Reality Check: President Pratiba Patil Foreign Visits Deflates Economy

Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci sing praises
‘Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’
PTI The Hindu New Delhi, June 18, 2012
Facing criticism over her numerous foreign visits costing the exchequer Rs. 205 crore, President Pratibha Patil got some reprieve from industry chambers, which claimed that her trips had helped opened new vistas for bolstering trade ties.
Ms. Patil’s foreign trips had raised eyebrows when a query made under RTI revealed that Rs. 205 crore had been spent on her travel expenses since she assumed office in July 2007, surpassing the record of all her predecessors.
During her tenure, President Patil has undertaken 12 foreign trips, covering 22 countries across four continents and spending 79 days abroad.
Industry chambers — Assocham, CII and Ficci on Monday presented a booklet titled ‘Engaging the World’ to Ms. Patil on Monday. The booklet said that during her visits, issues of concern to Indian industry were raised, MoUs were signed and trade and investment prospects of Indian industry were addressed.
“The impact of these state visits has been multi-pronged. New vistas have been opened for Indian businesses...,” Ficci secretary-general Rajiv Kumar said in a message in the booklet.
Mr. Kumar said that as an active participant in the President’s visits, Ficci was able to expand its reach to new regions, cultivate institutional cooperation and develop business synergies.
CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee said the President’s visits provided good exposure and much-needed access and networking opportunities for the business delegates.
Echoing similar views, Assocham secretary-general D.S. Rawat said the visits to various countries have given a major fillip to the business houses in terms of enhancing their stature and credibility, which in turn has provided them the right platform for meeting their economic engagements in the countries visit.
Pratibha’s foreign trips boosted trade ties’

Madam President Pratiba Patilji- Blows her own Trumphet

Full transcript: President Pratibha Patil's interview to NDTV NDTV.com | Updated: May 07, 2012 01:21 IST
Amid controversy over her foreign trips, President Pratibha Patil, in an exclusive interview to NDTV's Rahul Shrivastava, says the visits go a long way in boosting India's image internationally. She has also made it clear that the President's travel plans are drawn up by the government.
Here's the full transcript of the interview:
NDTV: Hello and welcome. India has begun the process of choosing its next President. Some have chosen to call the post ceremonial, but in the 21st century managing the aspirations of over a billion people and the diktats of a Constitution is a tough job. How tough is the job? Who better to answer the question than Madam President Pratibha Patilji. Prathibhaji really nice of you to speak to us.
click here for the full transcript
Comment: Shakespeare sums up Pratiba's Pretence in a sonnet
Tired with all these, for restful death I cry, As to behold desert a beggar born,
And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity,
And purest faith unhappily forsworn,
And gilded honour shamefully misplaced,
And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,
And right perfection wrongfully disgraced,,
And strength by limping sway disabled
And art made tongue-tied by authority,
And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,
And simple truth miscalled simplicity,
And captive good attending captain ill:
Tired with all these, from these would I be gone,
Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.
The poet laments the corruption and dishonesty of the world, from which he desires to be released. This is a sonnet which strikes a chord in almost any age, for it tells the same old story, that graft and influence reign supreme, and that no inherent merit is ever a guarantee of success. For that depends on social structures and conditions already set in place long ago. As often as not they aid and promote the unworthy, the malicious, the wealthy, the incompetent and those who are just good at manipulation of the system.

