COAS Objections on Selective Upgradation
After the submission of 6th CPC Recommendations, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS- in connivance with DGAFMS- this dubious act alone has doubled his Pension) as an after thought had vide letter no. C170211V1-PCC (Army) dated 20 Jun 2008 written to the Cabinet Secretary that, "selective upgradation of Basic Pay, Grade Pay and hence the status of Nurses only in the Armed Forces to equate them with Doctors will seriously impact on the functional relationship and command and control in the Military Hospitals, which would adversely affect patient care in the long run. Hence, there is a need of reconsidering those aspects and keeping the Pay and Grade Pay of MNS officers distinct from the Service Officers". The COAS letter was a quick turnaround from the Armed Forces established stand of demanding 'same pay scales to MNS Officers as for other Service Officers' made to the previous pay commissions. The 6th CPC observed that the starting pay scales of MNS cadre is equal to group A civilian starting pay scales, and is only slightly lower than the pay scales other service officers. The slight upgradation recommended by the 6th CPC was in line with the Armed Forces own pending demands. Opposing the upgradation of MNS cadre fearing an impact on the patient care is illogical.
Armed Forces Tribunal Order
In Maj Gen Mrs. Usha Sikdar Vs. Union of India & Ors (TA. No. 211/2010) the Hon'ble Principal Bench of AFT held that, "she is a regular commissioned officer of the Indian Armed Forces and she is authorised to all entitlements and benefits which a regular officer entitled under the Army Act, 1950 and rules framed thereunder and regulations issued from time to time. Therefore, we have no hesitation to declare that the petitioner is entitled to be treated as a commissioned officer and as a part of the regular force, and she is authorised to all entitlements which are authorised to the regular recruited army officers of the Indian Army." The AFT further directed the Government to "to treat all the commissioned officers of Military Nursing Service as a part of the regular force of the Indian Armed Forces and extend all entitlements which are commensurate with the rank as equal to commissioned officers of Indian Army to her". It is brought out here that, post 6th CPC implementation, the entitlements of a rank is based on the Grade Pay attached to the rank.
Click here to read more
Comment: Will the AHQ right the wrong? Do the powers at hand have the spine to stand up for the Juniors. The Chetwode message seems blown to the winds! Interesting parallel Army gets hit by clubs- click here to read more
Showing posts with label DGAFMS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DGAFMS. Show all posts
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Disability Pension: Litigation Policy Flouted- Rs 50,000 slapped as costs
Disability Pension Case
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs by Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 17, 2011
Taking the Union of India to task for filing a “frivolous appeal” and “misusing the process of the court” by presenting incorrect facts in a case relating a soldier’s disability pension, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed costs of Rs 50,000.
The Bench also ordered that the said amount, to be paid to the soldier, is to be recovered from the officers who had pleaded a false ground in the affidavit, after holding an inquiry and fixing responsibility thereof.
Earlier, a single Bench of the high court had allowed the grant of disability pension to ex-recruit Sukhjinder Singh on grounds that his disability was attributable to military service. The government had thereafter filed an appeal against this order. The single Bench order was based on an earlier order by a Division Bench on a similar issue of law.
Disposing of the appeal, the Bench expressed “amazement” at the conduct of the appellant and its officers and observed that the perusal of the appeal showed that a false plea had been set out which was simply against the records. In the original proceedings of the medical board, it was categorically found that the disease was aggravated by military service, whereas the proceedings of the board were misquoted in the appeal to show that the disease was not aggravated by military service.
The Division Bench also observed that the National Litigation Policy framed by the Central Government had been completely overlooked by appellants. The policy states that in service matters, no appeal would be filed in cases where the matter pertained to individual grievance without any major repercussion, or the matter pertained to a case of pension or retirement benefits without involving any principle and without setting any precedent or financial implication.
Holding that filing an appeal by the appellants in this case was wholly unwarranted as the matter was already decided in respect of the issues concerned, the Bench ruled that the appeal was an illustration of frivolous litigation initiated at the instance of the Union of India and its officers.
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs by Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 17, 2011
Taking the Union of India to task for filing a “frivolous appeal” and “misusing the process of the court” by presenting incorrect facts in a case relating a soldier’s disability pension, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed costs of Rs 50,000.
The Bench also ordered that the said amount, to be paid to the soldier, is to be recovered from the officers who had pleaded a false ground in the affidavit, after holding an inquiry and fixing responsibility thereof.
Earlier, a single Bench of the high court had allowed the grant of disability pension to ex-recruit Sukhjinder Singh on grounds that his disability was attributable to military service. The government had thereafter filed an appeal against this order. The single Bench order was based on an earlier order by a Division Bench on a similar issue of law.
Disposing of the appeal, the Bench expressed “amazement” at the conduct of the appellant and its officers and observed that the perusal of the appeal showed that a false plea had been set out which was simply against the records. In the original proceedings of the medical board, it was categorically found that the disease was aggravated by military service, whereas the proceedings of the board were misquoted in the appeal to show that the disease was not aggravated by military service.
The Division Bench also observed that the National Litigation Policy framed by the Central Government had been completely overlooked by appellants. The policy states that in service matters, no appeal would be filed in cases where the matter pertained to individual grievance without any major repercussion, or the matter pertained to a case of pension or retirement benefits without involving any principle and without setting any precedent or financial implication.
Holding that filing an appeal by the appellants in this case was wholly unwarranted as the matter was already decided in respect of the issues concerned, the Bench ruled that the appeal was an illustration of frivolous litigation initiated at the instance of the Union of India and its officers.
Defence Ministry ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as costs
Monday, March 7, 2011
DGAFMS muddies Disability Pension
Military Medical Boards: Mathematics or Medical science?
The following appears in this month's 'Salute' magazine.
(Copyright : 'Salute to the Indian Soldier') by Navdeep Singh
Disability benefits in the forces are contingent upon the declaration of a disability being either ‘attributable to, or aggravated by’ service conditions. Detailed Entitlement Rules promulgated by the Government further determine the question of attributability and aggravation. However, non-adherence to the ibid rules and a purely mathematical approach, as opposed to the desired medical one, is resulting in denial of benefits to the disabled and also overburdening judicial fora.
So who decides attributability and aggravation? Based on an artificial over-reliance on various judgements of the Supreme Court wherein it has been held that the opinion of medical boards has to be granted due weight, the system wrongly seems to believe that medical boards are supreme in this arena. They actually are not. Attributability and aggravation are determined under the rules and the boards are supposed to work within the four corners of these rules with proper application of medical and scientific procedures, not mathematical formulae. Primacy of medical opinion does not definitely imply that it would hold field even when rendered in contravention of the statute or when prima-facie perverse. Despite our progress, attributability of disabilities is still decided on primitive guidelines which reflect a strong disconnect with practical realities.
