Tamilnadu in the Flag Day Fund Collection Overdrive?

From: Mrs. Usha Sundar, W/o Lt Col CR Sundar (Retd) dated 01 Nov 2012 from Chennai
To: The Collector, Kanchipuram District.
IRREGULARITIES IN RESPECT OF FLAG DAY FUND COLLECTION IN REGIONAL TRANSPORT OFFICES (RTO) OF TAMIL NADU
Sir,
1. I have attached herewith a copy of an article published in the popular Tamil Weekly ‘Anandha Vikatan’ dated 24/10/2012.
2. There are serious allegations against all RTOs of Tamil Nadu in the said article. As per the article the RTO’s are indulging in a ‘collection spree’ called ‘flag charge’. Instead of the stipulated Rs 36/- they extort Rs. 250/- for a two-wheeler and Rs. 500/- for a four-wheeler. For grant of ‘fitness certificates’ (FC) the rate is Rs. 500/- for medium sized vehicles, Rs. 750/- for buses and lorries and Rs. 1,000/- for heavier vehicles. These rates are for non-defective vehicles. Defective vehicles are charged double.
3. As a member of the public I am very concerned. But as the wife of a retired Army Officer I am pained and angry.
4. Flag Day Fund was set up in 1949 by the Defence Minister’s Committee. In 1993 the Defence Ministry of India consolidated all related welfare funds into Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. Its purposes are Rehabilitation of battle casualties, Welfare of serving personnel and their families and Resettlement and welfare of Ex Servicemen and their families. Fund collection is managed throughout the country by the local arms of Kendriya Sainik Boards (KSB).
5. RTOs of Tamil Nadu are not collection agencies. But they are collecting huge amounts throughout the year and misusing the funds.
6. You as the collector are aware that Ex Servicemen are a deprived lot, and find it very hard to survive in the civilian world.. Every year 7 Dec is commemorated as ‘Flag Day’ and certain formalities are conducted in every DSSA Board in the state .Money is collected in their cause but one never gets to hear anything about the amounts collected, or the ways in which these funds were distributed (if at all) among ESM. We request you to verify the report and take necessary action against the culprits involved.
7. Ex Servicemen are treated with the highest honour and respect elsewhere in the world.. Here in India, especially in Tamil Nadu we are told that State- run offices and officers are looting the general public in the name of those Veterans who gave the best years of their life in the defence of their motherland. It is the ultimate treachery.
8. The ‘Serving Fraternity of officers and the Ministry of Defence’ and the Retired Generals living in Tamil Nadu must work together to stop this sort of Disrespect and Dishonour to the Ex Servicemen and their dependents and widows. Thank You,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/- (Ms.Usha Sundar)
Copy to:
1. The Asst Dir, DSSA Board Tambaram.
2. The AFA, Air Force Station Tambaram.
3. GOC, ATNK&K Area Chennai.
4. The Editor, Anandha Vikatan, Chennai.
Comment: Thalsidar Offices who hand out death certificates are also involved in this racket. There is no control over these State Agencies who are in the money spinning mode and cheating the poor citizens of India into believing these funds are helping Ex Servicemen!

Department Of Ex-Servicemen Welfare: Vision and Mission

Vision, Mission, Objectives and Functions
Results-Framework Document (RFD) for Department Of Ex-Servicemen Welfare-(2012-2013)
To ensure the well being of the Retired Armed forces personnel/their dependants and to sensitize the general public about their potential and the positive role played by Ex-servicemen in the nation building.
Mission
Formulation of polices for the welfare of Ex-service men / dependents. Timely addressal of pension grievances as per entitlement, ensuring quality health care, resettlement and rehabilitation of Ex-servicemen and promoting activities that depict the positive role played by Ex-servicemen in society.
Objective
1 Improvement in procedures relted to delivery of medical benefits to ESM
2 Strengthening mechanisms/systems for ESM welfare
3 Facilitate prompt grievance redressal
4 To conduct media campaign to highlight the role of ESM in society
5 Resettlement & rehabilitation of Ex Servicemen
6 Improved data of Ex Servicemen/ dependants
Department Of Ex-Servicemen Welfare(2012-2013)

Armed Forces Flag Day

07 Dec 2010 16:50 IST
Armed Forces Flag Day was observed today throughout the country. The day is observed to remember the sacrifices made by our gallant servicemen in defending the integrity of our motherland and salute the martyrs, honour the brave and express solidarity and support towards welfare of widows, children, disabled and sick ex-servicemen.

On this occasion officials of Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) pinned Armed Forces Flag Day Lapels on the President Smt Pratibha Patil, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Defence Minister Shri AK Antony, Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju and the three Service Chiefs. Similar functions were held throughout the country with the assistance of school students, NCC cadets and Govt officials.

