DGR perpetuates corruption in coal transportation

Excl: Mafia exploits ex-army jawans 14 Jul 2012, 2115 hrs IST, TIMES NOW
Korba-Chattisgarh coal trucks move along the highway-headed to transport coal to and from the many mines that dot the region. It is here that the mafia has complete sway and is exploiting army jawans to make huge profits. Coal transportation companies are allotted to ex-army officers by the resettlement wing of the army. They in turn employ jawans in whose name the trucks are to be operated. It is here that the mafia muscles in.
When an officer’s turn comes without informing officer the mafia knows through the DGR, the name and address, they go and contact him and with the threats and lump sum they take over the company.
The mafia exploits the jawans by using their names, documents and signatures to run the trucks. While each coal truck can earn them close to 20 lakh a year, the jawans are paid a petty stipend of 2000 a month which also stops after some time.
They detail their own men to contact in Haryana villages, the widows and ex servicemen and collect 30 discharge books. They call the jawan to the place and open their accounts and get their signatures on blank accounts so they can raise loans for the trucks from their own finance companies Our investigation took us deep into mafia territory in Korba-men working with the mafia times now caught on camera told us how the ex servicemen just sign the documents without investing any money.
A coal transportation company sponsored by the DGR should have at least 75% ex servicemen which cannot be sublet to anyone else. On the ground, the entire work has been taken over by the mafia while jawans and their families are left high and dry.
In 2007 the scam was the subject of a parliamentary enquiry-which demanded a CBI probe. Little seems to have changed on the ground. Questions have also been asked of the army’s resettlement wing which has been unable to counter the mafia.
Times now's investigation has shown that the mafia holds sway in Chattisgarh. Using muscle and money they exploit the army officers and jawans and despite repeated probes very little seems to have changed on the ground.
Mafia exploits ex-army Jawans
Comment: DGR is corruption centric and hence need to be disbanded and save the tax payers money. The bureaucratic set up under the MOD is a set up designed to help the corrupt Military Personnel to seek resettlement.

DGR graduating to transparent corruption

'Serious fraud probe' into ex-servicemen job scam
New Delhi: The Defence Ministry on Sunday handed over the probe into a job racket for ex-servicemen to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
Several senior officers of the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) have been found guilty in an internal inquiry.
The case involves a private company, Ex-Servicemen Airlink Transport Service Pvt Ltd (EATS), and the fraud took place under a scheme for ex-servicemen.
Under the scheme, security agencies run by retired defence personnel were given contracts to provide service to central public sector undertakings.
The Defence Ministry found substance in allegations of subletting of security agencies for obtaining multiple benefits by a few officers of the ex-servicemen welfare department.
"The Defence Ministry has decided to request the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to hand over to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) the case relating to private company EATS for further investigation," a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.
"Action is also being initiated against the officers mentioned in the inquiry report who flouted the extant norms and guidelines of various schemes, and thus were involved in administrative improprieties," the spokesman said in a statement.
The move comes as the Defence Ministry initiated a series of measures after an inquiry found substance in allegations regarding subletting of security agencies and obtaining multiple benefits by a few ex-servicemen officers.
This was part of a drive to ensure transparency in the functioning of DGR office.
DGR is an attached office of department of ex-servicemen welfare, which is responsible for training and rehabilitation of retiring defence personnel and ex-servicemen through various self employment schemes.
One of these schemes relate to providing security services to central public sector undertakings through security agencies run by ex-servicemen.
"The essence of inquiry and its analysis is that in the last couple of years, efforts have been made to introduce as much transparency in the manner of the functioning of the DGR office.
"These efforts have been stepped up both by the department and the director general since the notification of DGR as an attached office of the department of ex-servicemen welfare in January 2009," he said. IANS
Comment
Col Amarjit Singh - New Delhi
I have not seen a more unhelpful, ruderless and a more incompetent organisation that demoralizes its officers with vague rules and regulations and has a big zero in its track records as far as marketing excellent officers for occupations they richly deserve, Sorry state of affairs.
DGR under investigation for serious fraud

DGR under investigation

Irregularities in ex-servicemen’s schemes
Defence Minister AK Antony orders further investigation
Monday, September 26, 2011, Chandigarh, India
New Delhi, September 25
An inhouse inquiry of Defence Ministry has detected irregularities in the resettlement of ex-servicemen, prompting Minister A K Antony to refer the case to Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Corporate Affairs Ministry for further investigations.

The decision to seek the Fraud Investigation Office's assistance was taken after an inhouse inquiry report suggested that DGR officials flouted norms and guidelines of various schemes and were involved in administrative improprieties, Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said here.

"Defence Ministry has decided to request Ministry of Corporate Affairs to hand over to SFIO the case relating to a private company Ex-Servicemen Airlink Transport Services Pvt Ltd (EATS) for further investigation," he said.

To ensure transparency in functioning of DGR office, Defence Minister Antony has also initiated a series of measures after the inquiry found substance in allegations regarding subletting of security agencies and obtaining multiple benefits by few ex-servicemen officers, Kar said.

"The essence of inquiry and its analysis is that in the last couple of years efforts have been made to introduce transparency in the manner of the functioning of DGR office," he said. DGR is under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, which is responsible for training and rehabilitation of retired defence personnel and ex-servicemen through various self employment schemes.

One of these schemes relate to providing security services to central public sector undertakings. — PTI
Irregularities in ex-servicemen’s schemes
Related blog posts
DGR: Unsettling Resettlement
Resettlement Defence Scam and DGR Demystified

Resettlement Defence Scam

TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami discusses the issue of the defence scam with Mahroof Raza, Strategic Affairs Analyst.
First, it was the Sukhna Land scam. Now, TIMES NOW has accessed an inquiry committee report which indicts several ex-servicemen of being deeply involved in corruption in resettlement schemes for retiring defence officers. The inquiry report alleges that many ex-servicemen misused schemes by subletting contracts to private firms and also violated norms by colluding with resettlement officers to get multiple benefits.
The most disturbing part of the report, however, is the allegation that security of national assets could have been compromised by handing it over to anti-national personnel by ex-servicemen for monetary gains.
The defence ministry is looking into the matter with great seriousness and in all likelihood, there could be a CBI inquiry initiated into the case.
Reports question the moral and ethical practices of our defence establishment.
Defence scam exposed
Related Reading
DGR perpetuates corruption

Defence ministry completes probe into alleged scam in DGR
Press Trust Of India New Delhi, September 01, 2011
Defence ministry has completed an inquiry into an alleged scam in the Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR) to provide post retirement career opportunities to retired officers and jawans of the three services. The inquiry committee has completed its report on alleged malpractices and submitted it on Thursday. It will now be put up before secretary, Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) for further actions, defence ministry officials said on Thursday.

