Handbook for Military Pensioners

Dear Sir,
I will request you to get it published in Report My Signals blog. It maybe useful to veterans other than Signals.
With Regards
ID Sharma
Dear ID,
My congratulations for producing the Hand Book. Pse keep doing such things to help the veterans. We have to help ourselves and we have many like you who are doing yeoman's service.
Best wishes.
Sincerely, Harbhajan Singh
Handbook for Pensioners
Handbook for Pensioers

Rank Pay: CDA (O) twists in a New Format

Sunday, 28 October 2012 6:01 PM
PCDA (O) has changed the FORM today
Dear Friends,
Brig PT Gangadharan has been keeping a close watch on our Rank Pay case and the various requirements we are required to send down to CDA(O). This is latest from him. Do collect the necessary data from your service records ( I searched for it today and found that it contains a lot of info) Do pull yours out and see what you can lay your hands on.
Rgds
Niranjan Malik
From: ptgangadharan Date: 28 October 2012 16:04
Subject: PCDA (O) has changed the FORM today
Dear Sir,
PCDA (O) has again changed the FORM again today; fresh details wanted; if you go to the CDA website you will find.
I am enclosing the same New Format: Click here.
Till now this information is required by CDA(O) changes affected every day and once MOD letter comes something more will happen or required.
MOD Letter is still awaited.
Please collate your DATA and keep it ready. Maximum details are in Your Record of Service recd from AGs Branch after your retirement.
PS:- Most of you may not have all the required information. Hence try and give max available information. Archives will have all information. IN & IAF offrs may take similar action with their pay offices.
Regards,
ptgangadharan
New CDA (0) Format
New Format: Click here- Supreme Court Verdict regarding Rank Pay and related matters 09/10/2012)
Address New Completed Form to:
Senior AO. Pay Revision Cell (superscribed "Information: Hon'ble Supreme Court Judgement dated 04/09/2012")
PRINCIPAL CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (OFFICERS)
Golibar Maidan, Pune 411 001

Rank Pay: CDA (O) Pune News Flash

Ref: CDA(O) Pune: News Flash

Supreme Court Verdict regarding Rank Pay and related matters and Undertaking (25/09/2012)
CDA (O) Pune Instructions and Undertaking- Click here

All reitred/ released Army officers who were in service in the rank of Capt to Brig as on 01/01/86, are requested to furnish their details in the appended format at the earliest to PCDA(O), Pune so that arrears on account of pay revision with effect from 01/01/86 in view of the order of Hon'ble Supreme Court may be credited in the bank account". (28/09/2012)
Click here for the Appended Format

Cabinet Approves Pension Plan akin to OROP

Zeenews Bureau Tuesday, September 25, 2012
One Rank One Pension: Cabinet approves Rs 2,300 cr plan for ex-armed forces
New Delhi: In what can be termed good news for ex-armed forces personnel, the Cabinet on Monday approved a pension plan of Rs 2,300 crore under the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme.
Services personnel who have retired before January 2006, will now be entitled to pension almost equal to their counterparts who superannuated after this date.
The estimated cost of this proposal will be approx Rs 2,300 crore per annum.
The Armed forces have been agitating for One Rank One Pension scheme for quite some time now.
As per the bonanza scheme, every ex-serviceman will be eligible for the same pension at his rank, regardless of when he joined or retired.
The ‘One Rank One Pension’ was a demand of 1.3-million strong defence personnel which got partly approved today based on the recommendations of a panel set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The slew of measures taken by the Government to increase pension and pay of the armed forces included enhancement of family pension, granting of dual family pension and family pension to mentally and physically challenged wards of defence personnel even after their marriage, officials said here.
An official release said steps taken by the Government are expected to largely "meet the demands of the defence pensioners for one rank one pension (OROP)."
The committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth had submitted its report on August 08, 2012.
Set up on July 13 this year on the orders of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the committee had Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Pulok Chatterjee and Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma as members, apart from secretaries of departments of expenditure, ex-servicemen's welfare, and personnel and training.
"The gap in pension of pre- and post-January 2006 retiree jawans will be bridged by determining the pension of pre- January 2006 pensioners on the basis of notional maximum for the ranks and groups across the three Services as in case of post-January 2006 retirees," the official release said.
"The pension of pre-January 2006 commissioned officer pensioners will be stepped up with reference to maximum fitment table for the ranks instead of minimum pay band," it said.
The decision would be implemented from a prospective date, Defence Ministry officials said.
As per the present system, personnel retiring under the 6th pay commission get more pension than their counterparts who have retired under previous pay commissions.
The Cabinet also accepted the enhancement of family pension for the families of serving and retired defence personnel who have lost their lives.
"The pension of pre-January 2006 family pensioners including officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and other ranks will be stepped up based on the minimum of the fitment table instead of the minimum pay band," the release said.
The government also allowed the Dual Family Pension which means that the pensioner would be allowed to draw both military and civil employment pensions.
It also agreed to the demand of granting family pension to mentally and physically challenged children of defence forces personnel even after their marriage.
This pension was so far granted to them only till their marriage.
Commenting on the virtual acceptance of the OROP demand, former Army Chief Gen VK Singh said, "They have done a lot for the good of the veterans community. They should have done it long back as it was long overdue."
One Rank One Pension: Cabinet approves Rs 2,300 cr plan for ex-armed forces

