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
Showing posts with label Medicare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medicare. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Government Approves Massive Expansion of Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
To provide equitable treatment to all eligible Ex-Servicemen and their dependents under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and to enhance the scheme’s coverage, the Union Cabinet today approved Establishment of 199 new polyclinics including 17 mobile medical facilities and 15 new regional centres at a cost of Rs. 141 crores. With this, the ECHS facility will now be extended to those areas, where Ex-Servicemen population is below 2,500 by setting up polyclinics which are within reasonable distance from Ex-Servicemen concentrations.
The Cabinet also approved reorganization and strengthening the Central Organisation ECHS by suitably increasing the manpower. It has authorized additional manpower – 2263 in number on contractual basis, to man the additional 199 polyclinics. It has also authorized 315 serving personnel – 60 officers and 255 PBORs, for proposed regional centres and seven officers and 15 PBORs for Central Organisation ECHS.
Financial implications towards creation of infrastructure will be about Rs.141 crore. This will entail a capital expenditure of Rs. 118.52 crore towards cost of land, construction and medical equipment. An amount of Rs. 22.25 crore of expenditure will cover purchase of furniture etc, and IT hardware. On the recurring side, an expenditure of Rs.43 crore per annum is envisaged.
It may be recalled that the ECHS was introduced on April 01, 2003 to provide comprehensive medical coverage to Ex-Servicemen pensioners, war widows and dependents by establishing 227 polyclinics at stations with Ex-Servicemen population above 2500 throughout the country. 106 polyclinics are at military stations and 121 polyclinics are at non-military stations. Where the Ex-Servicemen population is less than 2,500, the Ex-Servicemen face hardships in reaching polyclinics because of the distance. There are over 30 lakh ECHS beneficiaries now. On an average 60,000 Servicemen retire every year and this results in a further addition of 60,000 Ex-Servicemen and 1,44,000 dependents to the list of beneficiaries each year. Over 7 lakh Ex-Servicemen, who retired prior to April 01, 2003 have not opted for the scheme primarily due to non-availability of polyclinics near their places of residence. There are also insufficient number of regional centres to monitor the polyclinics.
Click here for list of additional polyclinics planned to be established
Click here for the Hindi version
To provide equitable treatment to all eligible Ex-Servicemen and their dependents under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and to enhance the scheme’s coverage, the Union Cabinet today approved Establishment of 199 new polyclinics including 17 mobile medical facilities and 15 new regional centres at a cost of Rs. 141 crores. With this, the ECHS facility will now be extended to those areas, where Ex-Servicemen population is below 2,500 by setting up polyclinics which are within reasonable distance from Ex-Servicemen concentrations.
The Cabinet also approved reorganization and strengthening the Central Organisation ECHS by suitably increasing the manpower. It has authorized additional manpower – 2263 in number on contractual basis, to man the additional 199 polyclinics. It has also authorized 315 serving personnel – 60 officers and 255 PBORs, for proposed regional centres and seven officers and 15 PBORs for Central Organisation ECHS.
Financial implications towards creation of infrastructure will be about Rs.141 crore. This will entail a capital expenditure of Rs. 118.52 crore towards cost of land, construction and medical equipment. An amount of Rs. 22.25 crore of expenditure will cover purchase of furniture etc, and IT hardware. On the recurring side, an expenditure of Rs.43 crore per annum is envisaged.
It may be recalled that the ECHS was introduced on April 01, 2003 to provide comprehensive medical coverage to Ex-Servicemen pensioners, war widows and dependents by establishing 227 polyclinics at stations with Ex-Servicemen population above 2500 throughout the country. 106 polyclinics are at military stations and 121 polyclinics are at non-military stations. Where the Ex-Servicemen population is less than 2,500, the Ex-Servicemen face hardships in reaching polyclinics because of the distance. There are over 30 lakh ECHS beneficiaries now. On an average 60,000 Servicemen retire every year and this results in a further addition of 60,000 Ex-Servicemen and 1,44,000 dependents to the list of beneficiaries each year. Over 7 lakh Ex-Servicemen, who retired prior to April 01, 2003 have not opted for the scheme primarily due to non-availability of polyclinics near their places of residence. There are also insufficient number of regional centres to monitor the polyclinics.