DGR, an inter-service organisation which operates directly under the defence ministry, provides various resettlement and rehabilitation opportunities to ex-servicemen under various schemes of the central and state governments.

It provides job opportunities to ex-servicemen in government, semi-government and private sectors and also provides the facility for training to promote self employment avenues among officers and men.

Recently allegations of a scam in the DGR had surfaced after certain RTIs were filed enquiring about the functioning of the directorate following which an inquiry was ordered by the ministry.

The RTIs were filed inquiring into the functioning of the organisation and schemes introduced by it for training and resettlement of officers in government and semi-government sectors.

It also asked for details of self employment opportunities promoted by the organisation and its beneficiaries.
Defence ministry completes probe into alleged scam in DGR

National Security
Officers have further deposed that since "the DGR sponsored security agencies are providing security services to vital installations of the Government of India, the possibilities of terrorist organizations/ anti-social elements funding and orchestrating a wider security threat cannot be ruled out and therefore want the convening authority to thoroughly enquire into the matter." Will the Secretary, Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, act... Read more click here...

Comment: Why should Colonels and Brigadiers be given employment after retirement when they are earning full pension of over Rs 40,000 per month? Very lopsided and skewed resettlement schemes. Only employment should be given to Jawans and Short Service Officers who retire earlier than 18 years of service.

DGR Perpetuates Corruption in the name of Resettlement

Defence Scam in the name of Resettlement
01 June, 2011 by Anupam Sharma- BUREAUCRACY Today reports...
Kindly link up with the laudable aims and goals of DGR

DGR news

DGR webpage

It seems that a Pandora's box is waiting to be opened in the Ministry of Defence. The Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence is facing the biggest defence scam. The scam revolves around availing of re-settlement/ rehabilitation facilities in the name of Ex-Servicemen from the DGR by submitting fake documents, clandestine deals, and proxies running the agencies and in many cases, fake officers applying for resettlement schemes. The DGR seems more than hand in glove in these murky deals; allegedly facilitating and orchestrating the whole scam. A report.

In order to maintain a youthful profile of the Armed Forces, approximately 60,000 Service personnel are retired/ released every year at a comparatively young age. A majority of the Service personnel at the time of retirement are at an age where they have numerous unfinished domestic responsibilities, which necessitate their taking up second occupation. The Central and State Governments have provided a number of concessions to promote the employment of Ex-Servicemen in civil jobs. There are reservations in Government departments, public sector undertakings/ nationalized banks and para-military forces, apart from the creation of the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), an inter-Service organization functioning directly under the Ministry of Defence for resettlement and rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen.

The DGR provides various resettlement and rehabilitation schemes to Ex-Servicemen officers, 'ESM (O)' and Ex-Servicemen 'ESM' (Personnel Below Officers Rank) through the Employment Directorate, Self-Employment Directorate, Training Directorate and Agriculture Directorate. The major schemes are as shown in the box. The eligibility criteria for various schemes can be viewed on DGR website www.dgrindia.com. The main criteria are summarized below:

An Ex-Serviceman should not have availed himself/herself of any other
benefit from the DGR earlier

He/she at the time of registration should not be employed with any
Government/ semi-Government/ private concern and

He/she should not have availed himself/ herself of the six months' executive course in an IIM/Business School.
In order to provide major resettlement and rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen, on the request of the Ministry of Defence vide OM No 4(20)/US (Res) 93, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (Department of Public Enterprises) directed all departments under it to appoint security personnel in PSUs from Ex-Servicemen security agencies sponsored by the DGR vide OM No 6/22/93-DPE (SC/ST) dated 11 Nov, 1994. The Department of Public Enterprises decided to restore the OMs dated 11.11.94 and 18.3.96 with the following modifications:
(a) In order to ensure that PSEs get cost-effective and efficient security agencies, the DGR will sponsor more than one security agency so that the PSE concerned would have a choice in choosing the suitable outfit keeping in view its specific requirements.
(b) The service charge chargeable by the agency will be negotiated between the PSE and the agency concerned.
(c) The contract is for a specific period of two years, generally extendable by two more years vide OM No 6/22/93/GL-15/DPE (SC/ST) dated Feb 1, 1999.

MODUS OPERANDI
The DGR promulgated various schemes in such a manner that huge margins are deliberately created for the personnel running a scheme through the DGR. For example, most of the schemes have a minimum margin of 14 percent officially but much more is unofficially being borne by public sector undertakings/ State Government undertakings and in some schemes, the fee is paid directly to institutes through the DGR budget allotted by the Ministry of Defence for the resettlement and rehabilitation of ExServicemen. In order to circumvent Department of Public Enterprises OMs, the DGR promulgated its policy in such a manner that it virtually amounted to single tendering.

The DGR policy lays that a DGR sponsored agency must quote between 14 percent and 20 percent as service charges. On the contrary, the DGR registered agencies are providing services at 3 to 4 percent service charges. In case all the agencies sponsored by the DGR have quoted the same service charge, the contract must be awarded to the senior most sponsored agency, thereby, vitiating the very spirit of cost effectiveness and choosing the suitable outfit keeping in view the specific requirements of the PSUs. The DGR promulgated wage structure incorporates 28.98 percent as Weekly Off/ National Holiday/ EL/ CL. As per the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, the EL/ CL are only eligible to regular and permanent employees. Therefore, most of the agencies save on this count also. Uniforma fair and transparent manner and has buttressed it with specific allegations against certain officers of the DGR named in the affidavit". Commenting on an additional affidavit, Sharma observed:
"The appellant has also filed an additional affidavit crystallizing the alleged glaring irregularities, violations, variations and improprieties in the functioning of the office of DGR".

In a landmark order, the Central Information Commissioner observed: "Needless to say, it is the mandate of the apex administrative authority to keep the organization falling in its domain, clean. The concerned Ministry in this case is the Ministry of Defence. The RTI Act does not confer any vigilance role on this Commission. Even so, the Commission cannot ignore the allegations, howsoever misplaced or frivolous, levelled by a retired Army officer, on affidavit. Hence, in the premises, we deem it expedient to request the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, to have an inquiry caused into the matter and take action as deemed fit". No action has been taken by the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, till date on the orders dated October 18, 2010 in spite of repeated requests by the appellant.