While the unpredictability of military service is universally appreciated, the Guide to Medical Officers published by the office of Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, still prescribes that stress related disorders cannot be service-related unless a person spends a specific length of time in a field area and unless the symptoms arise within a period of some months after being posted out of field. Ignored is the fact that a solitary stressful incident in a single day can also trigger stress without any reference to length of service in a particular area, and as modern psychiatry has established, there can be a delayed onset of symptoms even 5 years after a stressful event. Then for example the requirement that the symptoms should manifest themselves within 3 months of being denied leave in case of the death of a parent when the individual happens to be the ‘only’ son. Would not a person be affected if he is not the ‘only’ son or if the symptoms arise after four months rather than the mathematical guideline of 3 months? What could also justify the basis of determining heart diseases on the basis of the ‘14 days charter of duties’ ? The service-connection of complicated heart problems in the Indian military is determined by activities a person had indulged in the last 14 days prior to the onset of the disease? It is common knowledge that heart diseases manifest over a long period of time, isn’t it time to shun these outdated practices and deal with such situations with a more scientific temperament on a case to case basis ?.
Claims of attributability and aggravation are rejected by one word terms such as ‘No’, ‘Constitutional’, ‘Unknown’, ‘idiopathic’ whereas the rules clearly stipulate that if the causes are unknown then presumption operates in favour of the claimant and attributability, or atleast aggravation, ‘shall’ be conceded.
In defence, naysayers harp on the argument that stress and lifestyle related disorders can happen to civilians too and thus have no link with military life. How wrong they are. Can one compare the stress levels of a soldier leading a strictly regimented life away from family under a strict disciplinary code 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at times under the shadow of the gun, with a civil employee living with family, working from 9 to 5, enjoying weekends and holidays. Even seemingly trivial issues such as admission of children, property disputes and insignificant family rows can have a stressful impact on our soldiers especially those deployed away from families, irrespective of whether in peace or field, and to ignore such incidences of service as unrelated to stress related disorders would be the greatest disservice. Not may are aware that civilian employees have the protection of Section 47 of ‘Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995’ which provides that if an employee gets disabled, even when not on duty and due to own negligence, his or her service remains protected and if the said employee is not able to work, still he or she is kept on supernumerary strength and paid full pay and allowances till the age of 60 and pension thereafter. This protection is not available to defence personnel who can be invalided even for minor disabilities, and who, at the lower ranks, even in normal circumstances anyway do not have the protection of employment beyond their 30s.
It is a quivering double jeopardy for disabled soldiers. On one hand, our own medical boards follow a self-defeating hyper-technical approach, and on the other, the protection of employment as guaranteed to all other government employees is unavailable to defence personnel. In theory, 2011 may be the year of the disabled soldier; it remains to be seen how it works on ground.
Major Navdeep Singh is a practising Advocate in the Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 11:27 AM
Related Reading
Army to observe 2011 as year for disabled soldiers
Comment
When a military member has a medical condition (including mental health conditions) which renders them unfit to perform their required duties, they may be retired from the military for medical reasons. The process to determine medical fitness for continued duty is dependent solely on Medical Boards.
Do we have a statute setting forth policies and procedures for Military disability? Retirement for Physical Disability
Physical Disability Evaluation and Norms
Administration Schedule for Rating Disabilities
The following appears in this month's 'Salute' magazine.
(Copyright : 'Salute to the Indian Soldier') by Navdeep Singh
Disability benefits in the forces are contingent upon the declaration of a disability being either ‘attributable to, or aggravated by’ service conditions. Detailed Entitlement Rules promulgated by the Government further determine the question of attributability and aggravation. However, non-adherence to the ibid rules and a purely mathematical approach, as opposed to the desired medical one, is resulting in denial of benefits to the disabled and also overburdening judicial fora.
So who decides attributability and aggravation? Based on an artificial over-reliance on various judgements of the Supreme Court wherein it has been held that the opinion of medical boards has to be granted due weight, the system wrongly seems to believe that medical boards are supreme in this arena. They actually are not. Attributability and aggravation are determined under the rules and the boards are supposed to work within the four corners of these rules with proper application of medical and scientific procedures, not mathematical formulae. Primacy of medical opinion does not definitely imply that it would hold field even when rendered in contravention of the statute or when prima-facie perverse. Despite our progress, attributability of disabilities is still decided on primitive guidelines which reflect a strong disconnect with practical realities.
While the unpredictability of military service is universally appreciated, the Guide to Medical Officers published by the office of Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, still prescribes that stress related disorders cannot be service-related unless a person spends a specific length of time in a field area and unless the symptoms arise within a period of some months after being posted out of field. Ignored is the fact that a solitary stressful incident in a single day can also trigger stress without any reference to length of service in a particular area, and as modern psychiatry has established, there can be a delayed onset of symptoms even 5 years after a stressful event. Then for example the requirement that the symptoms should manifest themselves within 3 months of being denied leave in case of the death of a parent when the individual happens to be the ‘only’ son. Would not a person be affected if he is not the ‘only’ son or if the symptoms arise after four months rather than the mathematical guideline of 3 months? What could also justify the basis of determining heart diseases on the basis of the ‘14 days charter of duties’ ? The service-connection of complicated heart problems in the Indian military is determined by activities a person had indulged in the last 14 days prior to the onset of the disease? It is common knowledge that heart diseases manifest over a long period of time, isn’t it time to shun these outdated practices and deal with such situations with a more scientific temperament on a case to case basis ?.
Claims of attributability and aggravation are rejected by one word terms such as ‘No’, ‘Constitutional’, ‘Unknown’, ‘idiopathic’ whereas the rules clearly stipulate that if the causes are unknown then presumption operates in favour of the claimant and attributability, or atleast aggravation, ‘shall’ be conceded.
In defence, naysayers harp on the argument that stress and lifestyle related disorders can happen to civilians too and thus have no link with military life. How wrong they are. Can one compare the stress levels of a soldier leading a strictly regimented life away from family under a strict disciplinary code 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at times under the shadow of the gun, with a civil employee living with family, working from 9 to 5, enjoying weekends and holidays. Even seemingly trivial issues such as admission of children, property disputes and insignificant family rows can have a stressful impact on our soldiers especially those deployed away from families, irrespective of whether in peace or field, and to ignore such incidences of service as unrelated to stress related disorders would be the greatest disservice. Not may are aware that civilian employees have the protection of Section 47 of ‘Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995’ which provides that if an employee gets disabled, even when not on duty and due to own negligence, his or her service remains protected and if the said employee is not able to work, still he or she is kept on supernumerary strength and paid full pay and allowances till the age of 60 and pension thereafter. This protection is not available to defence personnel who can be invalided even for minor disabilities, and who, at the lower ranks, even in normal circumstances anyway do not have the protection of employment beyond their 30s.
It is a quivering double jeopardy for disabled soldiers. On one hand, our own medical boards follow a self-defeating hyper-technical approach, and on the other, the protection of employment as guaranteed to all other government employees is unavailable to defence personnel. In theory, 2011 may be the year of the disabled soldier; it remains to be seen how it works on ground.
Major Navdeep Singh is a practising Advocate in the Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 11:27 AM
Related Reading
Army to observe 2011 as year for disabled soldiers
Comment
When a military member has a medical condition (including mental health conditions) which renders them unfit to perform their required duties, they may be retired from the military for medical reasons. The process to determine medical fitness for continued duty is dependent solely on Medical Boards.