President Pratiba and MEA sing the same tune

The disastrous presidency of Pratibha Devisingh Patil
Apr 28, 2012by Abhay Vaidya
At a time when issues relating to land grab by politicians and politically-connected builders have been hitting the headlines day in and day out, the 12th president of India, Patibha Devisingh Patil, and her advisors should have picked up the first signs of trouble over her post-retirement home in Pune.
Patil is technically right when she says that she cannot be accused of “land grab” in Pune. Her defence is that the 2.61 lakh sq ft land being developed for her bungalow premises under the Khadki cantonment Board in Pune would continue to remain with the defence ministry. The land ownership had not changed hands and so, she has not “grabbed” any land.
Where Patil erred was in being insensitive to the issues raised by ex-servicemen in Pune such as retired colonel Suresh Patil and his NGO, Justice for Jawans. An infuriated Patil asked why so much land was being allotted to president Patil and a 4,500 sq ft bungalow constructed afresh when there was an acute paucity of accommodation for soldiers posted in Pune.
Pratibha Patil will be remembered for setting new standards in lowering the dignity of the president's office. Adrian Streun/Reuters
They pointed out that the land for Patil’s bungalow was meant for military use. Patil and his fellow crusader and RTI activist Anup Awasthi also used the Right to Information Act, 2005 to get the facts on the president’s post-retirement entitlements for housing. The reply they got from the president’s office further intensified their agitation: Under the rules, a retired president was entitled to 2,000 sq ft of “living area” to be taken on lease in case suitable government residence was not available. In the case of a government residence being allotted to the ex-president, the size of the bungalow could go up to 5,498 sq.ft – the highest entitlement for a union minister.
Patil’s mistake was to get 2.61 lakh sq ft land allotted to her and authorise the construction of a new, 4,500 sq ft bungalow on it.
Was the president taking her lavish lifestyle at Rashtrapati Bhavan a bit too far? Given the honour, prestige and dignity associated with the president’s office, her senior staff should also have done some background checks and intelligence gathering on the ramifications of the controversy brewing in Pune. At the end of it, it is the president who has cut a sorry face, despite her protestations.
Although this president is from Maharashtra — the northern Jalgaon district to be precise — she has no emotional connect with the people of Pune. Just as her foreign trips sparked a controversy because of the Rs 200 crore expenditure and the large family entourage, domestically, her many trips to Pune also became a talking point. Her trips to Pune were far more frequent than those of her predecessor, president APJ Abdul Kalam, who had a hectic tour schedule. In Patil’s case, however, questions were asked whether her trips and extended halts in Pune had anything to do with family visits as her daughter’s family resides in Pune.
Given this background, her decision to settle in Pune after retirement did not come as a surprise. The family connection made headlines in 2010 when the Maharashtra government allotted commercially attractive plots of land to trusts headed by her Pune-based daughter Jyoti Rathore and Maharashtra rural development minister Jayant Patil.
The two plots with high commercial potential were allotted in village Jambhe in Mulshi taluka, within five km off the Mumbai-Pune expressway and the IT park at Hinjewadi. Rathore’s Maharashtra Mahila Udyam Trust had to pay just Rs 6.72 lakh to the government for the 7.93 hectare plot with an estimated market value of Rs 19 crore. The plan included 27,300 sq metre of land for a residential school, 20,000 sq metres for a college and 32,000 sq metres for a playground. Rathore had then told the media that the trust paid the money as per government procedure and ready-reckoner norms, and did not get the land at a “throwaway price”.
In February, president Patil’s son and Congress MLA Raosaheb Shekhawat was interrogated by the Amravati police in connection with the seizure of Rs 1 crore in hard currency from a car coming from Nagpur. The money was hidden in the luggage compartment of the car and the Maharashtra Congress and Shekhawat explained it as “party funds” meant for distribution to poor Congress candidates ahead of the civic polls on 16 February. Many found this explanation laughable and wondered whether the cash was meant to buy votes.
A career politician from Jalgaon known for her loyalty to the Nehru-Gandhi family, Patil gave the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi the historic opportunity of nominating India’s first woman president. This decision to give preference to loyalty and gender over merit while selecting the presidential nominee, proved disastrous as Patil was already enveloped by many controversies.
She had already been accused of mismanagement at the Sant Muktabai Cooperative Sugar Factory controlled by her and the alleged involvement of her brother GN Patil in the VG Patil murder case in Jalgaon in 2004. These were among the controversies that resurfaced the moment Patil was nominated by the UPA for presidentship in 2007.
Among all the 12 presidents of India, it is President Patil’s term that began and is now ending on a low note. The previous low point that the office of the president witnessed was when the seventh president of India, Giani Zail Singh, clashed with then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He had also famously said that he was willing to become a sweeper but was asked by his leader (Indira Gandhi) to become the president of India.
It is now Patil, more than Singh, who will be remembered for setting new standards in lowering the dignity of the president’s office.
http://www.firstpost.com/india/the-disastrous-presidency-of-pratibha-devisingh-patil-292042.html
Comments: All her foreign visits were planned by MEA headed by a tainted Foreign Minister- both were lavish in denuding the exchequer... no accountibilty at all... victims are the citizens of the Nation. The tax payers taken for a joy ride.