Sometime in 2005, the management of a Toll Plaza was offered by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to the DGR. The Self-Employment Directorate initially sponsored security agencies registered with the DGR, thereafter changed the criteria of sponsorship at whims and fancies from security agencies empanelled with it to officers registered for employment assistance with the private sector. Many officers employed at the Rajya Sainik Board/ Zila Sainik Board, re-employed with the Armed Forces of the Union, employed with the private sector, etc, were sponsored and such officers participated in the tendering process without taking prior approval of the competent authority, where they were employed. For example, Lt Col SK Baidyanada, who was re-employed with the HQ, Southern Command, till July 31, 2007 was sponsored for management of the Panvel Toll Plaza vide DGR letter No 1786/Govt-NHAI/Panvel/NH4B/DGR/Self Emp dated May 28, 2007 and the officer participated in the tendering process. Lt Col SK Baidyanada was again sponsored for the management of the Andewadi Toll Plaza vide letter No 1786/Govt-NHAI/Andewadi Toll/NH-14/Self-Emp dated July 31, 2011. Further, in some cases, the sponsorships for management of Toll Plazas were issued on hotel addresses, C/o BSNL Telephone Exchange, C/o Principals of Schools, C/o SO to AOC-in-C, etc. As per the policy, the officer was to sit for minimum 8 to 10 hours at a Toll Plaza. In some cases, the officers were running more than one Toll Plaza at a time along with a security agency and other resettlement facilities through the DGR.

For example, the management of a Toll Plaza at Sriperumbudar was in the name of Lt Col C Medhi (Retd), M/s Eagles Eye Securities. The officer was sponsored for the Toll Plaza vide DGR letter No 1786/Govt NHAI/ Chennai/ NH-4/ DGR/Self-Emp dated October 26, 2006. The officer registered his name in the DGR on June 23, 2007; the Toll Plaza was operated by Lt Col C Medhi (Retd) from 1.7.2007 to 5.11.2008. At the same time, Lt Col C Medhi (Retd) was running a security agency in the name of M/s Prove Security and Allied Services in the North Eastern States (For the Toll Plaza, the officer was based in Bangalore and for the security agency at Howrah). Similarly, Lt Col SK Mehta (Retd) was sponsored for the Chennasamudram Toll Plaza vide DGR letter No 1786/Govt NHAI/TN/NH-4/DGR/Self-Emp dated November 7, 2006. The officer registered his name with the DGR on December 29, 2006 and the Toll Plaza was operated from 11. 1.2007 to 30. 9.2009 (For the Toll Plaza, the officer was based at C/o Mrs Sahilini Mohan, Bangalore, and for the security agency at Vellore). Lt Col SK Mehta was also running a CNG station at Mayur Vihar, Delhi, simultaneously and was based at Noida (UP).

Rajiv Karsolia's sponsorship document for running security agency EATS, which got numerous sponsorships

The officers in these cases were first sponsored for the management of the Toll Plaza by the DGR and subsequently registered themselves with the DGR. Such blatant irregularities/commission cannot happen without the active participation and connivance of DGR officials. How can the addresses of hotels, C/o BSNL Telephone Exchange, C/o Principals and C/o SO to AOC-in-C be considered authentic correspondence of an Ex-Serviceman officer?
What were the interests of Principals or AOC-in-C or his SO to allowance is 7 percent of the Basic, including VDA. The amount for six months works out to approximately Rs 2,700 whereas, the uniform costing between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000 is provided to the security guard in six months. The minimum rates levied by DGR-sponsored security agencies are about Rs 15, 478 per security guard and Rs 22, 981 per security supervisor for an eight hour shift to PSUs.

As on December 31, 2005, 110,000 Ex-Servicemen were employed through the DGR for security services to various public sector undertakings/ State Government undertakings/ autonomous bodies throughout the country. The Reserve Bank of India has instructed that the security of the treasury chest of all banks in the country be entrusted to DGR-sponsored ESM security agencies only. Due to the enhanced security requirement, security of Toll Plazas, etc, the approximately 150,000 security guards are deployed through the DGR as on date. Around 2,600 security agencies are registered with the DGR since 1992. Many proprietors have died, many have withdrawn from the scheme and many proprietors have joined together to form Ex-Servicemen private limited companies with the DGR. Thus the effective security agencies registered with the DGR are less than 2,000 as on date. The quota of 300 security guards is laid by the DGR to dissuade the genuine officers running the agencies, as their quota would expire within three to four years, then what? The DGR patronizes subletting to civilians. As a result, officers employed with PSUs/ State Governments/ private sector, etc, at handsome salaries are lured to register for security agencies/ management of Toll Plazas, Coal Transportation, etc, at the DGR to sublet the same to civilians, on a profit sharing basis at the cost of resettlement and rehabilitation of genuine Ex-Servicemen. The DGR officials are also hand in grove in these murky deals; allegedly facilitating and orchestrating the same. As a result, DGR officials have made assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The quota is only for Ex-Servicemen running the scheme themselves.For civilians and/ or selected persons, who look after DGR officials; there are no rules, procedures or guidelines (as would be evident from succeeding paras). The DGR promulgated schemes are flouted in connivance with DGR officials to such an extent that the entire resettlement and rehabilitation venture has become a hub of corruption.

AFFIDAVIT EXPOSES ALL
Bureaucracy Today urges its readers to share information on corruption around them. On this BT initiative Bureaucracy Today sources volunteered to share the scam details which led to this exclusive story. Original story at http://www.bureaucracytoday.com/cover_story_june_11.html

Welfare of ESM: MoD statistics

Press Information Bureau Government of India Tuesday, July 27, 2010 Ministry of Defence
The number of ex-servicemen as on date in the country, statewise is as under:

The details of schemes being implemented for the welfare, rehabilitation and resettlement of ex-servicemen is as under:
Training
Ex-Servicemen are given training to prepare them for civilian life. Directorate General Resettlement is entrusted with the responsibility of preparing both-Ex-Servicmen and retiring service personnel for second carrier. Towards this end Officers and PBORs are given resettlement training at IIMs and various other institutes across the country.
Self Employment
The following self-employment schemes are operated for the welfare of officers and PBORs Ex-Servicemen:

Security agencies.

Allotment of surplus army vehicles.

Coal Transportation Scheme.

Allotment of oil product agencies.

Coal Tipper scheme.

Allotment of BPCL GHAR outlets.

Mother Dairy Milk and Fruits and Vegetables shops.

Management of CNG station by ESM officers in NCR.

