No More Panic Button

Get Eyewatch for free on your Mobile Phone
1. In a bid to reach out to veterans to provide support to those who are staying all alone, a signal service through SMS has been thought of by DG Signals and had approached M/S “Eyewatch’ who have developed a free of cost, easy to use ‘Emergency Alert Application’ that can be easily installed on certain mobile phones which are GPRS activated.
2. This application can be very useful in any emergency situation. The application can trigger emergency alert via SMS and Email to your trusted contacts instantly informing them of your emergency situation. The application is also capable of tracking your location, recording an audio and video (or photos) of the situation automatically and displaying this information to your trusted contacts on a secure webpage. Important features of this application are:

Emergency Response Contacts
You can register your trusted contacts as your Emergency Response Contacts (ERC) to be contacted at the time of any emergency situation by Emergency Alert activation by press/click of a button.

Location & Live Tracking
The application instantly notifies your contacts of your current location, if you are in an emergency situation.

Audio and Visual
The application automatically records a 30 second pre- alert emergency audio and a 20 second post alert video or 5 photos and displays these to your trusted contacts on a secure webpage.

Auto Connect
The application instantly connects you to your contacts by calling them in a sequential manner.

Safety Confirm
The application informs your contacts of your location when you are safe, without raising any emergency alert.

3. The Eyewatch application presently works on Symbian (Nokia), Blackberry and Android Smartphone with an active GPRS connection. The application can easily be downloaded by the following means:
(a) Through SMS: SMS “Eyewatch IA” to 53030 from your mobile phone. You will receive a download link: http://bit.ly/eyewatchalertapp Click on this link and select the application build which works on your phone. This link can also be obtained from the website http://ia.eye-watch.in by entering your mobile number in the “Download Eyewatch” section.
(b) Through Internet On the internet, go to, http://ia.eye-watch.in click on the download eyewatch’ section on top right corner, select your mobile phone operating system and download the application on your computer/laptop and then use your USB cable to transfer the application to your phone. This is an exclusive link created for the Indian Army Veterans, Families and Ex-servicemen. Once downloaded, each user is requested to create an Eyewatch account either from within the application or from the website http://ia.eye-watch.in. You can choose a username and password of your choice and fill in your relevant details to create an account.
4. For more information, please visit EyeWatch
5. Veterans are encouraged to use this service.

Centre hikes Dearness Relief for Pensioners by 7 pc

PTI | Sep 15, 2011, 04.40PM IST
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the festival season, the government on Thursday announced a seven per cent hike in the Dearness Allowance of its employees.

The decision to increase the Dearness Allowance (DA) for five million Central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for about four million pensioners was taken by the Union Cabinet.

The pay hike would be applicable from July 1. The DA for the government employees would increase from 51 per cent of the basic salary to 58 per cent.

The hike in DA and DR would cost the exchequer annually Rs 7,229 crore, while for the remaining period of the current fiscal the implication would be Rs 4,819 crore,Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
Centre hikes Dearness Allowance for employees by 7 pc
click here for Yearwise Dearness Relief for Veterans

Platinum Grant at 75 yrs age for Veterans

Army Officer's Benevolent Fund: Platinum Grant at 75 yrs age.
May be useful, if U can remember it. Please pass it on.
Retired army officers, who have completed 75 years of age, are entitled to a grant of Rs 50,000.00 from the Army Officers Benevolent Fund.
Kindly share this information among the retired Army Officers in your city. (In case of demise of an officer, during service or later before completing 75 years, this amount is payable to the next of kin immediately after the demise of the officer. It is also applicable to officers settled abroad.)
No formal application is required for claiming the platinum grant. However the retired officers are required to intimate their postal addresses and Bank Account Numbers as and when they enter their 75th year at following address for updating the records:
Director Accounts
Ceremonial & Welfare Directorate
Adjutant General's Branch
Army Headquarters
South Block, Room No 279
DHQ PO New Delhi - 110011
Tele No - 2337 5138

Newsletter from Veekay

Dear Friends,
Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. My newsletter click here.
Vinay and Kumud Singh

Extracts from Veekay Newsletter 2010
The year is coming to an end and it is time for the annual ritual of connecting with friends, acquaintances, comrades and colleagues. I do not recall the last time I sent a New Year's card or a hand written letter. Ever since we started using e-mail, letters have become passé. Until a few years ago, very few people had a computer and one had to write a letter. The advent of mobile telephony has put paid to the art of letter writing altogether. What a pity. I have begun to relish the advantages of being a senior citizen. One can buy rail tickets at a 30% discount. (Women get 50%, but Kumud is still to qualify. Even when she does, I think she would rather pay the full fare than be classified as a senior citizen!). Youngsters, especially girls, sometimes offer you a seat in the Metro. Shopkeepers, parking attendants and handymen address you as uncle, though hardly anyone calls Kumud an auntie, and woe betide anybody who dares...

