anything about arms or ammunition. The maximum they have seen in their life is Danda. Though there are experts to help them, but how can one judge the honesty of these experts who are linked to arms lobbies since the days of Bofors. Any Senior Retd Army, Air force or Naval officer becomes an expert after retirement and joins one of the lobby as an expert or consultant. The Defence Babus are mere pawns in the hands of the higher ups including politicians. Our leaders need to be leaders in the real sense. They ought to be models of honesty, integrity, fair play and transparency. When our leaders and Ministers are facing charges of corruption, can its followers, the Army, Air Force. Navy or any one else be far behind.
The Civil India is corrupt and dishonest. In the past the Army used to live in their cantonements, far from the madding crowds. Today the army lives right in the middle of the town and major part of the officers are eating from the hands of the rich persons who have vested interests. They buy products from the Civil traders who give fake parts so that there is more volume. The CSD stores are the hotbed of blackmarket. One can see people standing outside CSD stores holding 10 VIP bags, 24 colgate tooth pastes, 25 cakes of soaps and what not. They are not meant for home use but to be sold outside. Some recent restrictions have been made but much needs to be done. The Army needs to be segregated from the civil world as one finds in USA and UK. The Army feels jealous of civilians richness and tries to copy their practices and life style in their careers.
There is too much of pampering of not only Army but all bureacrats including Police and Revenue Officers. This shows that our Govt. is weak and timid and cannot take any long term action. Reason it itself is corrupt. At the most they hand over the cases to CBI which has a poor record of solving the defence deals cases.
The recruitment pattern has to be changed. Though the Army is almost sixth in the order of priority in the mind of an unemployed youth, the practice of giving advantage to sons and daughters of the Army Officers in the recruitment as Officers is wrong as wrong stuff gets in and deserving candidates are neglected.
With this picture it is difficult to say whether our borders would be safe. Ab Watan kiss kay Hawale hoga, Saathiyo.
Click here to read the full thought provoking article

War Hero's Medal of Honesty

He is a hero in life too
R. Krishna Kumar: The Hindu: 01 July 2012

Epitome of integrity:Despite being in need of money, retired Air Force Corporal Charles Williams wants to return the excess money credited to his pension account.— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM
Mysore: Amid growing scams and corruption and amassing of wealth in improper ways by many, a retired Air Force Corporal has shown the world exemplary honesty will be hard to ignore and one can live with dignity even amidst penury.
Charles Williams, 89, a World War II veteran from Mysore and who is in poor health, wants to return the excess money credited to his pension account.
Williams joined the Royal Air Force in pre-Independent India. Aftera six-week pre-induction training, he was posted at Agra. Within days, he was sent to Burma where he saw action against Japanese.
“Though in the RAF, our unit saw a lot of ground battle and we dug in and stayed put in the trenches. We were holed up for weeks without regular supply of food and water. The battle that raged was horrific with soldiers getting maimed and killed in the heavy exchange of fire. But ultimately we prevailed,” recalled Williams, whose father, P.V. Williams, had enrolled with the British Army and took part in World War I.
Speaking to The Hindu at his residence near Bamboo Bazaar here, Williams said that after Independence, he was inducted into the Indian Air Force and was part of the first convoy that landed in Srinagar following the outbreak of hostilities with Pakistan. He opted for voluntary retirement from the IAF in 1959, joined HAL and retired in 1983.
After retirement, he found certain anomaly in his pension and complained that he was being underpaid. “A visit to the local Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Board did not help me much as officials are apathetic to the grievances of ex-servicemen,” Williams said. He approached M.N. Subramani, president, VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust in Mysore.
But calculations showed that the Centralised Pension Processing Centre of State Bank of Mysore, Mangalore, had credited Williams’ account with excess money.
Mr. Subramani said he was being credited with Rs. 300 towards fixed medical allowances for which he was not entitled to. He was credited with Rs. 15,200 in excess with effect from July 2007.
“When this was brought to the notice of Williams, he asked me to inform the bank to recover the amount in 15 equal instalments so as not to put him in financial hardship,” said Mr. Subramani.
What is ironic is that Williams is returning the medical allowance when he needs it the most. He is visually impaired and desperately needs Rs. 1.5 lakh for a heart operation. “When I am not entitled for something, the national exchequer should not be made to bear the burden,” said Williams.
Meanwhile, Mr. Subramani has mailed a letter to SBM, Mangalore, drawing their attention to the anomaly.
War Hero's Medal of Honesty

ECHS is primed to work for Senior Officers and not for Veterans who are human beings