Management of Toll Plaza under NHAI.
Financial Assistance

Treatment of serious ailments

Supply of modified scooters for ESM paraplegics

Tools kits for ESM technician

Financial assistance for needy ESM for house repair, daughters marriage, children education etc.
Prime Minister’s Merit Scholarship Scheme
4000 scholarships are awarded every year to the wards of ex-servicemen to pursue technical and professional course.
Funds for maintenance of paraplegic rehabilitation centres, Cheshire home and St. Dustan aftercare organisation and war memorial hostels.
Besides the above the following benefits are also available to Ex-servicemen:

Tuition fee exemption for wards of war widows/war disable ex-Servicemen.

Allotment of medical / BDS seats to wards of defence personnel

Reservation in State Government jobs and in professional colleges for wards of ESM/widows.

Reservation in allotment of house sites/flats.

Cash incentives for winners of gallantry awards.

Exgratia grant to war widows.

Concession in fare for rail and air to recipients of gallantry awards, permanently disabled officers and war widows.

Legal assistance and exemption of court fee

10 to 24.5 % reservation in Group C and D posts in Central and State Government, PSUs, nationalized banks and paramilitary forces.
Medical Facility
Along with the above benefit 100 % medical coverage is provided to ex-servicemen pensioners through Ex-Service Contributory health Scheme (ECHS), who are members of the scheme.
State-wise details of beneficiaries/expenditure are not maintained, however during the last three years 4326 officers, 83079 PBORs and 2998 Ex-Servicemen were trained for resettlement. In addition 1,17,779 Ex-Servicemen were provided employment during this period through Directorate General Resettlement. The expenditure for resettlement and welfare during the last three years is Rs. 100.18 crores. Moreover, Rs. 2009.77 crores was spent on medical treatment of Ex-Servicemen and their dependents.
The amount for rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen is based on the yearly requirement as projected by the implementing agencies. Ex-Servicemen are getting appropriate placements.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Harishchandra Chavan in Lok Sabha today. DM / RAJ

Comments and Observations
May I thank Cdr Arun Saigal for the information as it will be quite useful for ESM? Without in any way casting aspersions on his good intention and effort, my (surely of most of you all), experience is that most of the government schemes and promises remain on paper and are never implemented, statistics are old and not authenticated.
I quote my personal experience. I lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra only last year through an email (according to a scheme announced by him that any person can approach him directly through an email for any deficiency in the service provided by his govt. This mail has never been acknowledged till date, let alone redressing my grievance. The reason, as later revealed by the newspapers, is that all the computers with the various departments in Mantralaya are gathering dust and never used by the personnel- these include the Secretary level persons too.
As all will agree, that such schemes are announced for publicity purposes (votes) and to mislead the general public. We have evidenced this regarding OROP announced by no less a person than the President of India in the Parliament. And we can do nothing about such shameless acts.
Never believe our governments.
Regards,
Shashank Bendre
Wg Cdr (Retd)

Dear Friends,
Please refer to mail by Veteran Arun Saigal.
These figures are grossly incorrect as these pertain to only those ESM who have Registered themselves with the Deptt of Defence (Sainik) WElfare of respective states and UTs. The list shows that Chandigarh has only 375 ESM, whereas it has five dedicated Defence Sectors (32 to 36), in addition to large numbers staying in other sectors. The DSOI and Air Force Institutes at Chandigarh have membership running in to thousands. Chandigarh alone has about twenty thousand Veterans but only a minuscule numbers have chosen to 'Register' themselves which are shown in the list.
The same is true of other states/ UTs . These are ''Official'' figures and NOT actual figures. The Actual figures are many times more.
With Warm Regards,
Yours' Sincerely,
Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)

NB– Partly the ESM are to be blamed for the error in figures because they do not register with the Sainik Boards. There may be many ESM in Chandigarh receiving this email who have not registered themselves with Sainik Board. Partly the MoD and Service HQs are to be blamed who do not keep a record of the retired personnel and those expired. -Chander Kamboj

Misuse of Military Uniforms

Do you agree that unauthorized wearing and misuse of Army Uniform is a big evil and promotes militancy?
AWFUL MISUSE AND HUMILIATION OF ARMY UNIFORM
The relevant text of some of the press reports from across the country depicting the dastardly acts of militants clad in Army uniform, the likes of which have been shaking up Armed Forces.

Militants in Army uniforms mowed down 25 villagers in Champanan. The act was repeated in Thakrai and Sarban villages near Kishtwar. Dressed in olive green Army uniforms, the ultras killed innocent villagers in cold blood. On its part, the administration had given several assurances that the recurrence of such incidents would be checked.

Once again, the militants used combat uniforms to gain entry into the residential area of the Army family quarters when they struck, killing 30 people and injuring another 50. When they boarded the Himachal Roadways bus near Vijaypur town early in the morning, all passengers took them to be bonafide Army personnel carrying weapons. As such, there was no reason for the passengers to panic. Later, when the militants asked the driver to stop near the Kalu Chak Army camp, he obliged thinking they had reached their unit area and wanted to get down. It was seconds later when they opened fire that the other passengers realized the gravity of the situation, but by then it was too late. The incident has highlighted the government’s failure to check the open and uncontrolled sale of cloth used for making Army uniforms in the markets throughout the region. Though district magistrates (DMs) of various districts have, from time to time, sought to check the sale of this cloth, their orders have remained mere words which were never enforced. The then Chief Minister, Mr Farooq Abdullah readily admitted the government’s failure to check the open sale of cloth used for making Army uniforms though it has been misused by the militants time and again. However, he said that henceforth, the government would pass such orders as would be strictly enforced and seek to punish the errant shopkeepers. The then Governor Girish Chander Saxena said going by the number of incidents in which militants wearing Army uniforms had carried out different types of attacks, it was imperative to ban the open sale of uniform cloth. Asked how such ban orders would be implemented when the government had failed to do so in the past, senior civil and police officials said if the government showed the will, they had the wherewithal to enforce the orders.

Stepping up violence, heavily-armed militants in military uniform stormed an Army camp killing seven jawans and injuring six others at Akhnoor.

One Brigadier and seven jawans were killed, and 12 injured when three militants in Army uniforms attacked an Army camp in Tanda, about 40km north of Jammu on the road to Poonch. The militants alighted from a vehicle and began firing at the security guards at the 610 EME Battalion Camp. They managed to enter deep inside the camp hurling grenades and opening indiscriminate fire, disguising themselves as Army personnel. The attack came less than 12 hours after an attack by Army uniform clad militants in Banganga near Katra in which six devotees were killed. The site is on the way to the Vaishno Devi shrine.