The mobilized fund is utilized for giving grants to various welfare institutions like Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, Cheshire Homes, St. Dunstan’s After Care Organisation for Blind, construction of War Memorial hostels, financial assistance towards marriage, medical, education grants and relief to ex-servicemen towards penury besides hosts of other welfare measure. Samir/Raman
Armed Forces Flag Day Observed

Audit of Flag Day Collections
If Nation wide audit and utilisation of Flag Day funds are carried out it will be realised that hardly any of deserving veterans are really the beneficiaries. However the paper work like any other Government agency camouflages where the funds go. Difficult to unearth the scam.

What is Military Veterans Vision 2025 and their role in Nation Building?

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju lighting the lamp to inaugurate a seminar on `Military Veterans Vision 2025: their role in Nation Building and National Security’, in New Delhi on October 22, 2010.
General (Retd.) Shankar Roy Chaudhary, Brig. R.K.S. Gulia and the president, Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) are also seen.PIB: Photo no.CNR - 34182

Resurgence in Placement of Defence Officers with Corporate
With economy spiralling out of recession and recruitment on the rise, encouraging trend has been witnessed in placement of former Defence Officers in middle and senior level management positions.

The recently concluded batch from Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon have received over 85 percent placements, with Officers being placed in handsome packages ranging between Rs 14 and 24 lakhs. Corporates like ICICI Bank, L & T, Bartronics and many others have appointed Ex-Servicemen officers in diverse profiles of sales, marketing, logistics and supply chain, operations, human resource (recruitment) and administration. Bartronics emerged the single highest recruiter hiring 10 officers from the same batch.

Inaugurating the brochure for the 3rd batch of defence officers undertaking the residential General Management Program from IIM Lucknow (Noida Campus) today Major General Pramod Behl, Director General Resettlement said that the specially designed curriculum would facilitate the Officers to craft their positions in industry with ease and prove to be a major asset to the corporate world. In addition to the leadership and dynamism, these officers bring tremendous experience, discipline and focused approach, due to their training with forces, he added. Management education equips these Armed Forces Officers with latest skills sought by corporate, Maj. Gen. Behl noted.

IIM Lucknow (Noida Campus) batch has already commenced its placement process as the officers are due to culminate the course on 18 Dec. The IIML batch has developed its own website which can be visited at iiml.afp2010.com. Similar programmes are run in various reputed institutes but at intervening period. PK/SR (Release ID :66501)
Resurgence in Placement of Defence Officers with Corporate

Flag Day: Is it a noble and honourable act to beg?

Armed Forces Flag Day
The Armed Forces Flag Day or the Flag Day of India is a special day dedicated towards collection of funds from people of India, for the welfare of the armed forces personnel in India. It is observed on December 7, every year in India, from 1949. Funds are collected from the general public for the welfare of the Indian Armed Forces personnel. Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the brave soldiers, airmen and sailors of India.

History
Immediately after India achieved independence, a need arose for the government to help and manage the welfare of the defence personnel of Independent India. On August 28, 1949, a committee set up under the defence minister decided to observe a Flag Day on December 7, every year. The notion behind observing Flag Day was to distribute token flags and car flags and in return collect donations from the general public. The Flag Day gains more significance as it considers that it is the responsibility of the civilian population of India to take care of the families and dependents of the armed forces personnel who fight for the country. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was then Prime Minister of India, describing this exemplary practice said on December 7, 1954:
A few weeks ago, I visited Indo-China and saw our officers and men attached to the International Commission there. It gave me a thrill to see their smart bearing and the good work they were doing in that distant land. What pleased me still more was their general popularity with the people there. By their efficiency as well as their friendliness, they enhanced the reputation of India. Among them were people from all parts of India. They observed no provincial or other differences amongst themselves. I am sure my countrymen will be pleased to learn of them and would like to indicate their appreciation of these young men who serve our country both here and elsewhere so well. A way to indicate that appreciation is to contribute to the Flag Day Fund.

Significance and Purpose
The Flag day is mainly observed to serve three basic purposes:

Rehabilitation of battle casualties

Welfare of serving personnel and their families

Resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen and their families.
The Armed Forces Flag Day commemoration and the collection of funds through distribution of flags has been an honoured tradition and is organised every with much pride nationally. It stands as a representation for the community to express its gratitude and appreciation to the brave soldier of India. It is a day to acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs, as well as the service of both veterans and the serving armed forces personnel.

On the Flag Day all three formations of the armed forces, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, through their units arrange a variety of shows, carnivals, dramas and other entertainment programmes to showcase the heroic efforts of their personnel to the general public while ensuring national security. From schools, to colleges, from corporate community to general public, token flags and car flags in red, deep blue and light blue colours representing the three Services are distributed in return for donations.

Flag Day Fund
The original Flag Day Fund was set up in 1949, by the Defence Minister's Committee. However, in 1993, the Defence Ministry of India, consolidated related welfare funds into a single Armed Forces Flag Day fund. Those funds include:

Amalgamated Special Fund for War Bereaved, War Disabled and other ex-Servicemen /Serving Personnel

Flag Day Fund

St Dunstan's (India) and Kendriya Sainik Board Fund

Indian Gorkha Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Fund.