Do we have a statute setting forth policies and procedures for Military disability?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Indian army will start DNA profiling of its soldiers
New Delhi: The Indian army will start DNA profiling of its soldiers this year for their identification in case of mutilation of bodies during an operation, attack or mishap.
"We will begin DNA profiling of soldiers from this year as the profiling centre and data bank are almost ready," Lieutenant General Naresh Kumar, Commandant of Army Hospital Research and Referral, said.
Being set up at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, the centre will collect the blood samples of the troops who are involved in hazardous tasks including fighting militancy and store them in a DNA data bank.
The DNA profiling centre is being established to help in identification of bodies mutilated beyond recognition.
"Now that this centre and DNA data bank are almost ready to take off, we will be able to easily recognise the mutilated dead bodies that we get during war time, from an episode of avalanches or from blast sites."
"In such situations, we sometimes end up getting just a body part making it difficult for us to identify the jawan we lost and even to conclude the number of casualties that have occurred in such episodes," Major General Mandeep Singh, ADG, Medical Research, Armed Forces Medical Services, said.
"We are contemplating introducing the DNA profiling for our fresh recruits. But first we will try its efficacy with a sample population in Pune," Major General Singh said.
He said, "We lost many of our people in the Kashmir ammunition depot blast in 2007. Recognition of the bodies was a difficult task because the blast tore them apart. We got body pieces. If we had a data bank, recognising the dead would have been easier."
The need for DNA profiling was felt in the United States after the 9/11 attacks.
With regard to the US military, all enlisted and commissioned military personnel must provide blood samples which are preserved on special blood spot cards that are then stored, as the modern 'dog tags', for use in the event of an individual being killed, injured or missing in action, according to a Harvard Medical College paper.
The blood spot cards provide a source of a reference DNA sample to be used in identification of "the unknown soldier", or as in the case of the 9/11 Pentagon attack, to return the remains of the victims to their families.
DNA profiling of army soldiers soon
"We will begin DNA profiling of soldiers from this year as the profiling centre and data bank are almost ready," Lieutenant General Naresh Kumar, Commandant of Army Hospital Research and Referral, said.
Being set up at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, the centre will collect the blood samples of the troops who are involved in hazardous tasks including fighting militancy and store them in a DNA data bank.
The DNA profiling centre is being established to help in identification of bodies mutilated beyond recognition.
"Now that this centre and DNA data bank are almost ready to take off, we will be able to easily recognise the mutilated dead bodies that we get during war time, from an episode of avalanches or from blast sites."
"In such situations, we sometimes end up getting just a body part making it difficult for us to identify the jawan we lost and even to conclude the number of casualties that have occurred in such episodes," Major General Mandeep Singh, ADG, Medical Research, Armed Forces Medical Services, said.
"We are contemplating introducing the DNA profiling for our fresh recruits. But first we will try its efficacy with a sample population in Pune," Major General Singh said.
He said, "We lost many of our people in the Kashmir ammunition depot blast in 2007. Recognition of the bodies was a difficult task because the blast tore them apart. We got body pieces. If we had a data bank, recognising the dead would have been easier."
The need for DNA profiling was felt in the United States after the 9/11 attacks.
With regard to the US military, all enlisted and commissioned military personnel must provide blood samples which are preserved on special blood spot cards that are then stored, as the modern 'dog tags', for use in the event of an individual being killed, injured or missing in action, according to a Harvard Medical College paper.
The blood spot cards provide a source of a reference DNA sample to be used in identification of "the unknown soldier", or as in the case of the 9/11 Pentagon attack, to return the remains of the victims to their families.
DNA profiling of army soldiers soon
Friday, November 26, 2010
MNS Officers Pension still not revised
Lt Col Padmini expressing her grievances to our Chief Admin amd Liaison Officer.
AN ANGUISHED MNS OFFICER.
Lt Col Padmini, MNS, called on us at our office and expressed her grievances that MNS officers are given step motherly treatment by MOD and Army HQ.
Full particulars of MNS Officer
Name: Padmini Rank: Lt.Col- MNS No- NR.16974 Qualifying Service: 24.5 years. PPO.No: M/003251/2004
PDA: I.O.B, Panagudi, Tirunelveli Dist, Tamil Nadu.
If her pension is revised as per Annexure- I of CDA Cir 397 it is Rs13932/- which is more beneficial as compared to the Annexure-II A which is only Rs 11800/
For regular Army officers of Lt Col rank, the pension is revised and increased 3 times, whereas the pension of MNS officers is not revised at all, except as indicated vide Annexure-IIA as per CDA Cir 412, where the Minimum of Pay Band is taken and pension arrived, which is for ONE year service only. This is a great injustice towards the MNS Officers which must be redressed immediately.
Aggrieved MNS Officer
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Armed Forces Medical Boards: Are they above board?
12/09/2010
Formation of medical boards by armed forces under HC scanner
New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) The policy of forming medical boards by armed and para-military forces has come under the scanner of the Delhi High Court which favoured a "re-look" into the process as fitness clearance to aspirants was often given "wrongly" by doctors having no specialisation.
The court noted that in several cases, candidates have "wrongly" been declared unfit in view of the absence of experts of different fields in the medical board.
"Review/appellate medical boards are constituted consisting of civil surgeon or persons having no expertise at all in the specialisation in the medical field involved," a Bench comprising Justices Geeta Mittal and J R Midha said and asked the forces to "re-look" into the four-decade old policy.
The court fiat to the armed and para-military forces came after it perused the report of an experts'' body constituted by it.
"We have found that a board of experts constituted under our orders has differed in their reports with the certification of medical unfitness of a candidate by a review/appeal medical board which did not include a specialist.
"This fact by itself manifests that the respondents and authorities need to re-look at the policy framed almost four decades ago," the Bench said asking them to place before it the compliance report within six months.
The court also expressed its anguish over the authorities accepting certificate given by a doctor without having expertise in respective field.
"We are unable to comprehend to as to how a doctor not trained in the field can given a certification for existence of a condition for which he does not have specialisation or training. It is also unfortunate the authorities accept such certification without taking the opinion of the specialist," the Bench said.
"The guidelines which were issued by respondents are required to keep pace with not only the social developments but with the developments in technology and in medical science as well as availability of superior diagnostic techniques," the court said.
The Bench disposed of a petition filed by Kamlesh Kumar Kamal, who was declared unfit for the post of Assistant Commandant in the Central Reserve Police Force, but was later selected after he submitted the fitness certificate given by experts at a civil hospital following an intervention by the court.
Formation of medical boards by armed forces under HC scanner
Formation of medical boards by armed forces under HC scanner
New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) The policy of forming medical boards by armed and para-military forces has come under the scanner of the Delhi High Court which favoured a "re-look" into the process as fitness clearance to aspirants was often given "wrongly" by doctors having no specialisation.
