Two Pronged Resettlement Strategy for the Ex Servicemen

Transcripts of the Interview
Col P N Khera, Editor-in-Chief Asia Defence News: Resettlementof ex-Servicemen who retire at a very young age, is a major HRD problem being faced by the Indian Army. What steps are being taken for empowerment of ex- Servicemen in educational and vocational fields to lead a respectable life after retirement?
Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal, Adjutant General: The Service personnel, especially JCOs /OR retire between 35 to 45 years of age depending on the rank at which they retire. At this stage, a soldier is confronted with numerous domestic liabilities and commitments. The pension of the solders is not enough to meet his basic requirements and hence, he has to take up a second career to sustain himself and his family. With the land holdings reducing steadily, agriculture which was hithertofore an option with most veterans, is not viable any more. The retired soldier is thus forced to seek an avenue in the civil stream, commensurate with his status and needs. Although, the Army has vast reserves of trained, physically fit and disciplined manpower, they lack the skills which the environment seeks. Close to 50,000 trained soldiers retire every year, majority of whom can be gainfully employed in the industry, if they are provided some vocational skills. The vocational training and widelyacceptable certification will make these disciplined soldiers eligible to seek second employment, which they need to meet their domestic commitments after retirement from Service. We have embarked on a two- pronged strategy, which involves, firstly; to recognize the institutionalised training that a soldier undergoes in his Service by awarding a university degree and secondly; to provide Vocational Training though a network of Vocational Training Centres which are being set up in collaboration with various industries. An Army Welfare Placement Organisation has been established that not only provides second career option to retiring and retired Army personnel but to Veer Naris and disabled soldiers also. It has pan-India presence through its network of 13 placement nodes and 48 placement cells.
MAJOR EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS
PNK: What are the major projects taken up for empowerment of Army personnel to ensure them a secure life after farewell to arms?
AG: Empowerment initiative of our soldiers called Samarth, is a major step undertaken by the Indian Army. Under this project we have three broad categories of programmes.
Gyandeep: Gyandeep is an initiative to empower our soldiers by according recognition to the ‘in service’ training done by soldiers and make them eligible for award of Certificate/Diploma/Associate Degree through Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Subsequently, Associate Degree holders can get degrees like BA, B.Com, B.Sc and BTS from IGNOU by clearing elective subjects as per IGNOU curriculum in the third year of the degree course. On the similar lines, an officer can get regular MBA degree. So far 2,30,000 soldiers have registered for Associate Degree with IGNOU.
Kshamta: Kshamta aims at enhancing the capabilities of our JCOs/OR by imparting them two set of skills viz IT or Digital Literacy andSpoken English and Soft Skills. In this regard an MoU has been signed between Army and Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Limited. First round of Kshamta for training of Master Trainers has been completed successfully at all our Regiment Training Centres and we have so far trained around 3000 Master Trainers, who will further train the soldiers in their respective units/centres.
Kaushal: The unique concept of setting up Vocational Training Centres (VTC) at selected Regiment Training Centres/Defence establishments in collaboration with various Public/PrivateSector industries with an aim to impart vocational skills to the soldiers before their retirement and to empower and enhance their scope of securing an assured career post retirement. So far we have set up VTC for IT and Mobility Equipment repair for the disabled.
Higher Studies Programme: This programme involves selected Army officers undergoing full Post Graduate and Research Programme in various fields like Basic Sciences, Engineering, Social Studies, Strategic Affairs, South Asian Studies and MBA. The aim is to allow selected officers to attend courses in universities and institutions with a collaborative agreement and facilitate their placement /employment. We have signed MoU with IGNOU for MBA, with Pondicherry University for varied subjects and with BITS, Pilani for Technology related subjects. All thismhas happened in the last one year and the efforts of the Vice Chancellors concerned is laudable. Prof Rajasekharan Pillai of IGNOU is actively helping us identify other areas of cooperation.

