A Correspondent in New Delhi
June 26, 2009 12:38 IST
A long-pending demand of ex-servicemen for 'one rank, one pension' may find a place in the Union Budget to be presented to Parliament on July 6.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday met the committee of secretaries that is considering the long-pending demand of ex-servicemen for parity in pension of personnel retiring in the same rank.
At the meeting, the prime minister is said to have discussed the pros and cons of granting the demand of retired armed forces personnel, popularly known as 'One Rank-One Pension' (OROP).
Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, who heads the committee, made a presentation to the prime minister based on the nearly two-month study that the committee carried out on the subject.
The Congress poll manifesto was silent on the retired armed forces personnel demanding 'one rank, one pension' that was promised by the Bharatiya Janata Party in its manifesto. The prime minister, however, constituted a committee headed by the Cabinet secretary, to consider it.
"The committee of secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary on matters related to OROP made a presentation to the prime minister today (Thursday)," a PMO release said, without elaborating.
Others present during the presentation included Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Home Minister P Chidamabaram and Minister of State (Personnel) Prithviraj Chavan.
The defence personnel's grouse has been that their issues have been customarily bogged down by IAS officers in the decision-making system and that is why they resorted to an agitation after the Sixth Pay Commission report was tabled.
After coming to power in 2004, Dr Manmohan Singh had constituted a separate department of ex-servicemen's welfare. In view of the ex-servicemen constituting a large cadre of trained and dedicated persons, the Congress manifesto promised to utilise their services extensively in the crucial nation-building tasks.
The UPA government has already committed itself to taking a decision on the subject by end of June in President Pratibha Patil's Address to the Joint Sitting of Parliament on June 4 after the first session of the 15th Lok Sabha convened.
Budget may ratify ex-servicemen's wish
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Rupees 50,000 help to ex-servicemen's wards who join NDA
Nagpur, Jun 27 : The Maharashtra Government today announced a financial assistance of Rupees 50,000 for the for the wards of former-servicemen upon their selection to the National Defence Academy (NDA).
This was among a slew of measures aimed at improving the welfare and resettlement of former-servicemen and their dependents in the state, announced by the government.
Addressing a Maharashtra-level convention of ex-servicemen and their dependents here this afternoon, Minister for Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Anees Ahmed said the government had decided to pay a pension of Rs 1,000 per month to the widows of soldiers, who died in harness between 1947 and 1995.
It had also decided to reserve five per cent of the seats in BEd courses for widows of former-servicemen to help them get jobs as teachers, he said.
The government had decided to appoint ex-servicemen in the state as Special Executive Officers (SEO's), Mr Ahmed said. Besides, the government had decided to hike the financial assistance for self-employment from Rs 17,000 at present to Rs 34,000, and that for blind former-servicemen and widows of former-servicemen from Rs 300 at present to Rs 1,000 per month, he added.
Mr Ahmed said the government was actively considering a hike in the pension for ex-servicemen and their widows, who served during World War II, from the present Rs 1,275 per month.
The Finance Department had granted approval for a hike in the cash grant for gallantry award winners from the state, which ranged at present from Rs 12,000 to Rs 1,75,000, the Minister said, adding that the proposal would soon be placed before the Cabinet for its approval.
--- UNI
Rupees 50,000 help to ex-servicemen's wards who join NDA
This was among a slew of measures aimed at improving the welfare and resettlement of former-servicemen and their dependents in the state, announced by the government.
Addressing a Maharashtra-level convention of ex-servicemen and their dependents here this afternoon, Minister for Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Anees Ahmed said the government had decided to pay a pension of Rs 1,000 per month to the widows of soldiers, who died in harness between 1947 and 1995.
It had also decided to reserve five per cent of the seats in BEd courses for widows of former-servicemen to help them get jobs as teachers, he said.
The government had decided to appoint ex-servicemen in the state as Special Executive Officers (SEO's), Mr Ahmed said. Besides, the government had decided to hike the financial assistance for self-employment from Rs 17,000 at present to Rs 34,000, and that for blind former-servicemen and widows of former-servicemen from Rs 300 at present to Rs 1,000 per month, he added.
Mr Ahmed said the government was actively considering a hike in the pension for ex-servicemen and their widows, who served during World War II, from the present Rs 1,275 per month.
The Finance Department had granted approval for a hike in the cash grant for gallantry award winners from the state, which ranged at present from Rs 12,000 to Rs 1,75,000, the Minister said, adding that the proposal would soon be placed before the Cabinet for its approval.
--- UNI
Rupees 50,000 help to ex-servicemen's wards who join NDA
IESM: Chairman's Desk
Date: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 10:14 PM
Dear Colleagues,
The wait for OROP announcement continues.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM
Dear Colleagues,
The wait for OROP announcement continues.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM
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