Just when reports in the media suggested that things were looking up in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K,) came a major suicide attack by Army uniform clad militants on an Army camp at Sanjwan near the state’s winter capital, Jammu. The attack came on the final day of the then President A P J Abdul Kalam’s visit to the region. Militants, dressed in Army uniforms, cut their way through fencing to enter the Army camp and then made their way to a barrack and shot dead about 12 sleeping Army personnel. The two militants were killed in the encounter that followed. A little-known group, the al-Nasireen, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian intelligence agencies, however, believe that the attack was masterminded by the Lashkar-e-Toiba and was made easy by the local shopkeepers selling various items of Army uniform.

In our country, most of the Security Guards at Malls, Hotels and Restaurants, Corporate Houses, Factories and other public places attire themselves in uniform which comprises of a number of items of Army uniform, and wear it in such a shoddy manner that it brings an awful disrepute to the uniformed soldiers and truly disgraceful.

Photographs, appearing in the newspapers, of the camps and hideouts of various militant groups disclose the rampant misuse of Army uniform by their cadres.

School and college going children adorn themselves in combat trousers or combat vests, not realizing an iota of the sanctity attached to the fabric.

Commercial film makers do the maximum damage. A comedian will attire himself in an Army uniform and conduct himself in such a disgraceful manner which certainly makes his character quite comic, but at a huge cost.

The nation pays tribute to a soldier who gives the supreme sacrifice of his life for safeguarding its territorial integrity, by draping his mortal remains in the National Tricolour before being laid to rest. Then why is his uniform subjected to extreme indignity and humiliation – the uniform which is a matter of pride for him from the day he joins the Army, the uniform to which he gives the utmost regards all throughout his life and the uniform in which he fights, breathes his last and sleeps forever, for the tomorrow of the nation.

We all as a nation need to take on the onerous responsibility of putting in concerted efforts to revive the respect and glory of the Army uniform. All the four estates of our democracy – the media, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, along with the ever important support of the citizens, need to combine to take this noble step, which will have far reaching consequences towards creation of a better nation, a nation – we all will be proud of.

Misuse of uniform attire is an area of major concern. Not only is it degrading the image of the Army and the Armed Forces in general, it is also a huge security risk, as anyone can manage to buy a uniform from the market. There are some steps that the government and police should institute to curb this menace. Sale of uniforms and other military material should be permitted only from authorized shops in the military cantonments. A rule should be legislated that forbids any civilian from wearing military uniforms and abusing them by putting the camouflage pattern cloth innate subjects such as suitcase covers. Anyone acting in contravention should be strictly dealt with by the law.

IPC
Sec 171. It reads...
171. Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent. Whoever, not belonging to a certain class of public servants, wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by that class of public servants, with the intention that it may be believed, or with the knowledge that it is likely to be believed, that he belongs to that class of public servants, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description, for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both

For this section to hold, the Army (or any other agency) needs to prove that the Police have a fraudulent intention. The police can easily put up a counter claim that they are wearing Army style camoflouge pattern because it is required for their operational duties as well. Also the police officers are not asking for the regular "Army Uniform" type dress, which may give an impression that the officer is from the Army. Where as a camouflage pattern would just indicate that the wearer is from some armed unit (be it police, army etc.) They are asking for a type of dress which suits their operational needs. This section how ever is relevant to private security agencies (or criminal imposters), who are not a government establishment and also do not undertake any jobs which the police or other military organisations undertake.

Sec 140 reads...
Whoever, not being a soldier, 1[sailor or airman] in the Military, 2[Naval or Air] service of the 3[Government of India], wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by such a soldier, 1[sailor or airman] with the intention that it may be believed that he is such a soldier

The army here again would have to prove that the camouflage pattern is exclusively for Army personnel only. I do understand that if it is the case of the golden rank insignias, army cap badges, medal ribbons etc. this legal provision would hold good. Also here the Army needs to prove (the government officials, or court) that the police have a intention to claim that they are army men.

Appointment of ex-servicemen could improve service performance

Studies suggest that those sectors where the services of ex-servicemen have been solicited, these sectors have done reasonably well. Therefore, one solution offered is roping in of ex-servicemen for rendering services.
CJ: Vishnu Mohan Tue, May 18, 2010 15:26:11 IST

SOME INDUSTRIAL sectors, both in the government and private, are plagued with issues of corruption and pilferage, resulting in loss in earnings.

One example is that of government undertaking known as Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL). Coal is considered to be black gold but it is surprising that (BCCL) is unable to make tangible profits till date since inception.The question is what is hampering the organisation from making profits.

Part of the coal mines owned by this company is in a place called Jharia, Dhanbad (also known as Jharia Coal Mines) is beset with issues like constant burning of coal resulting in depleting the stocks and also good quality coals are lost in this way every day. There have been good studies made in 2004, by experts involving both from United States of Americas and Canada but I am not sure whether their recommendations for setting this issue rights have been implemented in good spirit as of now. Due to the constant burning of the coal the loss incurred is huge besides causing hardship to local inhabitants surrounding the place and also acute environmental hazard. This is one of the reasons why infrastructure development on a modern scale is not forthcoming in this ‘black gold deposit’ region.

There are also reports that e-auctioning done by Coal India Ltd is not proper; there seem to be gross irregularity in the whole process preventing free flow of bidders to exercise their rights of bidding. The process of e-auctioning has been controversial since its start in 2004 due to lack of transparency in the bidding process and malpractices exercised by some influential buyers who restricted other buyers from entering the bidding process.

Like the above example of BCCL, there are many other organisations both in public and private sectors which are failing to give in good performances. Studies suggest that those sectors where the services of ex-servicemen have been solicited, these sectors have done reasonably well. Therefore, one solution offered is roping in of ex-servicemen for rendering services to units like BCCL in bringing about complete transformation for the better. Their service nature could include the following:

The chief of security should be an ex servicemen;

Security staff to be strengthened in a big way;

More power and responsibilities given to these staff for having better control.
Some successful organisations have benefitted immensely by apponting ex servicemen for bettering their performance especially in controlling pilferage and lack of administration.

Therefore, it is suggested, that those ex servicemen who are willing to offer their services for bettering the performance of under performing organisations both in public and private sectors should be strongly encouraged.
Appointment of ex-servicemen could improve service performance

Madras High Court upholds DGR Instructions related to Security Agencies

10 Aug 2009
High Court of Madras upholds the DGR Instructions for a security agency sponsor for two years to continue even if there is restriction for one year. Awards cost of Rs 5000/- for flouting DGR Instructions.