Col P N Khera, Editor-in-Chief Asia Defence News interviews Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal, Adjutant General

Indian Armed Forces: Poineers in computerisation

To start the computerisation process, a middle level officer of the Corps of Signals, Maj OA Pereira was deputed to undergo a one year computer course at the statistical institute, Calcutta. On his return, the nucleus of a computer cell was formed at the AHQ. Around the same time, a training facility was organised by the Government at Delhi based on a Honeywell mainframe computer system. The scope of such training was, however, limited to fundamentals of computer technology and programming in COBOL with an exposure of FORTRAN. Simultaneously, officers were also sent to US Army School at Fort Monmonth, New Jersey for regular computer courses. Notable amongst these trainees were Lt Col MS Sodhi and Lt Col Harbhajan Singh, later both of them rose to the rank of Lt Gen's as SO in C. Prominent amongst the early computer poineers were Lt Col (Maj Gen) BS Paintal and Maj (Brig) VM Sundaram. They played a leading role in educating and spreading compuer awareness. Subsequently Maj Gen Gopal Das and Maj Gen Ganaga Prasad made significant contribution for the planning and organisation of computer education and training. Brig SVS Chowdhry was also closely associated with the computer education activity, first as a faculty member at MCTE, Mhow and later on in the planning and coordination of computer training during his two tenures at the Army Headquarters.

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)

Opportunities for Ex Servicemen

Home Stays
Ex-servicemen offer home stays, launch venture to promote tourism. In Kochi a new era has started in the field of tourist home stays in the State with ex-servicemen venturing into the field. The Kerala Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association has given shape to Ex-Servicemen Tourism Development Organisation (EXTO) to provide safe, hygienic and quality accommodation and other amenities to tourists.

Eco-Task Forces
Four Eco-Task Forces (ETFs) of ex-servicemen are being funded by the NAEB. These ETFs comprise of ex-servicemen and are commanded by serving JCOs and Commissioned Officers. Forest Departments of the State Governments, in which the ETFs are located, provide technical support to the ETFs. The activities undertaken include afforestation, pasture development, soil and water conservation and other restorative works. The 9th plan allocation for the scheme is Rs. 24.00 crores. The ETFs are presently located at Kiarkuli, Bikaner, Samba, Pithoragarh.

Manning Toll Booths
This scheme is being formulated and implemented by the National Highway Authority of India. Ex Servicemen will be inducted in a phased manner.

Computer Training Centre
To rehabilitate ex-servicemen, Department of Sainik Welfare has opened a computer centre to train ex-servicemen at Thrissur district in Kerala. It was felt that making ex-servicemen, especially those under the age of 45, computer-literate, as an important step towards rehabilitation. Of the 1.46 lakh ex-servicemen in the state, 11,842 are from Thrissur. They include world war veterans, retired short-service commissioned officers and personnel who opted for retirement after fifteen years of service. The Department of Sainik Welfare plans to associate with national agencies in this regard. Qualified teachers from these agencies would handle the classes. Basic courses such as MS Office are on offer to start with initially. The total fee for each course is Rs 100. The basic qualification of the candidates SSLC/ Army Equivalent.

Self Employment
Large scope exists in avenues like in manufacturing activities, small scale service establishments, agriculture, tiny, cottage and village industries. The DGR has launched a few self-employment schemes for the resettlement of ex-servicemen and widows. Among the self-employment schemes, SEMFEX-II, SEMFEX-III and National Equity Fund are the prominent ones.

Reliance Fresh
Reliance Industries plans to hire several thousands of ex-servicemen as it spreads wings in the retail sector. Having set up outlets in a number of cities, the Reliance Retail has offered jobs in plenty to the large pool of talented and qualified workforce emerging out of the forces. As its footprints expands across the country, the company has the capacity to employ all of around 60,000 uniformed men retiring every year, Colonel (Retired) S.P. Nanda, Vice-President, Reliance Industries, told a day-long seminar in New Delhi. A large number of jobs are also being constantly created by the group in specialized professions like drivers for cranes, bulldozers and earth movers and heavy machinery operators.

The Indian Veterans Network
A body of retired defence personnel from India and abroad, was launched by the chief guest, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Brigadier (Retd) K. P. Singh Deo. An initiative of the Chandigarh- based Institute of Tourism and Future Management (ITFT Group), the Network, to be registered as a society and consisting of retired officers of the three services, would provide a platform for reoccupation and welfare of their families. Addressing the delegates, Lt. General (Retd.) Ranjit Singh Dyal, ITFT Chairman and former Lt Governor of Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar islands, said a global network conference of Indian Veterans would be held on the sidelines of the 3-day Bharatiya Pravasi Diwas celebrations in January next year. General Dyal said the conference would offer an opportunity to interact with about 8,000 ex-servicemen settled abroad, part of the 26 million Indian diaspora, and explore overseas job opportunities for retiring servicemen.
Web Portal http://indianveteransnetwork.com/