There is little change in our routine. I go to the gym in the DSOI, which is a stone’s throw from my house, at 0645, returning at 0745 or so. Kumud goes at 0830 and returns only when the gym closes at 1000. By this time I have gone through my newspapers, had my bath and my breakfast and am ready to leave for Signals Enclave, where the Corps History Cell is located. On the days I have a hearing in Tis Hazari or the High Court, I have to give the gym amiss. The Ansal Plaza is next door and Kumud does not miss a movie. She is usually accompanied by my daughter in law or one of her gym buddies. They go for the morning show, when the children are at school and the tickets are cheaper. Twice a week, I too get a chance to go to the mall – it has a Reliance Fresh outlet and buying vegetables is one of the chores entrusted to me.

Sanction of Additional Pension for Pre 2006- 80 years and above

Age Proof
The matter of sanction of additional pension/family pension by acceptance of age proof/date of birth certificate by Heads of Offices was considered by Department of Pension and Pensioner's welfare.

The Department has now decided that where the pensioner/family pensioner has submitted any of the prescribed documents as proof of age/date of birth etc., payment of additional pension shall continue on provisional basis for a period of six months from date of submitting proof of age or upto 31.12.2010 whichever is later.

In cases where the Pension is claimed on the basis of some other documents, such cases shall be submitted to the concerned Ministry who shall make final decision.

For further details see the Department's O.M. No.38/37/08/P&PW(A) dated 28.09.2010.
Sanction of Addl pension based on age proof certificates for pre 2006 pensioners

Higher Rate of Interest under Senior Citizens Saving Scheme

Friday, August 20, 2010 18:51 IST
The Senior Citizens Savings Scheme, 2004 (SCSS), was designed to meet the need of a regular flow of income for the senior citizens and retired persons with security of investment, liquidity of funds and operation convenience. Keeping in view of the above, higher rate of interest at 9 percent per annum is offered to all senior citizens under this scheme. Persons who are 60 years of age and above can make a deposit under the scheme. Those retired persons who are 55 years of age and above but below 65 years are also eligible to invest their retirement benefits subject to maximum deposit limit of Rs.15 lakh under the scheme.

Facility of loan or overdraft against the deposit would necessitate pledging of the deposit under this scheme. As a consequence, the subscriber of a pledged account will not be able to withdraw the interest amount periodically defeating the very purpose of the scheme.

This information was provided by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in reply to an Unstarred Question in Lok Sabha today. **** DSM/SKK
Higher Rate of Interest under Senior Citizens Saving Scheme

Income Tax Helplines for senior citizens

I-T helplines for senior citizens: Courtesy The Hindu dated 23 may 2010
Last date for filing of IT returns is 30 june 2010

The Income Tax Department will soon set up helplines and dedicated counters for senior citizens as the deadline for filing returns approaches.

This was announced here on Saturday by V.Nandakumar, Assistant Director of Income Tax.

He was delivering a talk on ‘Income Tax concessions to senior citizens,' at a meeting organised by the Probus Club, an organisation that caters to the interests of retired persons.

“Most people do not understand the difference between exemption and deduction,” he said. While the exemption limit for senior citizens is Rs.2.4 lakh, deductions can be claimed under Chapter 6(A) on non-taxable income. The last date to file IT returns for those who have a salary income is June 30.

Asking those who are entitled for a refund to fill in their bank account details and quote the MICR number carefully, Mr. Nandakumar said that since processing IT returns had become electronic and centralised, tracking a transaction was almost impossible.

Citing two specific concessions that are available for senior citizens, Mr. Nandakumar said deductions could be claimed for mediclaim insurance premium up to Rs. 20,000 (which is Rs.5,000 more than the ceiling for others). Also, persons suffering from cancer or renal failure can avail a deduction on treatment cost up to Rs.60,000.

For Chennaites
R. Subharaj, Probus Club Secretary, Chennai, said a master health check-up at a concessional rate would be conducted for senior citizens on June 21 jointly by the Club and the Health Department. To register call: 24422839, 24981099, 24995290, and 24936825.
I-T helplines for senior citizens

Sixth Pay Commission Arrears and PB-4 for Lt Cols
The IT for AY 2010- 2011 (FY 2009- 2010) will jump anywhere from tenfold to twentyfold compared to previous years (as arrears and Pension will be in the order of over Rs 7 lakhs). The new IT form SARAL I is easy to fill and submit. ESM whose income exceeds Rs 1.6 Lakhs (and senior citizens aged over 65 years exceed Rs 2.4 lakhs) will need to submit the IT return by 30 Jun 2010. Many JCOs and NCOs too will come under the taxation in view of enhanced Pension and Arrears. The ESM Organisations need to educate and guide JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys on this important aspect.