Fund Collection
The fund collection is managed throughout the country by the by local arms of the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), which is part of the Ministry of Defence. The fund collection is organised both by official and non-official means through voluntary organisations.

The Fund is operated by a Managing Committee presided over by the Defence Minister of India at the Centre and by the executive heads of the governments in the States and Union Territories. When the Armed Forces Flag Day programme was introduced, the fund allocation was managed in such a way that the Central KSB headquarters is given only a very small share of the Flag Day Fund collections made by each state. The allotted funds for the KSB is only half a paisa per individual.
Armed Forces Flag Day

Is it a noble act to beg?
This is a demeaning act. Literally the Armed Forces are made beggars with a begging bowl. Collection of funds should cease. More avenues for honouring our brave soldiers like National War Memorials should be explored. Presently the Flag Day Collections are grossly misutilised by KSB's and higher echelons. This is certainly no way of honouring our brave Jawans.

पूर्व सैनिक कल्याण: झंडा दिवस संग्रह

महत्व और प्रयोजन
इस फ्लैग दिन मुख्य रूप से तीन मूल उद्देश्यों की सेवा करने के लिए मनाया जाता है:

पुनर्वास युद्ध हताहतों के

कल्याण कर्मियों और उनके परिवारों की सेवा के

पुनर्वास और पूर्व सैनिकों और उनके परिवारों के कल्याण

झंडे के वितरण के माध्यम से सशस्त्र बल झंडा दिवस स्मरणोत्सव और धन की वसूली और एक परंपरा को सम्मानित किया गया है बहुत गर्व के साथ राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर हर आयोजन किया है. यह समुदाय के लिए एक प्रतिनिधित्व के रूप में अपनी कृतज्ञता और भारत के बहादुर सैनिक की प्रशंसा व्यक्त करने के लिए खड़ा है. यह शहीदों के बलिदान स्वीकार करने के लिए एक दिन, और साथ ही दोनों दिग्गजों और सेवारत सैन्य बलों के कर्मियों की सेवा है.

इस झंडा दिवस पर सशस्त्र बलों के सभी तीन फार्मेशनों, भारतीय सेना, भारतीय वायु सेना और भारतीय नौसेना, अपनी इकाइयों के माध्यम से पता चलता है की एक किस्म, प्रदर्शनियों, नाटकों और प्रदर्शित करने के लिए दूसरे मनोरंजन कार्यक्रमों उनके कर्मियों के वीर प्रयासों की व्यवस्था आम जनता जबकि राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करने. स्कूल, कॉलेज के लिए, कॉर्पोरेट समुदाय से आम जनता, टोकन झंडे और गाड़ी में झंडे को लाल, गहरा नीला और हल्का नीला रंग के तीन सेवाओं का प्रतिनिधित्व दान के बदले में वितरित कर रहे हैं से.
सशस्त्र सेना झंडा दिवस

उचित प्रश्न
वहाँ निधियों का एक लेखा परीक्षा है कि वास्तव में धनराशि कल्याण प्रयोजनों के लिए उपयोग किया जाता है यह सुनिश्चित करने का इरादा? या यह एक तमाशा है? क्या संकेतकों है कि इन कल्याणकारी उपायों ESM के बड़े समुदाय को लाभ हुआ है रहे हैं? या क्या वे केवल योजनाएं कागज पर, नौकरशाही शैली, तैयार सार्वजनिक चालाकी करने के लिए? कौन उत्तरदायी है? सशस्त्र बल है जो ज्यादातर धनराशि की वसूली के लिए, वे जवाबदेह नहीं बनाया जाना चाहिए जिम्मेदार हैं?

ESM Welfare: Flag Day Collections

Significance and Purpose
The Flag day is mainly observed to serve three basic purposes:

Rehabilitation of battle casualties

Welfare of serving personnel and their families

Resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen and their families

The Armed Forces Flag Day commemoration and the collection of funds through distribution of flags has been an honoured tradition and is organised every with much pride nationally. It stands as a representation for the community to express its gratitude and appreciation to the brave soldier of India. It is a day to acknowledge the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs, as well as the service of both veterans and the serving armed forces personnel.

On the Flag Day all three formations of the armed forces, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, through their units arrange a variety of shows, carnivals, dramas and other entertainment programmes to showcase the heroic efforts of their personnel to the general public while ensuring national security. From schools, to colleges, from corporate community to general public, token flags and car flags in red, deep blue and light blue colours representing the three Services are distributed in return for donations.
Armed Forces Flag Day

Pertinent Questions
Is there an audit of Funds to ensure that truly the funds are utilised for welfare purposes intended? Or is it a farce? What are the indicators that these welfare measures have benefited the the large community of ESM? Or are they only schemes drawn up on paper, bureaucratic style, to hoodwink the Public? Who is accountable? The Armed Forces who are mostly responsible for collection of funds, should they not be made accountable?