Soldiers Defrauded of Rank Pay: Present Status

IV Pay Commission Rank Pay Anomaly Case
In the case of Maj AK Dhanapalan Vs Union of India in OP 2448/96, The Hon’ble High Court of Kerela allowed the plea of the officer and held that the deduction of the rank pay was not correct and directed to re fix the basic pay of the officer from 1.1.1986. Appeal filed by the Union of India before the larger bench of the High Court & SLP in the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the judgment was dismissed. Although Govt sanction to pay arrears to Maj AK Dhanapalan were issued, the benefit was not extended to similarly placed officers of the three Services.
Similar cases were filed by a large number of officers in various courts throughout the country. The Supreme Court of India directed that such of the cases be transferred to the apex court. Retired Defence Officers Association (RDOA) has been able to transfer one of the ‘lead cases’ from Kerela to the Supreme Court.
AS ON 22 Mar 2012
GOOGLY BY COURT!? Further to post of 21 Mar 2012 on the ibid case. The Court No 8 did not 'SIT' today ie 22 Mar 2012. In all probability another date will be given which will be posted on the blog once known. In the meantime u can start counting ur pennies @6% interest.
'But patience to prevent the murmur soon replies' John Milton
AS ON 21 Mar 2012
The case was listed at item no 7 in court no 8 in the apex court for 21 Mar 2012. Item no 1 took the complete day and finished at 1530hrs. Item no 2 case took two weeks adjournment.Some discussion took place on case at item no 3 and then the case was adjourned for three weeks. Remaining cases have been rescheduled for 22 Mar 2012. We are hopeful the case will be heard on 22 Mar 12.
Click here to read the genesis of the fraud and how soldiers remain cheated of the Rank Pay from 1986

President Pratibha Patil's foreign trips cost record Rs. 205 cr
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil's foreign travel has cost the public exchequer a whopping Rs. 205 crore on her foreign visits, surpassing the record of all her predecessors.
Read more at: click here
Comment: The Government instead of punishing the culprits for perpetuating this fraud on Soldiers has amply rewarded them for savings accrued on the exchequer. The soldiers till date remain cheated of their Rank Pay entitlements. President Pratiba Patil's wasteful travel extravagza could have paid for the Rank Pay of soldiers.

Spare the General and save the Nation

09 Feb 2012
The face-off between the government and the Army Chief General V K Singh is not in the interest of the nation. While there appears to be a concerted attempt to depict Gen. Singh in bad light, a close scrutiny of available information seems to be in favour of the Army Chief.

Defence minister AK Antony says the government exercised maximum restraint and patience on the issue of determining Gen. Singh’s date of birth and wants to wait for the final verdict of the Supreme Court. There is no legal issue involved for the apex court to lay down any law.

A confidential memo A/4501/01(GEN/MS(1) dated 01 July, 2011, from the Military Secretary’s Branch sent to the Ministry of Defence on the DoB of IC 24134 General VK Singh PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC, by Lt.-Gen. GM Nair, Military Secretary observed, says: “On scrutiny of past records pertaining to Selection Boards, it has been that the MDSs pertaining to Gen. VK Singh which were drawn up at the time of his consideration for promotion to select ranks reflect the date of birth of the General Officer as 10 May, 1951.”

The memorandum said that copies of the relevant MDS sheets were available with the Ministry of Defence for verification and that this had been brought to the notice of the Defence Minister for due consideration.

This memo flies in the face of Antony’s claim that Gen. Singh accepted 1950 as his year of birth when former Army Chiefs asked for it before his promotion as Major-General and Lt.-General.

What was the need for their asking when the Selection Board’s records show his year of birth as 1951?

Gen. Singh earned the wrath of Home Minister P Chidambaram and the powerful mining lobby for his principled opposition to the deployment of the Army to decimate the tribal population of Dandakaranya forests to hand it over to MNCs by saying: “We cannot do this to our own people. Maoists are not secessionists.”

The hard line adopted by the Army Chief against the erring officers in the Adarsh co-operative housing society scandal did not make him popular among his peers in the Army.

The corruption-ridden UPA government has no place for an upright officer like Gen. Singh, particularly at a time when large arms deals are going to be signed.

Gen Singh's service track-record vouches for his integrity

An error committed by VK Singh while filling an application form for entrance to the National Defence Academy when he was just 14 years old has been ferreted out to change his DoB as 10 May, 1950, and the government is sticking like a leech to this piece of paper to deny justice to the chief of the world’s third largest Army.

To add insult to injury, the government is trying to portray him as someone fiddling with his date of birth to hang on to the power and pelf of the high office.

The President, in her capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has a duty to safeguard the honour of soldiers like Gen. Singh, who has lived up to the credo embossed in Chetwood Hall of the Indian Military Academy.