The court noted that in several cases, candidates have "wrongly" been declared unfit in view of the absence of experts of different fields in the medical board.
"Review/appellate medical boards are constituted consisting of civil surgeon or persons having no expertise at all in the specialisation in the medical field involved," a Bench comprising Justices Geeta Mittal and J R Midha said and asked the forces to "re-look" into the four-decade old policy.
The court fiat to the armed and para-military forces came after it perused the report of an experts'' body constituted by it.
"We have found that a board of experts constituted under our orders has differed in their reports with the certification of medical unfitness of a candidate by a review/appeal medical board which did not include a specialist.
"This fact by itself manifests that the respondents and authorities need to re-look at the policy framed almost four decades ago," the Bench said asking them to place before it the compliance report within six months.
The court also expressed its anguish over the authorities accepting certificate given by a doctor without having expertise in respective field.
"We are unable to comprehend to as to how a doctor not trained in the field can given a certification for existence of a condition for which he does not have specialisation or training. It is also unfortunate the authorities accept such certification without taking the opinion of the specialist," the Bench said.
"The guidelines which were issued by respondents are required to keep pace with not only the social developments but with the developments in technology and in medical science as well as availability of superior diagnostic techniques," the court said.
The Bench disposed of a petition filed by Kamlesh Kumar Kamal, who was declared unfit for the post of Assistant Commandant in the Central Reserve Police Force, but was later selected after he submitted the fitness certificate given by experts at a civil hospital following an intervention by the court.
Formation of medical boards by armed forces under HC scanner
Monday, April 5, 2010
ECHS: Let it be a Healthy Network rather than a Cobweb
Few years back as a serving officer I had written “ECHS – A Failed Concept” as a Dy Cdr in J&K after interacting with a cross section of ESM in the hill cum border districts of J&K and HP. Now I write as an ESM Veteran. Aim is to sensitize the system towards improvement and move forward ‘Onwards & Upwards’ and NOT – Backwards & Downwards.
The feedback expressed is after my first ‘Novice’ visit to ECHS BH Delhi Cantt– Malice towards None & All. The evolved system! Following suggestions are put forth towards streamlining the system towards efficiency and making ‘Veteran Friendly’:
Shuttling within the ECHS. Need for further decentralization and not make the patient a shuttle cock between various rooms/ counters.
Referal Powers. Empower the ECHS doctor and leave the choice to the patient of the location irrespective where the patient has reported. Eg referral powers now lie with ECHS BH/RR or Both after numerous bouts of shuttling.
Addl ECHS for Dwarka. This will help in decongesting ECHS BH Or shift ECHS Palam to Dwarka. Infact ECHS Palam should have been co-located with one of the Gurgaon AWHO Societies.
Reporting directly to Empanelled Hospitals. Need to work out on a system allowing the veteran to report to nearest Empanelled Hosp to save travelling time, distance, expenses and inconvenience to the sick veteran.
Extending the Arm of Medicare. ECHS launch had aimed at spread and enhance the reach near door steps. Instead at place too much of centralization has possibly failed. (Eg Chamba (HP) ECHS shifted to Bakloh (HP) mil stn where a MH exists).
Physiotherapy. I am told only BH is auth. Is it possible for the BH Physiotherapy Centre singularly take the load of serving and ESM which is ever increasing?
What’s in a Name! Smart Card Name: click here to review status. Surname first has changed the life long name eg ‘Sharma Jung Bahadur’ to ‘SJ Bahadur’ instead of ‘JB Sharma’ Could be an error I'm not too sure! Also requested to ensure Veterans rank is used and NOT Mr.
My ‘Novice’ experience of shuttling within the ECHS web- Self Explanatory–
Star Imagery Lab TILAKNAGAR->R&R->DENTAL
Approval Authy out of Stn!?
DENTIST?->ECHS->BH->RXN->DENTAL CENTRE->GK???
Star Imagery Lab TILAKNAGAR->repeat for four days!!!!
Wonder how much a veteran PBOR will spend/shuttle and how many days will he take especially if he is genuinely sick! ‘Veteran’s desire to get treated are literally made more sick encountering the ECHS laid down bureaucratic Hurdles’ A patient on report my signal blog.
Attn: Authorities may like to surf the blog for suggestions to improve ECHS functioning click here. For more click older posts at the bottom of the page.
Request do not treat it as a complaint rather consider it as constructive suggestions and genuine feedback and let the ‘Healthy Team of ECHS’ resolve issues and arrest the downward satisfaction level which is sliding down at an alarming rate. Fresh feed back/ suggestions may kindly be obtained from senior serving AMC General Officers, retired Cols & below and cross-section of PBOR across the country. ‘Let the ECHS be a healthy facilitating network and not a cobweb’.
Tailpiece
Military Leadership - Internal Health A Point of View:
“Army has very strong traditions, core values... We can fight well if our Internal Health is good “ says COAS Gen VK Singh.
The ECHS health needs to be tuned upwards and not downwards!
Col RC Patial, SM (Retd)
The feedback expressed is after my first ‘Novice’ visit to ECHS BH Delhi Cantt– Malice towards None & All. The evolved system! Following suggestions are put forth towards streamlining the system towards efficiency and making ‘Veteran Friendly’:
Star Imagery Lab TILAKNAGAR->R&R->DENTAL
Approval Authy out of Stn!?
DENTIST?->ECHS->BH->RXN->DENTAL CENTRE->GK???
Star Imagery Lab TILAKNAGAR->repeat for four days!!!!
Request do not treat it as a complaint rather consider it as constructive suggestions and genuine feedback and let the ‘Healthy Team of ECHS’ resolve issues and arrest the downward satisfaction level which is sliding down at an alarming rate. Fresh feed back/ suggestions may kindly be obtained from senior serving AMC General Officers, retired Cols & below and cross-section of PBOR across the country. ‘Let the ECHS be a healthy facilitating network and not a cobweb’.
Tailpiece
Military Leadership - Internal Health A Point of View:
“Army has very strong traditions, core values... We can fight well if our Internal Health is good “ says COAS Gen VK Singh.
The ECHS health needs to be tuned upwards and not downwards!
Col RC Patial, SM (Retd)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Short service officers short circuited by MoD and DGAFMS
Key file missing, MoD blames DGAFMS
Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30
Even as former short service commissioned (SSC) officers continue to be hassled over availing treatment at military hospitals, the Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has claimed that the Defence Ministry’s file containing relevant orders issued by the President has been “lost”.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in response to a query under the RTI Act, has held the DGAFMS responsible for the loss, as it was the custodian of the file.
Earlier, the DGAFMS had responded to queries by ex-servicemen by claiming that the file was with the MoD. When the Ministry wrote to the DGAFMS pointing out that the file was with it, medical directorate then claimed that it was lost.
In 1996, the government had extended outdoor medical facilities in military hospitals to all “ex-servicemen”. These were earlier available only to “ex-service pensioners” and the relevant clause introduced in 1983 was amended after the presidential sanction was accorded for the same.
