IESM: RTI Cell

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
You all will be very happy to know that the RTI Cell of IESM is now fully operative.
Cmde Lokesh Batra, an activist of International repute, who is working for innumerable NGOs in the field of RTI, has filed five RTI applications with the Government of India today, on behalf of IESM.

Brig CS Kamboj (Retd)

WILL THE COUNTRYMEN LISTEN TO THE PLIGHT OF EX SERVICEMEN?
The Prime Minister’s speech on 15 Aug 2009 did not reflect the country’s concern for the aging ex – servicemen who had unquestioningly sacrificed their bit for the integrity of the country be it in war, insurgency, national calamity or other internal disturbances. The One Rank One Pension which found space in the President’s address and subsequently mentioned by the Finance Minister and the Defence Minister in the Parliament seems to have been forgotten deliberately.
The highest court of the land had defined pension as delayed wages. If that is true, then the country has failed to pay a reasonable amount of wages to a soldier and his widow, essential to maintain the quality of life enjoyed by him while in service. This is the time he needs to be supported the most. Is it a case of taking advantage of his helplessness or throwing the unwanted to the dustbin? The retirement benefits received at the time of his early retirement have vanished as, his children still young at the time of his early retirement, had to be educated and married off. Is it his fault? With improved conditions of life and increasing cost of day to day necessities, an ex serviceman or his widow cannot expect to lead a reasonable self respecting post retirement life in the environment that he finds himself in.
The price of milk, dal or rice is the same for a pre or post 96 retiree. A soldier had missed on his promotion, increments and pay commission benefits which were available to his civilian counter parts as his conditions of service retired him earlier. In a country where premature retirement of civilian workers is fine tuned into a reasonable and a respectable VRS package, why isn’t the soldier compensated for his early retirement? What is the rationale for adopting the same pension rules as in the case of civilian Government officers, for the Defence Services which has entirely different conditions of service? What is the justification for granting the same pension for a Lt Col, Colonel, Brigadier and a Major General all of which were selection grade ranks? In an organization where promotion prospects are very low, has the struggle one had gone through for promotion to the next rank been a wasted effort? Has additional responsibility at every increased rank been a wasteful burden?

Will the people of the country and to its elected leaders be considerate to the aging veterans?

With Best Wishes and Regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Brigadier V Mahalingam (Retired)