Rank Pay: Insult over Injury

Insult over Injury
In 1986, my responsibilities to my family were beginning to peak and I was looking forward to the Pay Commission. But some nasty chaps in the Government, by a sleight of hand, denied me 1/5th of my basic pay, Rs1000/- to be precise - a lot of money those days!
I was not even aware of this treachery as I trusted the Government. Maj AK Dhanapalan saw through it (God bless him). He first, and then others, Retired Defence Officers Association (RDOA) in the forefront, fought in Courts, long and steadfast, with their money and the Government fought back, with our money, with resilience and determination, appealing perpetually against court verdicts, to do down the fellows who are all up to save them.
The Apex Court finally directed to pay all those affected, the arrears with 6% interest from 01 Jan 1986 onwards. The Government pleaded that it is poor (it has to be, after all these scams) and the Court waived off interest for the first 20 years!
It is not possible to compensate for the lost opportunities of our families but payment of the interest would, at least, have been a token recognition of the wrongs done to us, some compensation for our deprivations and humiliations, particularly when it was not due to a mistake. It was not even mere mischief. It was treachery, born out of arrogance and assurance of impunity. The very least that should have been done was to treat the amount due as a recurring deposit, the maturity amount reinvested at Postal rates, periodically. Therefore, the Court was benevolent to impose only 6% of interest to start with, but the crocodile tears of the Government made it deprived us, the victims, 20 years (no less!) of the already low interest!
Further, the initiating culprit should have been ordered to be identified and he, along with all the superiors who dealt with and finalized ‘the stab in the back’ to the people who protect the Country (them included) at the cost of their lives, to be punished.
What sort of justice is this? The perpetrators of the crime and their protectors not only go scot free but also evoke sympathy of the court! We, the sufferers, having waited for decades, are now left down in the ditch. All those criminals must be caught, their pay or pensions should be forfeited and if necessary their properties should be confiscated to pay us, the fair amount.
But that is ‘day dreaming’ or is it ‘crying in the wilderness’? What can you expect from this bunch? Now, if I cheat the Government and get caught, I should be able to plead for reduction in payment, of at least the penalty amount, as paying that much money would hurt me terribly. A precedent has been set. Applicability should be universal.
Col BN Ratha(Retd)

Pay and Allowances: Serving Officers

FAQ's for Serving Officers
Replies to FAQs have been provided with reference to the extant orders on the subject and practice being followed regarding the same. Difference in interpretation of rules, if any, may be referred to the Army authorities through staff channels. In case you notice any difference between these FAQs and the PCDA (O) handbook, please write back to PCDA (o).
FAQ's for Serving Officers: Click here
Click here for ECHS FAQ's
ECHS compendium of Government Letters