Letters on the subject were later issued by the Adjutant General’s branch, explicitly including emergency commissioned and SSC officers under the ambit of military medical facilities. Requests by the Director General Medical Services (Army) to rescind these medical facilities were also turned down by the MoD in 1997 and 1998.
Last year, the DGAFMS suo-moto started refusing medical care to elderly veterans on the pretext that they were not entitled to the facility. The DGAFMS also claimed that its concurrence was not taken before granting facilities to non-pensioner ex-servicemen. The DGMS (Army) even wrote to all Army Commands asking them not to comply with letters of the MOD and the Army Headquarters.
Irked by the conduct of the DGAFMS, many ex-servicemen sought a copy of the file notings leading to the Presidential sanction in which the complete concurrence of the then DGAFMS was taken. The DGAFMS, thereafter, took the pretext that the said file was lost.
Medical Benefits for SSC Officers
Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30
Even as former short service commissioned (SSC) officers continue to be hassled over availing treatment at military hospitals, the Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has claimed that the Defence Ministry’s file containing relevant orders issued by the President has been “lost”.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in response to a query under the RTI Act, has held the DGAFMS responsible for the loss, as it was the custodian of the file.
Earlier, the DGAFMS had responded to queries by ex-servicemen by claiming that the file was with the MoD. When the Ministry wrote to the DGAFMS pointing out that the file was with it, medical directorate then claimed that it was lost.
In 1996, the government had extended outdoor medical facilities in military hospitals to all “ex-servicemen”. These were earlier available only to “ex-service pensioners” and the relevant clause introduced in 1983 was amended after the presidential sanction was accorded for the same.
Letters on the subject were later issued by the Adjutant General’s branch, explicitly including emergency commissioned and SSC officers under the ambit of military medical facilities. Requests by the Director General Medical Services (Army) to rescind these medical facilities were also turned down by the MoD in 1997 and 1998.
Last year, the DGAFMS suo-moto started refusing medical care to elderly veterans on the pretext that they were not entitled to the facility. The DGAFMS also claimed that its concurrence was not taken before granting facilities to non-pensioner ex-servicemen. The DGMS (Army) even wrote to all Army Commands asking them not to comply with letters of the MOD and the Army Headquarters.
Irked by the conduct of the DGAFMS, many ex-servicemen sought a copy of the file notings leading to the Presidential sanction in which the complete concurrence of the then DGAFMS was taken. The DGAFMS, thereafter, took the pretext that the said file was lost.
Medical Benefits for SSC Officers
Monday, December 15, 2008
Doctors can rejoice but not Officers of Armed Forces Medical Services
Many readers may not know, a new career progression system known as the Dynamic Assured Career Progression Scheme (DACP) has already been implemented for all Medical / Dental Doctors appointed under the Central Govt.
Under this scheme, following shall be the career progression structure for General Duty Doctors appointed under any Ministry / Department of the Central Govt :
On appointment : Pay Band-3 (Rs 15600-39100) with Grade Pay of Rs 5400 (equal to Lieutenant after the 6th CPC)
After 4 years of total service: Pay Band-3 with Grade Pay of Rs 6600 (equal to Major after the 6th CPC)
After 9 years of total service: Pay Band-3 with Grade Pay of Rs 7600 (equal to Lt Col after the 6th CPC)
After 13 years of total service: Pay Band-4 (Rs 37400-67000) with Grade Pay of Rs 8700 (equal to a full Colonel after 6th CPC)
After 20 years of total service: Pay Band-4 with Grade Pay of Rs 10000 (equal to Maj Gen after 6th CPC)
The following (believe your eyes– this is no joke) shall be the career progression for specialists under any Ministry/ Department of the Central Govt :
On appointment: Pay Band-3 with Grade Pay of Rs 6600 (equal to Major after the 6th CPC)
After 2 years of total service: Pay Band-3 with Grade Pay of Rs 7600 (equal to Lt Col after the 6th CPC)
After 6 years of total service: Pay Band-4 with Grade Pay of Rs 8700 (equal to full Col after the 6th CPC)
After 13 years of total service: Pay Band-4 with Grade Pay of Rs 10000 (equal to Maj Gen after 6th CPC)
While this has already been implemented for all Ministries and Departments of the Central Govt, instructions regarding Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps have not yet been issued. There is no reason why this should not be implemented on a non-functional basis (pay progression without rank progression) in the AMC/ ADC too since the DACP Govt of India letter in Para 1 and Para 3 clearly states that it shall be extended to all Medical and Dental Doctors under the Central Govt not just in organised services but also including isolated posts. It is hoped that the office of DG AFMS would have taken note by now.
Readers desirous of having a first hand look at the said Govt of India letter (or those who do not believe their eyes) may do so by clicking here. (Courtesy : Ministry of Health & Family Welfare)
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh
While some wait, Doctors can rejoice..
Under this scheme, following shall be the career progression structure for General Duty Doctors appointed under any Ministry / Department of the Central Govt :
The following (believe your eyes– this is no joke) shall be the career progression for specialists under any Ministry/ Department of the Central Govt :
While this has already been implemented for all Ministries and Departments of the Central Govt, instructions regarding Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps have not yet been issued. There is no reason why this should not be implemented on a non-functional basis (pay progression without rank progression) in the AMC/ ADC too since the DACP Govt of India letter in Para 1 and Para 3 clearly states that it shall be extended to all Medical and Dental Doctors under the Central Govt not just in organised services but also including isolated posts. It is hoped that the office of DG AFMS would have taken note by now.
Readers desirous of having a first hand look at the said Govt of India letter (or those who do not believe their eyes) may do so by clicking here. (Courtesy : Ministry of Health & Family Welfare)
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh
While some wait, Doctors can rejoice..
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
ECHS: Non admission in empanelled hospitals
mdechs@.......
Pers for MD ECHS
Please refer my teleconversation with you of date. Maj Shashi Mengi diagnosed with liver cancer reported to Dharmshila Cancer Hospital but was refused admission on the ground that the Hospital had stopped admitting ECHS patients due to non clearance of pending bills of 8 crores by ECHS. As mentioned in a paper sent to you earlier this was bound to happen. All good hospitals are slowly but surely withdrawing from ECHS due mismanagement eg Apollo, Gangaram Escorts and now Dharamshila.
As telephonically confirmed by you Maj Mengi is being admitted and will pay all bills as raised. As also confirmed by you ECHS will subsequently clear bills as in a reimbursement case. Pl place on record above confirmation with copy of email to maj mengi. For Gods sake sort out the system as otherwise the Scheme will collapse despite your best intentions.
Regards
Brig Kuthiala (Retd)
My comments to ECHS Empenalled Hospitals refusing admission.
In the event Maj Mangi pays his bills himself ,he shall be only reimbursed the bills at CGHS rates which are at least 50 to 60 percent less than the actual hospital charges.ECHS central office has lost its purpose ,day by day good hospitals like Apollo are refusing admission when they stand in the empenalled list. The ECHS Central office has taken no action to de empannel such hosptals and inform the Echs members.