Col Caveeshar Shaping Young Minds

Dear Friends,
Here is another write up on our course mate KS Caveeshar's activities for the under privileged.
Well done dear Caveeshar and Gifty.
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

click on image for reading the text
Caveeshar educates underprivileged students
Education is very important in the present day life. Only a literate person can now adjust with the development of society. Especially girls or women must be educated as they play a vital role in the development of society.
With this vision KS Caveeshar, a retired Colonel and a resident of Noida Sector 37 has taken a unique step to educate underprivileged students that reside in his neighbourhood. He is not only giving them education, but also looking for their overall development. He is doing all this on his own without taking support from the government or any NGO.
Caveeshar said, "I retired from the army in 1984 and then served with RAW for a couple of years and then migrated to the USA. Stayed there for almost two decades and served in the education department of Los Angeles Unified School District (teaching Americans good English). Returned and settled in Sector 37, Noida, towards the end of 2005.
Have about 30 students
"I saw that there were a lot of students who go to school, but they were not getting proper education as nobody in their family was uneducated. Hence, I started helping those underprivileged schoolchildren with their studies at my apartment. When the number became too big for my apartment, I rented a garage, furnished it and moved the children there. When the landlady asked for more money, I got a sort of a classroom constructed at my apartment and moved the children there. I have about 30 students from class I to class X and I help them in two shifts between 3pm and 8pm."
Gives financial help for books
Caveeshar said, "Besides this, I have also helped these children in many other ways. I contacted the president of ICARE Eye Hospital and got a team to come to my place and check the eyes of all children. After that I contacted the high-ups of the amusement park at The Great India Place who, later, invited all children to a Drama 'Jallianwala Bagh' being staged there by a prominent group. Apart from educating them, I have also given financial help for books and school fees to the needy children."
Caveeshar opened his own school
After seeing Caveeshar's hardwork, Retired Colonel Dr Usha Bora and Retired Brigadier Tejender Singh have also started helping him. With their support now, Caveeshar has opened his own school on the name of his father, where some handicapped students are also getting education.
Nobody came for help initially
Caveeshar said, "I had gone through difficult time during the early stage of my mission. Nobody came for help initially, while it was strongly required. I have also lost some of my very good friends, when I asked them for a favour. Despite of all critics, I followed my vision with honesty and ultimately I achieved success."
—Rohit Babbar
Caveeshar educates underprivileged students

The Soldiers' 2nd Innings

Dear friends,
A review of the captioned book "The Soldiers’ 2nd Innings": click here
The reviewer has made a very valid point: the book does not contain any thing for our personnel below officer ranks. This lacuna has also been pointed out by some of my friends.

The book is,indeed, officer oriented. The reason for this is not far to seek. I have no first hand knowledge or experience of the problems which our men experience, and so I thought it better to leave that task to some one more qualified to do so. It is my belief that a RCO or a SL Commissioned officer should be motivated to produce such a book. It has been rightly pointed out by several persons that the soldier these days is quite different from the man who served in the army when we were in the units. He is well educated and has access to creature comforts like a fridge, TV set, washing machine and a motor cycle. Officers of my vintage did not have any of these luxuries at the start of our careers fifty years ago. An NCO retiring after about 20 or24 years service gets well over ten lacs of rupees as his terminal benefits and many of them do not know how to handle that kind of money. They need guidance.

If our soldiers can be given the necessary inputs and guidance, they can convert their military experience into civilian success. And when that happens, we will have lacs of ESM contributing to the economy of the nation. Improvements in pension and rationalization of terminal benefits are inecessary, and we must press for that twenty five year old demand. But what is even more necessary is the need to prepare our soldier for a second job or alternative vocation.

Lt Gen Chandele has summed it up very well in his Prelude to the book, He says, "Retired life can be enjoyed fully, if you have two essentials: "Enough to live on and enough to live for"
Now here is an offer
In case some one come forward to write a book for the JCOs and the NCOs I shall provide all the assistance which he may need to publish the work, including financial suuport.
Regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

Comments and suggestions from Brig Sukhwindar Singh click here

The Soldiers’ 2nd Innings by Maj Gen Surjit Singh (retd) & Lt Col Kanwal Dev Singh (retd) MacMillan. Reviewed by Randeep Wadehra

A majority of the soldiers in our Armed Forces, especially in the Indian Army, retire young. This is as true of the commissioned officers as it is of the personnel belonging to the Other Ranks (ORs). While a significant number of ORs — aka jawans — retire while in their thirties, officers generally retire in their forties and fifties. The latter, as this book admits, are economically secure while the former have to struggle in Civvy Street for their survival.