“The safety, honour and welfare of your country comes first, always and every time; The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next; Your own ease comfort and safety come last, always and every time.” – TWL Bureau
Click here to read the full article

Supreme Commander Lauds Ex Servicemen

10/01/2012
Contribution of ex-servicemen will always be remembered: Patil
Diver (Raj), Jan 10 (PTI) President Pratibha Patil today said the country should respect and not forget the services of its retired soldiers who had staked their lives for the security and well being of the country.
"Our soldiers guard our borders and even after retirement contribute in the progress of the society. They will always be respected for their courage and sacrifice. Hence, it is our responsibility to take appropriate care of our brave soldiers who have retired or were injured in wars," Patil said after unveiling a statue of legendary Rajput patriot Maharana Pratap here, a village in Rajsamand district.
Patil, who is on a two-day tour of the state, said that ex-servicemen and soldiers should also take up the mantle of educating the people against social evils like female foeticide, drug abuse, dowry and child marriage.
Calling Rajasthan the land of the "brave", Patil recollected how she, as the then Governor of the state, had taken up various measures for the welfare of war widows and retired soldiers.
Located about 50 km from the district headquarters, Diver, holds a special place in history as Maharana Pratap and his son Amar Singh had defeated hostile forces about 415 years ago. The region also boasts of sending a large number of recruits to the Indian armed forces.
Contribution of ex-servicemen will always be remembered: Patil

Comment: Services of Ex Servicemen will be remembered is all that the Supreme Commander has to say to assuage the hurt feelings of those who have surrendered the Gallantry awards alongwith a blood signed petition for sanction of One Rank One Pension. Sad commentary on the welfare measures that the Government puts on paper but in ground reality nothing concrete happens!

MoD Style- Blame Game to Cheat Veterans

Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Blame Game : MoD style !
“We believe to err is human. To blame it on someone else is politics" : Hubert H Humphrey
The MoD is unfairly and unnecessarily blaming the Services for non-implementation of Court orders.
People who are familiar with the field of litigation in the defence services would be aware of the fact that most of the cases decided in favour of pensioners, especially disabled personnel, are not implemented in a timely manner and majority of decisions of Courts and Tribunals are implemented only after contempt petitions are filed by affected parties. Even the judgements that are implemented are done so in a reluctant manner with the feeling in the South Block being that the policies framed by the MoD are sacrosanct and that every decision against the thought-process of the MoD should be challenged in a higher Court of Law. Fair enough, since the Constitutional framework provides a right to appeal to every party to a case. But this assumes dangerous proportions when even verdict after verdict on a particular issue, including by the highest Court of the land, the MoD continues to file appeals in similar matters thereby burdening the pockets of veterans and dockets of Courts. This is done with one singular motive – that out of the many appeals filed, even if one succeeds, the MoD would be able to scuttle the move for a change in policy for the better. And this is done being fully aware that veterans cannot afford legal help, especially at Supreme Court level, and hence it is not surprising that in most of the cases where decisions were ultimately rendered in favour of the MoD the affected parties were either unrepresented or were appearing in person, the reason being common – inability to afford counsel fee.

The powers to implement Court orders have been delegated to the Services HQ. It was earlier felt that due to lack of proper understanding, the Services HQ were blindly following the dictates of the MoD, especially in pensionary matters, and recommending appeals even in settled issues and further making no moves to reduce litigation or to bring about changes in policies that had persistently faced flak from the Courts. But this changed in the recent few years when the AG’s branch and the Personnel Services Directorate truly started taking proper interest in these matters with actual application of mind resulting in some proactive policy decisions and also putting it on record that certain imbalanced policies of the MoD which were resulting in a major flux of litigation, required a re-look. It was also now clear that even in certain issues where the Services HQ were of the view that appeals were not required to be filed, the MoD still insisted on challenging the verdicts but publicly projecting that it were the Services which were going about filing appeals against their own pensioners and not the MoD since the powers to implement decisions were vested with the Services HQ. In fact, it was more than once communicated by the MoD on hard paper that they were not the ones filing appeals, but the Services HQ. This statement was, and remains, a sham. It appears that despite best efforts by all stake-holders, the perception in the corridors of the MoD, especially, the Pension Wing, is, that veterans are greedy and do not deserve more than what they are already getting. The efforts of the Services HQ to bring about a change in policy meet the waste-bin in ways more than one.