I had an unfortunate experiance with the ECHS. My bill from Apollo Hospital was paid after one year only after I met the MD in his office. My Complaint was not replied and no action was taken against the defaultor.
B L Sapru
Veteran
Comment: ECHS concept conceived by civil servants initially crowned with teething problems is now graduating to labour pains- cash starved, lack of command and control, staffed by de- motivated re- employed staff! We await its demise or re- birth! How many ESM will take the quicker road to his final destiny in the meantime is for anyone to guess?
Pers for MD ECHS
Please refer my teleconversation with you of date. Maj Shashi Mengi diagnosed with liver cancer reported to Dharmshila Cancer Hospital but was refused admission on the ground that the Hospital had stopped admitting ECHS patients due to non clearance of pending bills of 8 crores by ECHS. As mentioned in a paper sent to you earlier this was bound to happen. All good hospitals are slowly but surely withdrawing from ECHS due mismanagement eg Apollo, Gangaram Escorts and now Dharamshila.
As telephonically confirmed by you Maj Mengi is being admitted and will pay all bills as raised. As also confirmed by you ECHS will subsequently clear bills as in a reimbursement case. Pl place on record above confirmation with copy of email to maj mengi. For Gods sake sort out the system as otherwise the Scheme will collapse despite your best intentions.
Regards
Brig Kuthiala (Retd)
My comments to ECHS Empenalled Hospitals refusing admission.
In the event Maj Mangi pays his bills himself ,he shall be only reimbursed the bills at CGHS rates which are at least 50 to 60 percent less than the actual hospital charges.ECHS central office has lost its purpose ,day by day good hospitals like Apollo are refusing admission when they stand in the empenalled list. The ECHS Central office has taken no action to de empannel such hosptals and inform the Echs members.
I had an unfortunate experiance with the ECHS. My bill from Apollo Hospital was paid after one year only after I met the MD in his office. My Complaint was not replied and no action was taken against the defaultor.
B L Sapru
Veteran
Comment: ECHS concept conceived by civil servants initially crowned with teething problems is now graduating to labour pains- cash starved, lack of command and control, staffed by de- motivated re- employed staff! We await its demise or re- birth! How many ESM will take the quicker road to his final destiny in the meantime is for anyone to guess?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
No longer Matter of Honour
In times of danger, not before,
God and soldiers all men adore.
Danger's past and all is righted,
God's forgotten, the soldier slighted. Harold Y Grooms
Apolitical ethos
The appointment of three IAS men to look into the injustice done to the Defence Services is typical of the way in which our Services have been subjugated since independence. Govt can of course point out that the Defence Secretary is there to look out for their interests but, as this article will bring out, he heads the Department that has consistently undermined the defence forces for 60 years. That the Forces have survived this invidious onslaught and yet remained apolitical is a tribute to their patriotism and grit. But will the Services emerge unscathed from this latest effort to mete out 'justice'?. Readers may judge for themselves.
Doctors discriminated
One example will suffice to support this contention. The 5Th Pay Commission (PC) conceded that Non Practising Allowance (NPA) paid to Govt doctors be counted as pay while computing pension entitlements. However, subsequently orders were issued to recover the 'excess' pension paid to pre-'96 retirees. Thereupon, most retired doctors' associations filed cases in various High Courts, a majority of which were upheld. The Central Govt went in appeal to the Supreme Court who issued notice to the concerned departments. Instead of filing their responses however, major Departments – notably, Railways and Health – withdrew their cases and allowed NPA- pension to their old pensioners. The Defence Ministry however, has continued the litigation to deny this to Defence Doctors– the only group singled out for discrimination.
Degrading defence services
This endeavour to steadily degrade the Forces explains why no representation of the Central Govt's largest employees has ever been allowed on any of the PCs, leave alone conceding the just demand for a separate Defence PC. What hope can the Services have when even some of the anomalies of previous PCs remain unresolved.
Bureaucratic strangle
That the 6th PC has brought defence officers down two notches below their civilian equivalents vis-Ã -vis the 5th PC has been extensively covered in the media. What is not widely appreciated is the complete stranglehold that various bureaucratic departments of the MoD have established over the military – imperilling the nation's security, in the bargain.
Poor quality armaments
Ours is perhaps the only major Military with no say in the production and quality of indigenous defence ammunition and equipment. On 20 March 2008, during war- games showcased before foreign military attaches, a mortar bomb exploded in the barrel and killed three crew members. Dismissing the incident, a defence spokesman stated that such incidents occur routinely. Since a bore- safety device in the bombs fuse is designed to prevent in- barrel detonations, worldwide such accidents are extremely rare. In 1995, after an alarming frequency of accidents, Army managed to convene a meeting with Defence Production bureaucrats. It emerged that the Ammunition Factories had contrived to prevent the DGQA from inspecting the quality of their product! Further, they had no procedure to guarantee that the bore- safety device had in fact been fitted. Even after these shameful disclosures, they managed to evade independent quality assurance.
Substandard four wheelers
In this turf war between two Defence Production departments, the lives of our jawans remain imperilled. Even where the DGQA is active, the quality of Ordnance Factories remains shocking. Jabalpur Vehicle Factory- made Jonga was another killing machine. Used mostly in mountains, its rear wheel was notorious for coming- off on bends, sending servicemen hurtling into the khud. The author had two providential escapes from this death- trap.
Defence procurement sans sanity
The Military has virtually no say in these grave matters. Defence procurement is the third area where Defence pleas go unheard for decades. The import of surveillance radar was held up for thirty years because DRDO was 'developing' it. Another item was illuminating shells for our field gun. DRDO had wasted twenty years in 'development'. Result: we were totally blind at night. In 1996, MoD was requested to import 2% of our requirement of illuminating shells and let balance 98% come from indigenous production whenever DRDO's reverse- engineering succeeded. Joint Secretary, MoD chaired the meeting which, apart from two army officers, a DRDO official attended. As we presented our case, it became apparent that the two civilians had connived to turn down the plea. It took the Kargil war for importing night- fighting equipment on a 'war-footing' (sic). In fact, then Army Chief stated, 'We will fight with what we have'. Back to 1962! Due to these voids, 700 young Indian lives were sacrificed, but nothing disturbed the slumber of the two bureaucrats. Recent changes in the procurement structure only meet the problem half- way. Wielding authority without responsibility is Indian babudom's special invention.
Kargil aggression
Except for a brief interregnum when the forces were reasonably adequately equipped was post 1965 till the early '70s. Thereafter the neglect started once again and a deaf and blind bureaucracy awoke with a shock to the poor state of equipment when faced with the Kargil aggression. We did, but paid the price in terms of the blood of too many young lives snuffed out at the alter of crass neglect and utter irresponsibility of the Govt. Did any bureaucrat who had held up urgent defence procurements accept responsibility? Did any of the well- heeled fat cats of the Ordnance Factories Board or MoD (Production) own up responsibility for shortfalls in ammunition and equipment with the troops fighting in the icy altitudes of 16000 t0 19000 feet? We all know the answers - a resounding NO.