Written partially in anecdotal style, this book’s chapters, Angry Old Soldiers and In Search of a Solution to the Problem, deal with one-rank-one-pension-related issues. Another chapter, SWOT Analysis and Classification of Jobs, gives details of the careers that officers can take up post-retirement. There are separate chapters on career opportunities in the corporate sector in India as well as abroad. The book also outlines various pros and cons of writing wills. It also describes their different types, like joint wills, mutual wills etc, with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

How one wishes there was a separate chapter on career prospects for ORs whose educational profile has improved vastly over the years. There are impressive numbers of law, engineering and management graduates among these personnel who do not have the advantage of possessing "brass credentials" to impress recruiters in the civil sector and thus need guidance as well as inputs.

Elderly fume over proposed licence norms

NO LICENCE TO DRIVE: Many elderly feel taking away their right to drive is akin to killing their independence

BARRING ELDERLY TO DRIVE
The motorcycles zipping along, cutting across the lanes, indifferent to their own and others safety are not driven by the elderly, the speeding cars jumping the dividers and hitting the on coming traffic are also not driven by the elderly. The drunk drivers speeding their BMW’s and Merck, late in the night, and overrunning the poor homeless sleeping on the foot paths are also not elderly. Also those driving on the e-ways, over-speeding, on the foggy mornings and hitting the stationary trucks, dumpers regularly are also not elderly. The infamous Blue line Buses of Delhi were also not driven by elderly.
Then why select the elderly to debar driving, has any survey of the accidents attributed to the elderly, age wise statically resulted in this conclusion.
For the sake of elderly, do not deny their mobility, most of us living alone with children having flown the nest, mobility so necessary in case of a medical or other emergency.
We, those who are medically fit to drive are more cautious, drive at the speed of the traffic and in lanes, do not unnecessarily over-take and let the brash overtake us at their whims and fancy.
Brig Lakshman Singh (Retd)
TOI article
Elderly fume over proposed licence norms:
Say Plan To Keep Those Above 72 Years Out Of The Drivers Seat Is Arbitrary, Prefer Tests

ECHS: Dispensation of Medication

The harassment of ECHS users with reference to the policy on three nonth issue of medicine vs one month, changed over recently, has caused us deep concern.
While the establishment's reasoning of 'ethical issues' and logistics etc is understood, it needs to be appreciated that in healthcare (primarily a service industry), aspects of 'client satisfaction and ease' need to be paramount. It is in this that the 'regimentation' system, essential in service life, needs to make way in the 'second innings' -veterans in need of an empathetic assistance for healthcare, even at the cost of adjusting procedures.

There are many cases of the immense pain and inconvenience to veterans. It needs to be pointed out that these refer to SENIOR officer veterans living in metros. One shudders to think how bad the situation would be for 98% veteran population living in isolated rural areas; particularly for semi literate, aging JCO/ OR veterans!!
There are many others. I got a call from Col Narainan in Chennai, close to 90 years of age, helplessly complaining of how difficult it is to go 25 Km to the ECHS Polyclinic, to get medicine. AND spending MORE on transport than the cost of medicine!! If it were 90 days issue, it would perhaps mean cost effectiveness, AND less journeys, difficult to undertake at his age. To top it up, one cant delegate collections to even the spouse. So he and his 80 year old wife, both chronically sick/ ill, trudge to the Polyclinic every month!! SAD you will agree.

This case must be forcefully taken up with ECHS HQ for onward projection and resolution. If processes need to be changed, so be it. BUT Patient interests NEED to BE PARAMOUNT. A rethink on this, and reversion to the old system is required. Who else can an ex serviceman look to for support than his erstwhile comrades in arms?
Retirement in any case, is a future reality for ALL current corp of serving soldiers.............and in attending to these issues, we can only have a win win situation.
With Warm Regards,
Col RP Chaturvedi (Retd)