Click here for list of additional polyclinics planned to be established
Click here for the Hindi version
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ECHS: News, Views and Updates
Additional Polyclinics
It is learnt that ECHS plans to have 197 additional Polyclinics as part of their next expansion plan. While the time frame for this is not known, a list of the Polyclinics planned is linked for your information-click me.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi
Coordinator,
IESM ECHS Division,
IESM ECHS Division Feed Back to MD ECHS
The Feedback sent to MD ECHS is here- click me for your information please. This may please be read in conjunction with the following already published.
Road Map for the ECHS Cell.
ECHS Concept Paper
Our efforts at improving ECHS services is a Joint Venture between the ECHS and us Veterans. It is hoped that even as we expect a positive thrust from the ECHS hierarchy, we on our part will get on and see how best we can make our healthcare facilities.
RLC and PLC members are requested to now get actively involved in local issues in consultation with the ECHS representatives. Thanks.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi,
IESM ECHS Division
It is learnt that ECHS plans to have 197 additional Polyclinics as part of their next expansion plan. While the time frame for this is not known, a list of the Polyclinics planned is linked for your information-click me.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi
Coordinator,
IESM ECHS Division,
IESM ECHS Division Feed Back to MD ECHS
The Feedback sent to MD ECHS is here- click me for your information please. This may please be read in conjunction with the following already published.
Our efforts at improving ECHS services is a Joint Venture between the ECHS and us Veterans. It is hoped that even as we expect a positive thrust from the ECHS hierarchy, we on our part will get on and see how best we can make our healthcare facilities.
RLC and PLC members are requested to now get actively involved in local issues in consultation with the ECHS representatives. Thanks.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi,
IESM ECHS Division
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Military Pension: Comparison with other countries (OROP)
Dear Friend,
I am tempted to forward a mail which I sent to Thomas, who has been following the compensation package in the USA very closely (He has many friends and relatives in the US, and has attended a long course with their Air Force) and also his reply thereto.
I hold the view, that complete 'justice' for our ESM is contingent on our national ability to revise the terms of engagement of soldiers. Now, it is easy to dismiss this as a responsibility of the Government of India. Indeed, they have the ultimate power, and therefore the responsibility. But I suspect our own headquarters has not done enough to pursue this issue. Papers have been written at various levels. But no one has been able to evolve a consensus on this contentious issue even within the Army HQ, leave alone the polity of our land.
Sometimes, I feel that this should be a primary issue of the ESM organizations. The 6th Pay Commission made specific recommendations. But they say, "Man proposes, God disposes" In this case the 'proposal' of the Pay Panel has been summarily rejected by the MHA and MoD has caved in without as much as a whimper.
I am a die hard optimist. I have full faith in the ability of the IESM to fight it out. And yet, I am not too sure that the OROP will come through. Not during the foreseeable future any way. And what will come in its way is our numbers. They are too large.
To provide medical care for two million ESM with at least four million dependants is a daunting task. A visit to an ECHS clinic can be a harrowing experience.
May the Lord guide us on the righteous path.
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
Dear Surjit,
Thanks. Let me answer your points.
Q. "Every other country has OROP."
A. Thanks. No other country discriminates among pensioners on the basis of date of retirement.
Q. "But do tell me, which other country gives pension to all (or nearly all) soldiers who enlist?"
A. None at all. It shows how poorly we manage our human resources.
Q. "Also, is there any other country which retires its soldiers at the age of 35, with pension?"
A. Again, none at all. But sir, 23 years ago, when you were in the IV Pay Commission I sent you a note arguing for lateral transfer of soldiers from the arms to the services. What is the sense of approaching the Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis for crumbs from their table when we don't make use of the 5 lakh civilian jobs in the defence sector and an equal number of services vacancies within the armed forces? In my note of 1986 I had predicted that the government's pension bill will eventually exceed its salary bill. I think that has already happened for the Defence forces. Defence HQ do not feel the pinch because, under our opaque accounting system, the Defence pension bill is buried under a different ministry. Since pension is deferred wages the Defence pension bill should be brought back under the Defence budget. That will impose greater discipline and a greater sense of responsibility. We will not then send out jawans on retirement at age 35 with pension. We will absorb them in the services and Defence PSUs. Long time ago, the combatant jawan was semi-literate and usually from a farming background. Today the minimum entry level is matriculate. So the retiring jawan is far more employable. We need to go back to the old system of 9 years colour service followed by lateral entry to the services, defence PSUs and defence civilian jobs. Direct entry to the services should be stopped.