Auditors become military stategists
Defence auditors are another entity who enjoy exercising authority without responsibility. Their ignorance of matters military is the stuff of countless jokes among servicemen. Undaunted, they venture to offer inane objections to most proposals. The Tribune recently carried an article by the former Deputy Chief of Defence Planning Staff highlighting the fallacies in objections raised to the USS Trenton acquisition. One was amazed to read the observations which an accountant had ventured to put forward to naval professionals who had spent upwards of two or more decades in maturing their expertise. Of course, as is often the case, when these objections delay or thwart important modernisation proposals, it impinges on defence capability and ceases to be a joking matter. They simply need to be told where to get off!
Cost of neglect
It is well known that India's ruling elite remains entirely innocent of strategic matters. Consequently, our external and internal security environments are the most perilous of all major nations. The deterioration commenced with the 1947- 48 J&K war and India continues to suffer the fallout of holding back the Army when within an ace of ejecting the Pakis from the entire State. The 1962 debacle again underlined Nehru's ineptitude in defence of the Republic. When Indira Gandhi heeded Manekshaw's professional advice India won a famous victory in 1971.
Security decisions
Thereafter, the string of catastrophic security decisions resumed, leaving the Military to repeatedly pull the chestnuts out of resulting fires. The 1972 Simla agreement gave away all the gains of the war with no implementable solution of the Kashmir issue. Similarly, release of JeM-founder Masood Azhar for Kandahar-hostages directly resulted in the attack on Parliament. The ill-considered decision to respond with Op Parakram, only to pull back, destroyed the credibility of our deterrent capability. The lack of institutionalised professional military inputs at the policy- level is unique to our democracy. The resultant continuous operational exposure has put a huge strain on our personnel, for which the 6Th PC has failed to compensate them.
Skewed decision making process
Contrast this with other major nations. China's PLA is represented at the highest Party and Govt echelons. In USA, one Presidential aspirant is a veteran. In UK, Prince Harry's Afghanistan foray needs no recounting. Name one prominent Indian bureaucrat or politician with a son in the Forces. None comes readily to mind. If Govt does not possess the requisite insights into the special conditions of the Defence Services, what prevents them from integrating professional inputs into decision- making that critically affects servicemen.
Sixth Pay Commission the last straw
Before the '62 war, someone brought to Nehru's attention, the utter inferiority of the Army's weaponry. He replied in lofty disdain, 'It is the man behind the gun that matters'. This famed Indian 'yodha' has lived up to his lofty ideals of 'Naam, Namak, Nishan' despite all the neglect and indignities of the past 60 years. Will the 6Th PC be the last straw that breaks this fine spirit?
Officers now seeking to leave the Forces in droves, makes one fear the worst.
Maj Gen Pushpendra Singh (Retd)
God and soldiers all men adore.
Danger's past and all is righted,
God's forgotten, the soldier slighted. Harold Y Grooms
Apolitical ethos
The appointment of three IAS men to look into the injustice done to the Defence Services is typical of the way in which our Services have been subjugated since independence. Govt can of course point out that the Defence Secretary is there to look out for their interests but, as this article will bring out, he heads the Department that has consistently undermined the defence forces for 60 years. That the Forces have survived this invidious onslaught and yet remained apolitical is a tribute to their patriotism and grit. But will the Services emerge unscathed from this latest effort to mete out 'justice'?. Readers may judge for themselves.
Doctors discriminated
One example will suffice to support this contention. The 5Th Pay Commission (PC) conceded that Non Practising Allowance (NPA) paid to Govt doctors be counted as pay while computing pension entitlements. However, subsequently orders were issued to recover the 'excess' pension paid to pre-'96 retirees. Thereupon, most retired doctors' associations filed cases in various High Courts, a majority of which were upheld. The Central Govt went in appeal to the Supreme Court who issued notice to the concerned departments. Instead of filing their responses however, major Departments – notably, Railways and Health – withdrew their cases and allowed NPA- pension to their old pensioners. The Defence Ministry however, has continued the litigation to deny this to Defence Doctors– the only group singled out for discrimination.
Degrading defence services
This endeavour to steadily degrade the Forces explains why no representation of the Central Govt's largest employees has ever been allowed on any of the PCs, leave alone conceding the just demand for a separate Defence PC. What hope can the Services have when even some of the anomalies of previous PCs remain unresolved.
Bureaucratic strangle
That the 6th PC has brought defence officers down two notches below their civilian equivalents vis-Ã -vis the 5th PC has been extensively covered in the media. What is not widely appreciated is the complete stranglehold that various bureaucratic departments of the MoD have established over the military – imperilling the nation's security, in the bargain.
Poor quality armaments
Ours is perhaps the only major Military with no say in the production and quality of indigenous defence ammunition and equipment. On 20 March 2008, during war- games showcased before foreign military attaches, a mortar bomb exploded in the barrel and killed three crew members. Dismissing the incident, a defence spokesman stated that such incidents occur routinely. Since a bore- safety device in the bombs fuse is designed to prevent in- barrel detonations, worldwide such accidents are extremely rare. In 1995, after an alarming frequency of accidents, Army managed to convene a meeting with Defence Production bureaucrats. It emerged that the Ammunition Factories had contrived to prevent the DGQA from inspecting the quality of their product! Further, they had no procedure to guarantee that the bore- safety device had in fact been fitted. Even after these shameful disclosures, they managed to evade independent quality assurance.
Substandard four wheelers
In this turf war between two Defence Production departments, the lives of our jawans remain imperilled. Even where the DGQA is active, the quality of Ordnance Factories remains shocking. Jabalpur Vehicle Factory- made Jonga was another killing machine. Used mostly in mountains, its rear wheel was notorious for coming- off on bends, sending servicemen hurtling into the khud. The author had two providential escapes from this death- trap.
Defence procurement sans sanity
The Military has virtually no say in these grave matters. Defence procurement is the third area where Defence pleas go unheard for decades. The import of surveillance radar was held up for thirty years because DRDO was 'developing' it. Another item was illuminating shells for our field gun. DRDO had wasted twenty years in 'development'. Result: we were totally blind at night. In 1996, MoD was requested to import 2% of our requirement of illuminating shells and let balance 98% come from indigenous production whenever DRDO's reverse- engineering succeeded. Joint Secretary, MoD chaired the meeting which, apart from two army officers, a DRDO official attended. As we presented our case, it became apparent that the two civilians had connived to turn down the plea. It took the Kargil war for importing night- fighting equipment on a 'war-footing' (sic). In fact, then Army Chief stated, 'We will fight with what we have'. Back to 1962! Due to these voids, 700 young Indian lives were sacrificed, but nothing disturbed the slumber of the two bureaucrats. Recent changes in the procurement structure only meet the problem half- way. Wielding authority without responsibility is Indian babudom's special invention.