And now comes another hard to believe master-stroke. Now the MoD has blamed the Services for delay in implementation of orders by Benches of the AFT. It has also been stated before the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Defence that about 303 decisions are yet to be implemented due to the delay caused by the hierarchical structure of the services. The excuse is hogwash and so is the number since there must be well over 2000 decisions as on date which have not been implemented. 303 is a very mild figure and at best depicts an antiquated bolt action gun.

Hence in the ultimate analysis, when the public questions the MoD over appeals being filed against veterans and the disabled, it (the MoD) very conveniently blames the Services leaving the Services HQ at the mercy of public flak and ridicule, and when a Parliamentary committee questions the non-implementation of Court orders, again the Services are blamed for the delay when the actual culprit is the sadist attitude of those manning certain lower level appointments in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare in the MoD.

The policy making mechanism at the Pension wing is leading to frustration and a sense of great disservice. In-principle decisions taken at the highest level are scuttled by lower staff by misleading file notings. Policy decisions take years to materialise, for example, certain anomalies of the 5th CPC are being resolved 15 years after the date of implementation of the 5th CPC. Rather than taking decisions at the govt level, files are sent to the offices of CGDA and PCDA(P) for drafting govt letters and seeking their opinions, whereas accountants have actually nothing to do with the process of decision making, their duty is to disburse payments based on govt policy and not make the policy itself. Rather than rectifying anomalous policies, appeals to the SC are made as a matter of routine, to take an example, the SC has in atleast 10 cases settled the issue of grant of service element to pre-1973 retirees irrespective of length of service even if the disability falls below 20%, but the MoD continues to file appeals in similar cases and at this particular moment, more than 50 appeals are pending on the subject filed by the MoD against disabled veterans, most of them over the age of 70 notwithstanding 10 verdicts in favour of veterans. In cases of disability pension, till the 5th CPC, the amount for disability element for say 20% disability was Rs 310/- per month and even in such cases appeals were filed as a matter of routine when disability pension was allowed by Courts wherein lacs of rupees were paid to the battery of counsel representing the MoD, the great MoD which has scant respect for the National Litigation Policy formulated by the Union of India, that great MoD which treats its disabled as its adversaries, that MoD which feels that pensioners are a greedy lot, that MoD which would wrongly blame the Army, Navy and the Air Force fully knowing the sleight of hand at play, that MoD whose staffers believe that they are better jurists than the Courts rendering verdicts in favour of pensioners and the proof of this attitude lies in the fact that the MoD has filed a review petition in every single case decided by the Supreme Court in favour of pensioners in the recent times.
Solution

Solution No 1

The top brass at the MoD including the RM, the RRM and the Secretary of the Department of ESW, starts taking proper interest in the affairs of veterans by way of initiating democratic decisions by involving all stake holders – the ESW staff, the Services, representatives of recognised veteran bodies with experts in the field. Look at the current lot dealing with the issues involving millions of veterans – An otherwise well meaning Secretary from the IAS who is retiring soon, a Joint Secretary from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre of the IAS who is currently on training and whose tenure under the Central Staffing Scheme ends this year, a Director (Pensions) who is from the Indian Forest Service and knows nothing about pensions and who would soon revert to his parent cadre, two Under Secretaries from the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) who again have no expertise in pensionary matters and who probably rule the roost of the pension branch, knowing that the department is entirely dependent on them, in all probability assuming more air of authority than what their so-called proficiency really warrants.

Solution No 2

Disband the Army. Period.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh

UOI continues to cheat the Veterans of Rank Pay even after the court directives

Rank Pay case update: 01 Aug 2011
Dear Sir,
The case was heard in the court of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice RM Lodha in court no 10 today ie 01 Aug 2011. The UOI was represented by the new Solicitor General Mr Nariman. He put forth his views for 40 -45 mins on the gambit of IV CPC recommendations and the rank pay deduction and its cascading effect on V & VI CPC with the bogey of 1600cr.
There were queries from the court on the 'deduction of rank pay and pay fixation' which did not sound convincing. Senior Advocate for RDOA Shri Mahavir Singh drew the attention of the court to the Govt resolution issued after acceptance of the IV CPC report wherin it has been stated that rank pay would be paid in addition to the pay in the integrated scale.The court seemed to be to get to the bottom of the matter that if rank pay was to be given in addition to the pay in the integrated scale, then why the deduction. The court wanted to hear more on the matter. The case has been scheduled in the week beginning 22 Nov 2011.
It is requested that the update be put on RMS for info of all.
Thanking you
Secy RDOA-

IESM: Letter to Supreme Commander

IESM/Medals/2011
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman
17 March 2011