Gross irregularities in CSD

04 sep 2012
A series of communications between Controller of Defence Accounts and the Defence Ministry reveals how gross irregularities occurred in the purchases in defence canteens across the country.
The exchange of letters between the auditors and Ministry exposes the tough resistance by forces to adhere to financial transparency in canteen purchases, involving thousands of crores per year.
“I am writing to highlight the malady that ails the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) and requires immediate attention. CSD has been held in such high esteem that it is almost sacrilegious to doubt their infallibility. Instead of groping in the dark about the functioning of CSD, which is considered to be a mascot of organised procurement system, an insight will reveal the labyrinthine corruption prevailing in the organisation.
“On the one hand the Government is endeavoring to climb the ladders of transparency, accountability, probity in public procurement process and to enhance public confidence in procurement by introducing the “The Public Procurement Bill, 2012” in Parliament, the system followed in CSD is highly opaque, discretionary, providing high degree of arbitrariness,” said Savitur Prasad, the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts in a communication to several officials of Defence Ministry including the Defence Secretary.
The series of letters between the Auditor and Ministry, obtained through RTI by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal, says the procurements through nearly half of the vendors are by doubtful methods.
“There are about 600 firms supplying more than 4,000 items to CSD. Almost 200-300 firms provide product whose credentials in consumer market are hardly established. The details of factory inspection and hygiene report be made public by placing on the internet, which may unravel the truth of empanelling such firms.
“It is a travesty of faith that the age old loyalties of defence personnel being stoically dependent on CSD, have been breached by PSC (Preliminary Screening Committee), by introducing product from ineligible firm,” said the auditor of defence accounts.
The auditor has pointed out several malpractices in listing a product and absence of obtaining hygiene certificates for the items sold in canteens.
There are around 34 CSDs across the country and more than 4,500 Unit Run Canteens under it to cater the 17 lakh soldiers of Army, Navy and Air Force and their families.
Two years back, the CAG was allowed to audit CSD accounts after countering stiff opposition from forces. But till date, forces are adamant not to allow the audit by CAG in its 4,500 Unit Run Canteens.
Public Accounts Committee of Parliament headed by Murli Manohar Joshi had directed Defence Ministry to go for the CAG auditing in Unit Run Canteens in December 2011. But till date, forces as well as the Defence Ministry have not yet responded positively to the mandatory directions of the PAC. The Ministry is expected to revert back to PAC by September first week, after having sought postponement of implementation deadlines many a times.-via The Pioneer
Gross irregularities in CSD

Enhanced Pension for Majors and Equivalents with over 20 years service

Major with 21 yrs service Pension of Time Scale Lt Col Para 5 (a) (iv) of Special Army Instruction (SAI) 2/S/98
Dear Kamboj Sir,
The SAI/2/S/98 was issued and officers of the Rank of Major who had 21 years service were to get Lt Col Pension. Many have not got it and hence the letter below may be sent by them to the AG Branch.

Officers of equivalent ranks from Navy and Airforce may also write to inquire if such provision was there for them too and if so why it was not implemented in an individual case.
Brgds,
Cdr Ravindra Waman Pathak
Member Governing Body and Pension Cell IESM
From: IC-___ Major ____ (Retd)Address
To:
1. Additional Director General Personnel Services, PS Directorate, Army HQrs, DHQ PO, New Delhi – 110 011
2. Controller of Defence Accounts (Officers), Golibar Maidan, Pune, Maharashtra
3. Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Draupadi Ghat, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh 20th October 2010 Non-grant of Pay Scale and Pension of Time Scale Lt Col till date as per the provisions of Para 5 (a) (iv) of Special Army Instruction (SAI) 2/S/98

Sir,
1. I, IC-_____, Maj ______, retired from .......... ..... after approximately __ years of service in the rank of substantive Major on 31-01-1998. As per Para 5 (a) (iv) of SAI 2/S/98, officers who were substantive Majors prior to 01-01-1996 and who could not be promoted as Time Scale or Selection Grade Lt Cols were to be automatically granted the pay scale of time scale Lt Col (without promotion to the actual rank of TS Lt Col) on completion of 21 years of service with effect from 01-01-1996. I was commissioned on 15-03-1970 and was a substantive Major with more than 21 years of service as on 01-01-1996. The said scale as per the SAI was not granted to me and I was retired in the pay and pension of a Major and not of a Lt Col. It seems that all of my similarly placed fellow officers have been granted the benefit except me.
2. In view of the above, you are requested to kindly initiate the process of granting me the pay-scale and pension of time scale Lt Col with effect from 01-01-1996 as per the provisions of the ibid SAI which has not been done till date probably due to some oversight at your end.
3. An early action with intimation to the undersigned is requested please. Thanking You
Maj ____(Retd)