ALL INDIA EX SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION
To: Maj Gen Raviraj Oberoi
Chairman ECHS and Oversight Committee For Poly Clinics
New Delhi
Dear General Raviraj,
I write to you about two recent cases that have been brought to my notice about the contemptuous treatment meted out to the Veterans by the staff of these ECHS Poly Clinics. The first one is from SURAT, Gujarat and the second is from Mandi Himachal Pradesh. Hony Capt Skatter Singh(Mob : 09978885445/09879999347) called from SURAT,Gujarat today and the other one was sent to me by our associates for help. I was about to write to the Chiefs when I got the information about your activities. I thought it better to write to you as I felt that that would serve dual purpose. One of getting it sorted out faster and two awareness for you about the difficulties being faced by the Veterans on account of this basically flawed scheme.
FIRST CASE
Hony Capt Skatter Singh has settled at SURAT in Gujarat since 2009 from Nagpur, Maharashtra. He has changed ECHS his own card (Reg No.-PN0075727) and that of his wife from Nagpur to Vadodara ECHS. His wife, Jasbir Kaur got major heart attack on 23rd June, 2012 afternoon. There being no poly clinic there at SURAT, he took his wife under trying circumstances to a private Hospital named CARE Hospital–The Heart Institute where they were able to save her life. She is still in ICCU and in recovering condition. He has been under serious pressure with the thought of having to pay the mounting medical bill in advance. As on date, he has already paid 4.5 lakhs for treatment. As his wife is still in ICCU, the medical bill will touch approximately 7 to 8 lakhs before her discharge from the Hospital.
Hony Capt Skatter Singh has therefore been in touch with Col Joshi, mob 09898907508, OIC of Poly Clinic at Baroda for help since 23rd June’2012. All that he needs from Col Joshi is an assurance to the Hospital that the bill will be paid by them. Instead of helping him, he is referring him to the Secretary ZSB Surat who has no authority to give an assurance on behalf of ECHS. He also wants Hony Capt Skatter Singh to first pay the bill and then claim it. The bill will go up to Rs. 7 to 8 lakhs, which the JCO does not have.
This is one case that has come up to me. There are many such cases that I do not have because people can not reach me. While you suggest means to overcome such problems in future, I appeal to you to kindly sort this one out now which I am sure you easily can with the authority vested in you I would be grateful.
SECOND CASE
This is the Press Release of the beleaguered Veterans that appeared in the news papers and also on a Veterans blog sent to me by them. By this Scheme all Veterans of lower ranks that includes officers, even after retirement are condemned to suffering from the hiearchial set up of the Armed Forces. This would have been overcome by the Medicare Policy Scheme and all Veterans would have got proper treatment and respect not because of being a senior officer but because he is a human being in distress. If there has been a default on the part of he Insurance company they would have been sorted out by the District level Committees itself rather than wait for an OSC to come from AHQ.
ECHS Polyclinics, Mandi: June 17, 2012
Apart from complaining of step-motherly treatment at all levels, the Honorary Commissioned Officers’ Welfare Association (HCOWA), Baldwara, has accused the ECHS polyclinics at Mandi and Sarkaghat of ignoring treatment of ex-servicemen in ECHS polyclinics. Talking to The Tribune on the sidelines of a meeting of the HCOWA held at Baldwara, Capt Jagdish Chand Verma, president of the association, said: “Honorary officers are being discriminated at all levels. We have no option other than moving a petition at the the Army Fast Track Court Bench in Chandigarh against discrimination. ”He said the government had no policy for honorary officers’ legitimate entitlements under government schemes.He said the staff posted at ECHS polyclinics in Sarkaghat and Mandi behaved in a high-handed manner, making even ailing ex-servicemen go from place to place. He charged the ECHS polyclinic staff at Mandi and Sarkaghat with harassing ex-servicemen. He cited the example of Baldwara ex-serviceman Sunder Singh (90) who travelled a distance of 70 km on May 23, 2012 get treatment at the Mandi polyclinic for severe pain in his abdomen. He was not attended to at Mandi and directed to Sarkaghat. But the Sarkaghat polyclinic too failed to treat him. As his pain persisted, he travelled back and got treatment at a private hospital where he was operated upon. Verma said the association had taken this matter with the Army Headquarters. He added that the association supported the demand for “one rank, one pension”.“We will step up stir unless all demands are not met with before the Assembly election in the state, members added. The state Sainik Welfare Board and the ECHS authorities claimed that they were not aware of the issues raised by the association.
CONCLUSION
I am very pleased to state that around Metros and some major cities where a large number of senior officers are settled the Poly Clinics are serving very admirably. This is so becaause of their influence they have got all problems sorted out. Such clinics however serve less than 10% of the Veterans. Unfortunately whenever an exercise like yours is done the opinions of such senior officers are asked and they praise it to the hilt and glory and every body thinks it is all hunky dory. Nobody has the time and energy to go to rural areas and find out the problems. I am sure that you would cater for this infirmity while writing your report and take appropriate measures in recommending the right solution to end this misery of the old and infirm Veterans who desperately need relief and succor. MY EXPERIENCE OF THIRTY YEARS SAYS, THE MEDICARE POLICY SCHEME IS THE ONLY ANSWER AND SOONER WE BRING IT IN THE BETTER. FOR THOSE WHO ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PRESENT SET UP CAN BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO CONTINUE WITH THE PRESENT SCHEME. I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE A PERSONAL APPEARANCE TO LAY THREADBARE THE WOES OF THE VETERANS TO THE OVERSIGH COMMITTEE IF THEY SO DESIRE.
Regards
Yours Sincerely
Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Comment: Kudos to Col Inderjit. He has hit the ECHS malady on its head. ECHS is a total failure for the vast majority of the Veterans. I have seen the whole Polyclinic is geared up for treatment of retired general's from the time of the receipt of a phone call to the ECHS; Ambulance despatched, reception arranged and red carpet treatment meted out. whereas the rest of the Veterans look on with wonderment and keep waiting for their painful turn. This happens in all Polyclinics. The Senior Officer syndrone is very much prevalent and Crores of Rupees (almost 50% budget) are spent only on less than 2% Senior Officers. The older traditional system since the British times which have proved more effective than what ECHS today embodies, that is, the treatment of Veterans by the Military Hospital. We need to revert to the old system and all ECHS and manpower should be placed under the administrative, financial and technical control solely with the MH. The Station HQs presently controlling the Polyclinics is a miserable disaster and total failure- as it only breeds sychopancy- corruption in recruitment of civilians and provisioning of Medical Stores and Empanellment of Civil and Private Hospitals where bribes influence the outcome. The circuitious rules and combersome procedures presently enacted are ideal for corrupt to breed and operate incognito and very difficult to identify the culprits who are out there to cheat the system at the expense of veterans. This system is akin to all Military scams like Adarsh, BEML Tatra Trucks, Sukhna and a host of others scams like them...I hope and pray that the Polyclinic Oversight Committee does not lose sight of the basic flaws of ECHS!