Kargil aggression
Except for a brief interregnum when the forces were reasonably adequately equipped was post 1965 till the early '70s. Thereafter the neglect started once again and a deaf and blind bureaucracy awoke with a shock to the poor state of equipment when faced with the Kargil aggression. We did, but paid the price in terms of the blood of too many young lives snuffed out at the alter of crass neglect and utter irresponsibility of the Govt. Did any bureaucrat who had held up urgent defence procurements accept responsibility? Did any of the well- heeled fat cats of the Ordnance Factories Board or MoD (Production) own up responsibility for shortfalls in ammunition and equipment with the troops fighting in the icy altitudes of 16000 t0 19000 feet? We all know the answers - a resounding NO.
Auditors become military stategists
Defence auditors are another entity who enjoy exercising authority without responsibility. Their ignorance of matters military is the stuff of countless jokes among servicemen. Undaunted, they venture to offer inane objections to most proposals. The Tribune recently carried an article by the former Deputy Chief of Defence Planning Staff highlighting the fallacies in objections raised to the USS Trenton acquisition. One was amazed to read the observations which an accountant had ventured to put forward to naval professionals who had spent upwards of two or more decades in maturing their expertise. Of course, as is often the case, when these objections delay or thwart important modernisation proposals, it impinges on defence capability and ceases to be a joking matter. They simply need to be told where to get off!
Cost of neglect
It is well known that India's ruling elite remains entirely innocent of strategic matters. Consequently, our external and internal security environments are the most perilous of all major nations. The deterioration commenced with the 1947- 48 J&K war and India continues to suffer the fallout of holding back the Army when within an ace of ejecting the Pakis from the entire State. The 1962 debacle again underlined Nehru's ineptitude in defence of the Republic. When Indira Gandhi heeded Manekshaw's professional advice India won a famous victory in 1971.
Security decisions
Thereafter, the string of catastrophic security decisions resumed, leaving the Military to repeatedly pull the chestnuts out of resulting fires. The 1972 Simla agreement gave away all the gains of the war with no implementable solution of the Kashmir issue. Similarly, release of JeM-founder Masood Azhar for Kandahar-hostages directly resulted in the attack on Parliament. The ill-considered decision to respond with Op Parakram, only to pull back, destroyed the credibility of our deterrent capability. The lack of institutionalised professional military inputs at the policy- level is unique to our democracy. The resultant continuous operational exposure has put a huge strain on our personnel, for which the 6Th PC has failed to compensate them.
Skewed decision making process
Contrast this with other major nations. China's PLA is represented at the highest Party and Govt echelons. In USA, one Presidential aspirant is a veteran. In UK, Prince Harry's Afghanistan foray needs no recounting. Name one prominent Indian bureaucrat or politician with a son in the Forces. None comes readily to mind. If Govt does not possess the requisite insights into the special conditions of the Defence Services, what prevents them from integrating professional inputs into decision- making that critically affects servicemen.
Sixth Pay Commission the last straw
Before the '62 war, someone brought to Nehru's attention, the utter inferiority of the Army's weaponry. He replied in lofty disdain, 'It is the man behind the gun that matters'. This famed Indian 'yodha' has lived up to his lofty ideals of 'Naam, Namak, Nishan' despite all the neglect and indignities of the past 60 years. Will the 6Th PC be the last straw that breaks this fine spirit?
Officers now seeking to leave the Forces in droves, makes one fear the worst.
Maj Gen Pushpendra Singh (Retd)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Alcohol Abuse in the Armed Forces
Stress
Stress, Alcohol and smoking can have adverse and disastrous effects on serving soldiers and Ex Servicemen. The family members are the immediate ones who bear the brunt of those who are stressed and addicted to alcohol and smoking. In the Army even an Army Order was introduced to curb the growing tendency of alcoholism. What happens to alcoholics boarded out of service? The families suffer the most. Many studies have been carried by out under the aegis of DGAFMS. Though statistics showing cases of Alcohol dependence syndrome is encouraging, but what is alarming is the upward growth trend.
Remedial Measures
Alcoholics suffer and hence it is a disease which needs to be treated. The issues are complex and there is no set or proven method of cure. Stress and anxiety are only contributory factors which needs to be addressed. Restrictions alone cannot succeed. Family and Group therapy as advocated by medical advisers can partially help the individuals. The only logical solution lies in Leaders showing the right way by personal example, conduct and motivation for the juniors to emulate.
Consequences
It is easy to conjure up a reason for suicides and fratricides like Frayed Nerves, Stress, low morale, bad service conditions, lack of leave, communication gap and even attribute to unattractive pay! Really the issues are of Leadership. Once you have the right Leader in place all these issues just vanish into thin air.
Welfare
Welfare is the most important aspect which gets neglected. Honour and Prestige of a soldier must be maintained while in service and also when he is out in the civilian world as an Ex Serviceman. The entitlements of a Soldier must be administered to him cent percent. What happens is that standards get diluted down the chain of command. The quality and quantity of his entitlement, be it rations, personnel attire, clothing and so on get awfully reduced, diluted and at times sub- standard. The Regimental Funds which are there for Welfare of Troops hardly finds its way to mitigate a Soldier in distress.
Public Relations Officer
Spokesman Col SK Sakhuja says soldiers kill each other when one of them perceives that they are being harassed by superiors or when they have heated arguments among themselves. Our foundations are strong. Indian Army's biggest enemy-Stress
Stress, Alcohol and smoking can have adverse and disastrous effects on serving soldiers and Ex Servicemen. The family members are the immediate ones who bear the brunt of those who are stressed and addicted to alcohol and smoking. In the Army even an Army Order was introduced to curb the growing tendency of alcoholism. What happens to alcoholics boarded out of service? The families suffer the most. Many studies have been carried by out under the aegis of DGAFMS. Though statistics showing cases of Alcohol dependence syndrome is encouraging, but what is alarming is the upward growth trend.
Remedial Measures
Alcoholics suffer and hence it is a disease which needs to be treated. The issues are complex and there is no set or proven method of cure. Stress and anxiety are only contributory factors which needs to be addressed. Restrictions alone cannot succeed. Family and Group therapy as advocated by medical advisers can partially help the individuals. The only logical solution lies in Leaders showing the right way by personal example, conduct and motivation for the juniors to emulate.
Consequences
It is easy to conjure up a reason for suicides and fratricides like Frayed Nerves, Stress, low morale, bad service conditions, lack of leave, communication gap and even attribute to unattractive pay! Really the issues are of Leadership. Once you have the right Leader in place all these issues just vanish into thin air.
Welfare
Welfare is the most important aspect which gets neglected. Honour and Prestige of a soldier must be maintained while in service and also when he is out in the civilian world as an Ex Serviceman. The entitlements of a Soldier must be administered to him cent percent. What happens is that standards get diluted down the chain of command. The quality and quantity of his entitlement, be it rations, personnel attire, clothing and so on get awfully reduced, diluted and at times sub- standard. The Regimental Funds which are there for Welfare of Troops hardly finds its way to mitigate a Soldier in distress.
Public Relations Officer
Spokesman Col SK Sakhuja says soldiers kill each other when one of them perceives that they are being harassed by superiors or when they have heated arguments among themselves. Our foundations are strong. Indian Army's biggest enemy-Stress
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