Excellency,
You would be aware that we have made five trips to Rashtrapati Bhavan with a view to depositing medals directly with the Supreme Commander. Each time we have had to bring these back as Her Excellency was pre-occupied on other engagements and was not able to receive these personally. Consequently, vide our letter of even number dated 2 February 2011 (copy attached), we requested that a date and time convenient and suitable to the Supreme Commander may kindly be intimated so that we can recast our programme accordingly. Reply from Rashtrapati Bhavan to this request is still awaited. May I request that your availability/convenience be conveyed to us at an early date?
In the mean time do allow me to apprise you that the disenchantment of veterans with the government for not acceding to their basic demand of ‘one rank one pension’ as well as for not implementing several judgments taken by the Supreme Court, is further growing and spreading. Admittedly, this kind of negative sentiment taking root among the most loyal and dedicated section of the society cannot be said to be a healthy development.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman. IESM

Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Hon’ble President of India & Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 004
Copy to:
Dr Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister
Shri AK Antony, Hon’ble Defence Minister

सुप्रीम कमांडर को पत्र
IESM/Medals/2011
लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल राज कादयान, पीवीएसएम, एवीएसएम, वीएसएम
अध्यक्ष
17 मार्च 2011

महामहिम,
तुम्हें पता होना चाहिए कि हम पदक सुप्रीम कमांडर के साथ सीधे जमा करने के उद्देश्य से राष्ट्रपति भवन से पांच यात्राएं बना दिया जाएगा. हर बार हम पड़ा है इन वापस लाने के लिए के रूप में उनकी महामहिम पूर्व अन्य कार्यों पर कब्जा कर लिया था और इन व्यक्तिगत रूप से प्राप्त करने में सक्षम नहीं था. नतीजतन, भी 2 फ़रवरी 2011 (संलग्न प्रतिलिपि) दिनांक संख्या के बारे में हमारी पत्र देखिये, हम अनुरोध किया है कि एक तारीख और सुविधाजनक और सुप्रीम कमांडर के लिए उपयुक्त समय कृपया सूचित इतना है कि हम अपने कार्यक्रम के अनुसार मरम्मत कर सकते हैं हो सकता है. राष्ट्रपति भवन से इस अनुरोध के जवाब अभी भी इंतजार है. क्या मैं आपसे अनुरोध है कि अपनी उपलब्धता / सुविधा एक प्रारंभिक तिथि पर हमें अवगत करा दिया हो?
मतलब समय में मैं आपको बतलाना करने की अनुमति है कि सरकार के साथ दिग्गजों के साथ ही कई को लागू करने के सुप्रीम कोर्ट द्वारा लिया गया निर्णय नहीं करने के लिए के रूप में उनकी 'एक रैंक एक पेंशन' की मांग के बुनियादी acceding नहीं करने के लिए, मोहभंग आगे बढ़ रहा है और करना फैल गया. बेशक, नकारात्मक भावना के इस तरह के समाज के सबसे वफादार और समर्पित अनुभाग में रूट लेने के लिए एक स्वस्थ विकास नहीं कहा जा सकता है.
के साथ सबसे अच्छा संबंध है,
सादर
लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल राज कादयान, पीवीएसएम, एवीएसएम, वीएसएम
अध्यक्ष. IESM

श्रीमती. राष्ट्रपति श्रीमती प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल, भारत और सशस्त्र बलों, राष्ट्रपति भवन, के सुप्रीम कमांडर के माननीय राष्ट्रपति नई दिल्ली - 110 004
पर प्रतिलिपि बनाएँ:
डा. मनमोहन सिंह, माननीय प्रधानमंत्री
श्री ए के एंटनी, माननीय रक्षा मंत्री

IESL: Issues taken up with the Supreme Commander

MEMORANDUM FROM THE INDIAN EXSERVICES LEAGUE AND SOLDIER’S WIDOWS TO HER EXCELLENCY PRATIBHA DEVI SINGH PATIL, PRESIDENT OF INDIA AND SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES
ESM issues
1. Over the years the Indian Ex-Services League, an apex body to articulate concerns of all Ex-Servicemen and widows of country duly recognised by Govt of India, has been highlighting the continuous lowering of their status vis-à-vis equivalent Central Govt Officials. Due to the neglect of successive Pay Commissions, service in the Armed Forces has become unattractive and the right talent is no longer being attracted for a career in the military. Unfortunately, we have not achieved success in our endeavours. The 6th Central Pay Commission has also failed to address this issue and has ignored demand of “One Rank One Pension” alongwith other related issues, causing despondency amongst the ex-servicemen community. Due to this indifferent attitude of the authorities this massive Rally on 7th May 08 is being held.