On WP No 5091/2009 order dated 22-7-2009 the High Court of Madras has held DGR Instructions Para 20 superior to the Departmental restrictions in WP No 5091 of 2009 & MP Nos 1 and 2 of 2009:
Dated 20-7-2009
Coram: Hon'ble Ms Justice K Suguna
Colonel K Malaiappan (Retd), Proprietor Malli Security and Detective Services Chennai vs AAI Chennai and 3 others
Extracts of the order:
Para 5 of this order “....Apart from this, this has been announced for the welfare of the Ex Servicemen who had been discharged from defence. Even in the case of Ex servicemen, the welfare policy has been violated to the prejudice of the Ex Servicemen which is a very sorry state of affairs.”
Para 7. Yet another stand taken by the respondent (AAI) is that when list was called for from Directorate General Resettlement, the petitioner's name is not sponsored. When already the petitioner 's name has been sponsored for two years, the question of again sponsoring the petitioner's name now for the same period does not arise at all. For the aforementioned reasons, the writ Petition is allowed with cost of Rs 5,000/-. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed.
(WP orders on DGR Sponsored Security Agencies WP No 1793 of 2004, WP No 21788 0f 2008. Both argued by Colonel K Malaiappan as Party in Person.)
Colonel K Malaiappan (Retd)
Related reading
Texco not DGR sponsored
DGR spells out its welfare role for PBORs

Tamilnadu Ex Servicemen Corporation Not DGR Empanelled

Extract of Madras High Court Judgement
TEXCO Vs DGR Empanelled Security Agencies

27. I have carefully considered the above submissions and I am not convinced by the argument of the learned Additional Advocate General in this regard. Admittedly, the petitioner TEXCO has not been sponsored by the DGR. A plain reading of Instruction 20 (l) of the DGR Instructions, as it is contended by the learned counsel appearing for some of the respondents, would go to show that it speaks of the seniority of the agencies sponsored by the DGR. If this Instruction is read along with the other DGR Instructions, the same would go to show that the term "seniority" only refers to the age of the Proprietor / Director of an agency. Therefore, the seniority as referred to in Instruction 20 (i) of the DGR Instructions cannot have any application to a State Government Owned Corporation. For these two reasons viz., (1) this Instruction applies only to agencies sponsored by the DGR and (2) the term "Seniority" refers only to the agencies other than the State Government run Corporations, I am of the view that the State Government Owned Corporation cannot have any preferential right over the other agencies, who were sponsored by the DGR.

28. It is the contention of the Additional Advocate General that the State Government Owned Corporation has been established for the welfare and resettlement of Ex-servicemen and their dependants and the members of the Corporation or share-holders of the Corporation and therefore, the petitioner TEXCO should have been given preference by BSNL over the Private Security Agencies. This argument may appear to be attractive, but it does not persuade the Court for the reasons which follow.

29. As I have already recorded in the earlier paragraphs of this order, the DGR has formulated the Scheme available to the Ex-commissioned Officers of the three services to provide security service to various establishments. It is not as though the private agencies are run outside the scope of the Scheme formulated by the DGR. The aim of the Scheme is not only to provide employment to Ex-servicemen , but also to provide opportunity for Ex-commissioned Officers of Armed Forces to run security service agencies. Thus, this Scheme provides benefits to the Ex-commissioned Officers as well as the Ex-servicemen and it serves duel purpose. Only with a view to keep a complete control over these agencies which are run by the Ex-Commissioned Officers, several measures have been taken by way of instructions to empanel the agencies to sponsor the same. At the time of empanelling the agencies run by the Ex-Commissioned Officers, there are various formalities, which are to be followed and there are various legal requirements, which are to be satisfied by the said Ex-commissioned Officers of Armed Forces. If once, the said agency is empanelled by the DGR, it becomes fully eligible to appoint Ex-servicemen as its members and then to enter into contracts with PSUs for providing security services by employing Ex-servicemen.

30. There may be several such agencies run by Ex-Commissioned Officers and if all are allowed to directly participate in the tenders and enter into contract with PSUs, some may get opportunity very frequently and some may not get opportunity for ever. That is one of the reasons, why, there is a requirement that such agency should be sponsored by the DGR. To provide equal opportunity for all and to distribute the work to various agencies in a fair manner, further instructions have been issued by the DGR to sponsor the agencies on the basis of rotation and on the basis of seniority. Thus, it is ensured that every agency, which is run by the Ex-Commissioned Officers get some opportunity to provide security service to PSUs. Thus the interest of the empanelled agency run by the Ex-Commissioned Officers is also protected.
TEXCO not an DGR Empanelled Corporation
High Court Judgement: TEXCO vs DGR Empanelled Security Agencies in Chennai
High Court of Madras: JUDGMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM


Ref link above: WP 21788 of 2009- High Court of Madras order dated 22-4-2009
ESM Corporations like TEXCO, (which also applies to PESCO, MESCO, HESCO, etc) having Chairman, Directors from IAS category is illegal. The 5th Respondent in WP No 21788 of 2009 in this order is me. I argued the case in person and other advocates were silent spectators. All the orders passed are based on my arguments and counter affidavits.
With best wishes and regards,
Col K Malaiappan (Retd)

Security Agencies: Rules Flouted

The Security Agencies empanelled and sponsored by Director General of Resettlement under the Ministry of Defence is fraught with many loopholes wherein the Jawans are cheated of the full entitlements. The most obvious are:
1. They sign for an amount as monthly pay package in the muster roll but are paid very much less. The reasons for deductions are not reflected in the records. If the Jawans question details of deductions and their dues, he is immediately asked to resign/ quit. In short they are not paid as per norms, structure and undertaking specified by DGR.
2. Jawans compulsorily contributing to EPF & ESI and all other deductions are not provided proof of deposit of the above for their information. No tamper proof records are maintained. Legitimate dues to Jawans are siphoned off.
Individual Declaration: Rules flouted by Security agencies- click me

The most shameful aspect is that our own officers in the guise of seeking self employment at the behest of DGR cheat our own brethren of their hard earned money. The ESM organisations need to monitor the security agencies so that our own Jawans are not cheated in their twilight years by Officers bent on making money at all costs.