Q. "The total number of military personnel in all the five services of the USA is over two million. But the number of their pensioners (as per my information) is no more than half a million."
A. Quite right. But that is because the United States has a national contributory pension system called Social Security. Defence personnel are part of this system, whether in uniform or out of it. The Defence forces only give a Disability Pension, where applicable.
Q. "Comparison with other countries is not a plank on which this case can be based. At least that can not be the only basis."
A. Agreed that it is not the only basis. What we are asking for is pension equal to that of current retirees. Every other country gives this.
Joseph Thomas
I am tempted to forward a mail which I sent to Thomas, who has been following the compensation package in the USA very closely (He has many friends and relatives in the US, and has attended a long course with their Air Force) and also his reply thereto.
I hold the view, that complete 'justice' for our ESM is contingent on our national ability to revise the terms of engagement of soldiers. Now, it is easy to dismiss this as a responsibility of the Government of India. Indeed, they have the ultimate power, and therefore the responsibility. But I suspect our own headquarters has not done enough to pursue this issue. Papers have been written at various levels. But no one has been able to evolve a consensus on this contentious issue even within the Army HQ, leave alone the polity of our land.
Sometimes, I feel that this should be a primary issue of the ESM organizations. The 6th Pay Commission made specific recommendations. But they say, "Man proposes, God disposes" In this case the 'proposal' of the Pay Panel has been summarily rejected by the MHA and MoD has caved in without as much as a whimper.
I am a die hard optimist. I have full faith in the ability of the IESM to fight it out. And yet, I am not too sure that the OROP will come through. Not during the foreseeable future any way. And what will come in its way is our numbers. They are too large.
To provide medical care for two million ESM with at least four million dependants is a daunting task. A visit to an ECHS clinic can be a harrowing experience.
May the Lord guide us on the righteous path.
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
Dear Surjit,
Thanks. Let me answer your points.
Q. "Every other country has OROP."
A. Thanks. No other country discriminates among pensioners on the basis of date of retirement.
Q. "But do tell me, which other country gives pension to all (or nearly all) soldiers who enlist?"
A. None at all. It shows how poorly we manage our human resources.
Q. "Also, is there any other country which retires its soldiers at the age of 35, with pension?"
A. Again, none at all. But sir, 23 years ago, when you were in the IV Pay Commission I sent you a note arguing for lateral transfer of soldiers from the arms to the services. What is the sense of approaching the Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis for crumbs from their table when we don't make use of the 5 lakh civilian jobs in the defence sector and an equal number of services vacancies within the armed forces? In my note of 1986 I had predicted that the government's pension bill will eventually exceed its salary bill. I think that has already happened for the Defence forces. Defence HQ do not feel the pinch because, under our opaque accounting system, the Defence pension bill is buried under a different ministry. Since pension is deferred wages the Defence pension bill should be brought back under the Defence budget. That will impose greater discipline and a greater sense of responsibility. We will not then send out jawans on retirement at age 35 with pension. We will absorb them in the services and Defence PSUs. Long time ago, the combatant jawan was semi-literate and usually from a farming background. Today the minimum entry level is matriculate. So the retiring jawan is far more employable. We need to go back to the old system of 9 years colour service followed by lateral entry to the services, defence PSUs and defence civilian jobs. Direct entry to the services should be stopped.
Q. "The total number of military personnel in all the five services of the USA is over two million. But the number of their pensioners (as per my information) is no more than half a million."
A. Quite right. But that is because the United States has a national contributory pension system called Social Security. Defence personnel are part of this system, whether in uniform or out of it. The Defence forces only give a Disability Pension, where applicable.
Q. "Comparison with other countries is not a plank on which this case can be based. At least that can not be the only basis."
A. Agreed that it is not the only basis. What we are asking for is pension equal to that of current retirees. Every other country gives this.
Joseph Thomas
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