2. One Rank One Pension. This demand by the Ex-Servicemen has been raised over and over again since the 1980s. It implies that all retirees get the same pension irrespective of their date of retirement. Increase in pension should be applicable to all pensioners. A soldier and an officer gives his entire life, suffering hardships and domestic life disturbance, facing danger to life and limb expects that he would be paid adequate pension to enable him to lead a life of dignity. In the volatile economic scenario, he expects that his pension would be enhanced periodically to meet inflation. Two defence employees retiring in the same rank, after same length of service should get equal pension irrespective of their date of retirement. Inspite of solemn declarations in and outside Parliament by United Front Government on 05 Sep 91 and NDA Government on 14 Apr 99 and the successive Governments, they have not implemented their promises. The Central Pay Commission has again ignored this demand. The demand of “One Rank One Pension” is the core grievance which is agitating the veterans.

3. Ex-Servicemen Welfare to be a part of the Concurrent List. There is a vide disparity between the facilities/ concessions accorded to the Defence Pensioners in various States. They are on Concurrent list while in service but disparity starts after retirement e.g. exemption of VAT, House Tax (applicable only in some States) and wide variance of monetary grant for Gallantry Awards winners from State to State. There is a need to enact an Act of parliament whereby the laid down quota of vacancies reserved for the defence pensioners is constitutionally enforced on the Central and State Governments. Equally, there is a need to constitute an Ex-Servicemen Commission on the lines of similar commissions to have constitutional authority. The existing Department of Welfare in the Ministry of Defence is ill equipped to meet the aspirations of the Ex-Servicemen as it has no statutory powers.

4. Guaranteed Second Lateral Employment upto 60 Years. Imperative of keeping the armed forces young, necessitates that a soldier retires at the age of 35 years, Junior Commission Officer at 45 years and bulk of Officers at 54-56 years. There is no effective system whereby they can work till the age of 60 years like other Government employees. The Directorate General of Resettlement, a Ministry of Defence Organization can secure employment to only a miniscule numbers of retirees. There has to be a Central Govt provision to ensure that all retirees from the Armed Forces are compulsorily absorbed in PMFs/PSUs/Other such agencies for an assured career upto 60 years of age.

5. Separate Pay Commission for the Armed Forces. This a long outstanding issue has been accepted by the Government.

6. All Concessions including MSP/ Pension to be with Retrospective with effect from 01 Jan 2006. Existing pensioners should also be entitled to get all benefits that accrue to pensioners who retire now. When all other government employees are getting their pay and pension arrears from 1.1.2006, to deny it to the defence personnel by recommending that the MSP be paid only prospectively is discriminatory. The arrears should be paid from 1.1.2006.

7. Only macro issues have been raised which affect 4.5 million Ex-Servicemen and widows. As Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and our Grand Patron-in-Chief we appeal to you to please ensure justice for the selfless spirit and sacrifices of the veterans who have devoted prime of their lives in the service of their motherland. The nation and the government are morally bound to take care of its soldiers while they are in service and after retirement.
Brig RKS Gulia (Retd)
President
Indian Ex-Service League
Memo to President
IESL Under Construction
Related reading
Pay Commission Anomalies LET’S NOT DEMORALISE DEFENCE FORCES By Col (Dr) PK Vasudeva (Retd)

Frivolous government litigation clogs wheels of justice: Supreme Court

The goverment is the biggest litigant and in November 2009, Supreme Court came heavily against its resorting to unnecessary appeals. Though it loses almost all the cases yet the wheels of justice are clogged for decades and people suffer. One simple example will suffice.

Military officers were wrongly denied Rank Pay’ granted by the 4th Pay Commission. Officers finally got redressal from to the Hon'ble Supreme Court after 24 years. Rather than gracefully honouring the verdict, the govt has appealed for reopening of the case and cancellation of orders. It is nothing but delaying tactics and shows Govt’s callous attitude towards its military.