Click me to download following forms- enunciating strict norms
60. Application for Empanelment of Security Agency Pvt Ltd Companies
(Appendix ‘E')
61. Data: Security Agency (Appendix ‘F')
62. Individual Declaration (Appendix ‘G')
63. Joint Declaration by All Directors of ESM Private Ltd Company
(Appendix ‘H')
64. Introduction –Interview for Empanelment (Appendix ‘J')
65. Re-sponsorship Requisition (Appendix ‘K')
66. Application for Converting Individual Proprietorship Into ESM Private Ltd Company (appendix ‘L')
67. JS Strength Return to be submitted by Employer/Security Agency to DGR (Appendix ‘M' & ‘M 1')
68. Initial Report on Commencement of Contract/Six Monthly/Annual Report to be submitted by Security Agencies (Appendix ‘N')
69. Updation Report (Appendix ‘N1')
70. Change of Address (Appendix ‘O')
71. Wage Structure (Appendix ‘P')
72. Contribution by the Employer and the Employee (Appendix ‘Q')
73. Leave/National Holidays and Weekly off relief @ 28.985 of Total Salary of Security Personnel (Appendix “R')
74. Minimum wages applicable in Delhi W.E.F. 01 April 2009 (Appendix ‘S')
75. Gazette Notification Cancelling GPF Exemption (Appendix ‘T')

TEXCO not an DGR Empanelled Corporation
High Court Judgement: TEXCO vs DGR Empanelled Security Agencies in Chennai

IESM: Jaswant takes up case of ex-armymen in RS

Mail Today, Wednesday, February 18, 2009
FEW DAYS after former soldiers, including three- star generals, returned their gallantry medals to President Pratibha Patil to press for a one rank- one pension system, the issue resurfaced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President’s address to Parliament, the leader of Opposition in the House, Jaswant Singh, said the government’s failure to meet the demand went against the izzat (honour) of the ex- servicemen. The BJP leader said it was a “complex” issue but the government should have addressed it.
“It is unfortunate a Lt Colonel retiring today gets a pension equal to a Lt General who retired a few years ago,” he said. Jaswant compared the “shortcoming” with the “equal pension system” applicable to the MPs irrespective of the term during which he was a member. Jaswant also said there was “confusion” galore because the pension system of former soldiers was open to “a variety of interpretations” by the CDA, the pay and pension disbursement authority for the armed forces. He also pointed out the misuse of the uniform by civilians, especially security agencies.
Jaswant takes up case of ex-armymen in RS

Comment: Rampant misuse of non- pattern Uniforms by Security Agencies poses an Internal security threat. Security Agencies employing ESM are exploiting them with shabby and fancy uniforms and dishonouring their status, rank with meagre wages.

Review Private Detective Agencies Bill

NEW DELHI: Taking a serious view of the Union Home Ministry’s replies on important policy issues relating to the regulation of private security agencies in a perfunctory manner, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has recommended that the Ministry re-look the provisions of the Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007.

In its 139th report , presented to Parliament past week, the Parliamentary panel, headed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj, termed the responses of the Ministry to the Committee “laboured explanations.”

The panel noted that that the group, constituted by the Ministry itself, could not arrive at a consensus on important policy issues.

In replies and explanations to the Committee, senior Home Ministry officials had ruled out framing of common law to govern security and detective services on the lines of some foreign countries. Vinay Kumar- The Hindu
review Private Detective Agencies Bill

ESM: A Bill to avert exploitation of ESM employed by Security Agencies need to be strictly implemented. Norms laid down by the ESM Welfare Dept under the MoD is flouted as there is no monitoring agency to oversee the functioning of these agencies or a method of feedback from ex- servicemen who are grossly taken for a ride.

Satyam Collapse and Terror Strike Scare of IT Companies

By siliconindia news bureau
Monday,05 January 2009, 14:28 hrs IST
Bangalore: The corporates have become the next target of terrorism with six prominent IT companies in the city receiving mail threats, including Wipro and Infosys. The terror mail has threatened to blow up the premises of the companies.

The mail has induced a definite alarm among the firms who immediately informed the police about the e-mails. "The companies have informed the police two days ago about the e-mail and investigations are on," said Joint commissioner of Police B Gopal Hosur, without revealing any further details.

The terror threat may cause more alarm among the firms, as earlier the city's private security firms warned about the in adequate facilities available to deal with terror, at a time when the Karnataka government had suggested the firms to arrange for their own security.

Such threats on the companies have been witnessed earlier too. It was in January 2007 that security personnel had arrested a suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) terrorist in a village near the city of Bangalore and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from their possession. More significantly, they had found a map of Bangalore and several other strategic locations including the airport, Wipro and an Infosys facility for likely target. Moreover, terror strike on the Indian multinationals or Indian companies will not only affect service operation in India but will also have impact on the business of other countries as well. It can affect business operations directly as well as indirectly, as cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai are off late home to several foreign companies particularly in its IT zone.
Wipro, Infosys threatened to be blown up
Question: Can the companies have trained armed guards to combat terrorists? No private security guards at present are armed with weapons and especially trained for this purpose. Therefore the only option is to requisition Police Force or CISF who are already burdened with outstretched commitments. The Private Companies are faced with dual problem; apathy from the Government and Terror Scare. Surely now that Satyam has come as a Shocker, further scare of IT companies being struck by Terrorists will surely have a cascading effect of collapse of the harbingers of economic prosperity. Only solution that lays ahead is to have specially pooled Ex Servicemen who are already experts in the field to protect the Private Companies and Installations. Of course, this entails investment and expenditure (weapons, ammunition, protective gear, closed circuit TV monitoring) and wages commensurate with risk to life. Surely it is a costly business but certainly it is a measure to thwart the designs of the Terrorists.

Military options are never easy

The Mumbai attacks have served as a wake-up call and our political leaders appear to have stirred themselves out of their stupor to review the national security threats and challenges that the country faces.

The UAPA Amendment Bill and the creation of a National Investigation Agency are good first steps. Enhancing intelligence acquisition should now be the foremost priority. The solution lies in upgrading humint (human intelligence) capabilities by an order of magnitude, creating a suitable organisation to make intelligence assessments and fine-tuning India's counter-terrorism response to react quickly and effectively.

Simultaneously, counter-terrorism cooperation with friendly powers should be enhanced so as to benefit from a larger pool of knowledge and resources.

The intelligence agencies are cognisant of the existence of many sleeper cells across the country. A few of these terror modules have been eliminated in encounters in recent years. It is only by stepping up the deployment of humint resources and penetrating the control HQ of the sleeper modules -- a very complex intelligence operation -- that sufficient information about them can be acquired.

Thousands of well-qualified ex-servicemen retire at a young age (35 to 40 years) and go back to their villages every year. Many of them would be willing and eager to take up the challenge to be trained as agents of the Intelligence Bureau. The people of the country can also contribute to this national effort by maintaining vigilance and reporting all unusual activities to the authorities.