Absence of spouses age hampers bankers from payment of enhanced family pension

Dear Veterans,
I wish to bring to your notice that in none of our PPOs issued by the CDA(P) the date of birth of the spouse is mentioned. You may like to have this checked by scrutinising your PPO. The problem arises where the pensioner passes away and is survived by the spouse and if she crosses the age of 80 she will not be able to get the extra 20% without proof of age. There is therefore an urgent need to take up case with the govt and CDA to resolve this issue. The best and easiest way is to to Show ECHS card where the date of birth of spouse is mentioned. Someone needs to take up the case.
Col N Viswanthan(Retd)

CGHS modernises and ECHS struggles

INDIAN EXPRESS OF 17TH JULY 2009-PAGE4: CENTRE PLANS TO REVAMP CGHS SOON
Dear Sirs,
1. We are aware that Full Bench of Consumer Court Of India have elevated Medicare to be part of Pension and other post retirement benefits. Still further Pension being deferred wages for services already rendered is a Right and not gratis under the Constitution. The Government is obliged to meet all expenses as authorised for Civil Hospitals including the difference between the CGHS rates and market rates.

2. I recall 1st MD/ECHS telling the audience at USI a few years back that IAS cannot countenance ECHS providing superior medical facilities than CGHS. The Senior Officers also wanted ECHS to be Army backed provider. CGHS has been already revamped majorly. Now as per news item reproduced below in full it would be seen that CGHS is gal lopping ahead to even better provider than in the West and the other developed countries. Of course Health Insurance Sector also seems to nudging Government in this direction.

3. If one were to take what the ECHS professes that the Government is not favourably disposed to ECHS being made full scope health provider to Ex-Servicemen, then there seems to be gap between the two positions. Air Marshal Retired [Medical Services] who ushered in ECHS believed that the MOD if it accepted to services being provided as per the stated aim it would take 10 years to restructure but CGHS is already there in 5 years.

4. I would like to think that IESM which is tackling the anomalies of the 6th Pay Commission should also look into ECHS along with OROP! The question arises as to why DESA is permitting exploitation of Ex-servicemen particularly Cols and below and PBORs at ECHS Clinics and R&R Hospital. Why they should be saying this and that and be judgemental. If during 5 yearly review it was noticed that lot of undesirable things happening, then how come CGHS which had greater leaks is being revamped successfully. In fact ECHS Dispensaries in some areas provide Ayurvedic and Homeopathic treatment under the same roof in Delhi?

5. The Doctors and the Staff openly state that their first priority is to take care of serving personnel and rightly so. Till such times additional infrastructure is in place, some temporary measure can be adopted. Diagnostics can be done outside R&R. Medicines can be outsourced. R&R can function in multiple shifts like AIIMS. It can hire temporary Civil Professionals. In fact AIIMS biggest asset is number of PhDs undergoing training who not only assist the Professors majorly but also go down and man personally diagnostic centres and how knowledgeable they are in getting down to the bottom of things. Because in the evening they have to face the whole department and colleagues and no complaint of the patient is swept under the table.

6. It is sincerely hoped that all efforts would be made by those who can make a difference both on account of recommendations of 6th Pay commission and otherwise to benefit the Ex-Servicemen under the original objective of providing timely and comprehensive medical care would to all Ex-Servicemen.
With best regards,
Commander Prem P Batra (Retd)
Centre Plans To Revamp CGHS Soon by Teena Thacker: Indian Express 17 July 2009

Brain Exercises keep Ex- Servicemen Ship Shape

Tease your brain
A child being teased responds with an increased energy and flow of adrenaline. Likewise, brainteasers increase the flow of energy to the brain, exercising short-term memory. Teasers force concentration, converting long-term memory into a library of information. Puzzles, riddles, word searches, Sudoku, and even a good mystery book can stimulate the brain's ability to reason and calculate.

Use it or lose it
Anxiety and stress drain the mind. Boredom and repetition put the mind into a state of suspended animation. Deep and deliberate breathing, much like that of yoga, reduces stress.

Working a crossword puzzle each day has limited benefits. Cross-train your brain much like you would your body. Alternate a word puzzle with games for senior citizens and computer games. Seniors try a fun game that wakes up the mind, so when your brain becomes gridlocked, take a walk. Sitting up straight in your seat increases alertness, concentration, and the level at which your brain functions.

The brain is a giant computer that shuts down under extreme stress to avoid loss of pertinent data. Simplify problems and encounter them as a general leads his army into war - one battle at a time. Exercise/ walk to release negative energies and to improve memory.

Food for thought
Simple carbohydrates have a lethargic effect. As the body absorbs foods like sugar, white flour nan, potatoes, and rice, insulin is released into the bloodstream and the combination depletes energy sources. Fish and nuts (high in omega-3 fatty acids) are considered brain foods. Alcohol and beverages consumed in right quantities can be beneficial, overdoses become addictive.