Is it not enough that the Officers have been made to suffer from January 1986 and in the meantime some of them have even died? Law Minister in the recently concluded All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunals, advised that that Government should go in litigation only where it is absolutely necessary. Will the bureaucrats please take the advice?
Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)
President, The All India Defence Brotherhood (Regd)
Statutory authorities should be responsible litigants
Frivolous government litigation clogs wheels of justice: Supreme Court

A Matter of Honour

Dear Brig Kamboj,
You may perhaps already have seen this article in today's ToI which is very favourably inclined towards the cause of defence services. The publication also brings out the change in mindset that is taking place.
Warm Regards,
Col SV Ramachandran (Retd)

25 Feb 2009, 0010 hrs IST, Money is not the only thing the military is fighting for by C Uday Bhaskar Times of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan, the august premises where the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces awards highly coveted medals to select members of the military, witnessed an unusual, unprecedented and ignominious scene recently. An anguished delegation of military veterans returned over 2,000 gallantry and distinguished service medals to the president to register their protest over the government's stubborn denial of the long-promised one-rank-one-pension (OROP) dispensation for retired faujis. The civil- military chasm has been increasing in recent years in India exacerbated by the UPA government wherein the honour of the Indian military has been steadily denigrated by the civilian leadership.

It is an irrefutable tenet of the democratic ethos that the military as an institution will always remain subordinate to the elected representatives, and each country has its own way of arriving at the appropriate civil-military equipoise. This evolution is particularly challenging for the post-colonial state, where the military the army in particular may have been part of the colonial experience. The Afro-Asian experience after World War II is deeply blemished and many nations have seen their armies seizing political power through coups, often abetted by external actors. Within South Asia, the historical experience of Pakistan and Myanmar is a case in point.

However, the Indian case has been an exception and due credit must be given to the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues, Sardar Patel and C Rajagopalachari, each of whom had an imposing personal stature and unassailable conviction about the idea of a free India. And this was shared by the top leadership of the Indian military. Field Marshal Cariappa, the first Indian Army chief, and his peers, were deeply imbued with the same normative nationalism and accepted civilian supremacy. Despite the humiliation of 1962, engendered by rank political ineptitude, the Indian military grew into a credible and highly professional but totally apolitical institution. Thus the tumultuous trajectory of Indian democracy was served well by the stability that the Indian military steadfastly provided.

However, the top Indian political leadership has always had a distant and formal relationship with the military and this was perhaps due to Nehru's own misplaced perception about the military as an institution. But this changed dramatically after 1962, and the role and relevance of the armed forces for an independent India in an adversarial neighbourhood was acknowledged. In the early decades after 1947, the cream of Indian youth joined the military to serve the nation, and for the honour of our flag.

Many died in the wars of 1965, 1971 and, most recently, in Kargil in 1999. They continue to fall in the ongoing war against terrorists and insurgents. On balance, the fauj, with its innate sense of 'izzat', was revered by the people but was kept at a distance by the politico- bureaucratic elite. Certain protocols and procedures were recognised, and an acceptable civil- military status quo maintained.

However, in recent months, more so after the award of the 6th Pay Commission, a series of unfortunate but totally avoidable events have led to the denigration of the armed forces as a collective. Gross disparities in the pay and allowances of the serving military in relation to the other cadres of the government were introduced that were detrimental to the soldier. When this was pointed out, the request for a review was dismissed in a cavalier manner and canards floated in Delhi that the military was resorting to trade union tactics.

More than money which is no doubt an important element the honour of the military was deliberately trampled upon, and here some degree of bureaucratic perfidy is discernible. Some redress for serving military personnel has been awarded by the government, which appointed a group of ministers headed by the indefatigable Pranab Mukherjee.

More than the status of the serving community, it is the plight of the retired military personnel that has triggered the unseemly returning of medals by the veterans. As per current pension norms, all military personnel (barring the chief, C-in-Cs and honorary commissions) receive different pensions for different ranks depending on when they retire. This, incidentally, is true for the civilians also and only those who attain the pay scale of secretaries to the government of India have the benefit of OROP.

But given the fact that military personnel retire at a very early age (beginning at 32 for sepoys and going to 54 years for most officers), harmonisation was sought and successive governments since the days of Rajiv Gandhi have promised to do so, but never delivered on the promise. Consequently many pension asymmetries prevail. For instance, a sepoy who retired before 1996 gets a pension that is 82 per cent less than a post-2006 retiree.

In yet another incident that reeks of deliberate denigration of the men in uniform, it is reported that at the traditional president's Republic Day 'At home' this year, the three service chiefs were not accorded a place with their supreme commander for the first time in living memory. In snubbing military personnel who are sworn to lay down their life for the flag and honour, it is the honour of the republic of India that is sullied. But alas, who cares?
A Matter of Honour
The writer is a Delhi-based security affairs analyst.