IESM: Letter to PM regarding Widows Pension left in suspended animation

Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman
IESM/Widows pension/PM 30 Sep 2010
To,
Dr Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
South Block, New Delhi 110001

Dear Hon’ble Prime Minister,
I draw your kind attention to the letter dated 15 July 2010, I had written to you opposing exclusion of the Service widows from the recent enhancement in pensions and the reply from the PMO, received through Army Headquarters. The reason given in the PMO response is – while citing the Cabinet Secretary’s Committee – ‘No recommendations in respect of family pensioners was made by the Committee’. Whatever be the compulsions of the Government to be bound by the recommendation of a subordinate Committee that the Government had itself constituted, the decision seems to prefer technicalities over sensitivity. This harsh decision to exclude the most needy has caused great consternation among the entire Ex-Servicemen community.

May I request a reconsideration so as to have the recent enhancement of pensions also extended to the Service widows so that they do not feel discriminated.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan

Copy to:
Mr AK Antony
Hon’ble Minister of Defence
South Block, New Delhi 110001
Secretary, ESW,
Ministry of Defence,
South Block, New Delhi 110001