New police personnel and intelligence agents need to be recruited, armed, equipped, trained, housed and fed before they can join the work force. Surveillance devices like CCTVs and infrared monitors also need to be purchased and installed.

The ones that are already available need to be made serviceable. Coastal and border surveillance must be carefully coordinated. Meanwhile, the security of vulnerable areas must be ensured by calling for help from the central police and paramilitary forces, bearing in mind that some of these are also overstretched.

One action that all state governments can take right away is to withdraw the thousands of security personnel detailed for VIP security duties and re-deploy them at key locations that are more vulnerable than VIPs so that they can act as a deterrent.

On a larger plane, the Indian leadership must stop pretending that all of India's national security challenges are of external origin. Most of India's law and order problems like communal riots and agitations for increased reservations and quotas have been caused by vote bank politics and the extant politician-bureaucrat-police-criminal nexus.

The time has come to re-examine the merits and demerits of India's parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model in which both the executive branch and the legislature are manned by the same people.

India's political leaders have failed to rise above self interest -- that is centred on elections and secret funds to win them -- and have therefore failed to provide good governance. They have failed both the Constitution and the people and it is time for change.

India needs its own Obama moment if the present rot that lies within is to be stemmed. If the Mumbai terror attacks serve to cause some introspection and act as a catalyst for change, the sacrifice of the lives of 200 innocent people and security forces personnel will not have been in vain.

Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd)
Director
Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS)
Read more: Military options are never easy
Related articles:
End of an Era
In Your Face
War clouds, nuclear overhang

Defence Forces Contribution to India's National Asset twenty lakh Ex- Servicemen

Debt of Honour. Do we have a National War Memorial?
Indian Army by its grit and dedication to the Indian Republic thwarted Pakistan in four wars. The only time it went under was against China in 1962, not because it lacked valor or leadership but because of the political leadership of Nehru who was found wanting both in terms of misreading China’s intentions and not allotting adequate resources for war preparedness to the Indian Army in the preceding period.

In the last nineteen years the Indian Army has faced the onslaught of Pakistan’s proxy war and terrorism and losing hundreds of lives and others maimed. In combating this threat the Indian Army has had to fight with one hand tied due to the political considerations of successive Governments, either due to electoral considerations or external pressures.

Whenever the civilian machinery fails whether it be law and order, natural calamities or disasters it is the Indian Army that steps in for relief and assistance. The relief assistance provided by the Indian Army during the Kashmir and Maharashtra earthquake won not only the gratitude of the average citizens but also of the international community. The Indian Army has also done India proud in the many UN peacekeeping operations all over the world for which it has been highly praised by the United Nations.

A glorious record of such services and sacrifices of the Indian Army surely deserves the nations gratitude not by rhetoric on every Republic Day but by more meaningful manifestations which surely every Government is aware of but does not concede. The average Indian citizen can contribute by being more aware of India’s defence preparedness and monitoring the Government of the day in terms of allotment of adequate financial resources for war preparedness and that extraneous political considerations do not delay defence acquisitions. More importantly, they should ensure that the political leadership of the day provides realistic political component of national threat assessments of actual, potential or adversaries in the making so that like 1962 the Indian Army is never again has to face a military humiliation for no fault of its own.

India will once again celebrate its Republic Day on January 26, 2009; it’s fifty-ninth. Indians will once again look forward to witness the grand spectacle of the display of India’s military might by the Indian Army and the other two Services on Rajpath in New Delhi and beamed across by TV to millions others. It is preceded by the Prime Minister laying a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate (memorial to the Unknown Soldier) paying a national tribute to the thousands of Indian Army officers and soldiers who since 1947 have laid down their lives to defend the Indian Republic against external and internal threats.

Can the Nation utilize the twenty lakh ESM Asset so created, with dignity and honour, towards enrichment of its citizens?

India's National Debt of honour to The Indian Armed Forces

ESM Job Opportunities: Hindi Website Rojgar Samachar

A website has been launched in Hindi to cater to the needs of those seeking jobs, the website www.rojgarsamachar.gov.in has been launched by Employment News weekly newspaper, which is a unit of the Directorate of Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Dedicating the website to the nation, Smt Veena Jain, Additional Director General, said it is a matter of pride for Employment News to manage two websites, one in English and now in Hindi. Smt Jain said, the website exclusively in Hindi will cater to the needs of job seekers from Hindi speaking areas of the country.
Rojgar Samachar the Hindi Website a must for ESM

Comment: An excellent website for ESM especially for Jawans (PBOR). This website needs to be popularised by Zilla Sainik Boards and ESM Organisations like IESL and others who are in touch with Jawans. Our organisations and Retired Officers need to educate the Jawans who are exploited for employment as Security Personnel. This is one of the most demeaning and exploited jobs assigned to a retired soldier with a measly pay of Rs 3000/ at the most and made to wear a degrading dress which looks ridiculous at times. AHQ and other welfare organisations must dissuade others from exploiting Jawans for recruiting as Security Personnel. Many Retired Officers in this Security Business are also at fault for demeaning the status of a retired soldier/ Jawan.

Welfare of Ex Servicemen

The year 2007 was observed as the Year of Placement of Ex-servicemen and a special drive was undertaken in collaboration with the corporate sector to provide gainful reemployment to ex-servicemen. The UPA Government has in place the following measures as enumerated below.

The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare has been set up. Dr. Satyanarayana Dash has taken over as the Secretary of the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare very recently.

The anomaly in respect of pension of personnel below officer rank who had retired before 1996 has been rectified and personnel retiring from the lower ranks to also get close to full pension despite short lengths of service, benefiting around 11.85 lakh pensioners.

Procedures for the next-of-kin benefits given to personnel dying in harness have been improved.

A special drive was taken up to clear pension cases. Pension Adalats were held to redress grievances.

The Prime Minister's Merit Scholarship Scheme was been introduced for giving 5,000 scholarships every year to wards of armed forces personnel.

Availing of benefits under the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme has been made easier and a large number of polyclinics has been set up.

Training of serving and ex-servicemen expanded.

Ministries had been advised to engage only ex-servicemen for outsourced security jobs.

Housing projects have been initiated under Jai Jawan Awas Yojana, with completion of the first project at Jaipur in 2007.

A bill for setting up of an Armed Forces Tribunal has been moved to provide a cheaper and speedier mechanism for adjudicating on the large number of pending court cases relating to service conditions of armed forces personnel and appeal against verdict of court martial.