Welfare Measures for Ex Service Personnel at snails pace

CM honours ex-servicemen Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 22, 2011
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today reiterated his commitment to work for the welfare of ex-servicemen in Uttarakhand.

Addressing an ex-servicemen’s convention in Dehradun, Nishank said his government had taken a number of measures for the welfare of ex-servicemen. He said a one-time grant for decorated Army personnel had been increased substantially and was the highest in the country. Nishank said even pension of the Second World War veterans had been doubled by his government.

He said six new companies of the Eco Task Force had been constituted to provide employment to the ex-serivicemen. He said Uttarakhand had a large population of ex-servicemen and the government too had allotted free land for the construction of accommodations in Dehradun, Haldwani and the Kotdwar areas.

He said he had launched Antoyodaya Vikas Yatra to get first-hand information of the problems of the people. He said the Atal Khadhyan Yojana had been implemented in the state as relief to the people from rising prices.

The Chief Minister also honoured 102-year-old Dula Devi Gusain, a widow of an ex-serviceman. Another ex-serviceman widow Archana Negi, ex-servicemen Kedar Singh Bhandari and Bachchan Singh Bhandari were also honoured.

Uttarakhand Youth Welfare Board’s vice-president Subhash Barathwal, vice-chairman, Sainik Welfare, Col PD Kuriyal (retd), Capt Digambar Prasad Baloni, vice-president, Twenty Point Programme Implementation Committee, Jitendra Negi, district panchayat member Subhash Bhatt were among those present on the occasion.
CM honours ex-servicemen

Admission for wards of ex-servicemen
Published: May 24, 2011 00:00 IST | Updated: May 24, 2011 04:04 IST CHENNAI, May 24, 2011
A release from the District Collector's office said admission has been reserved for wards of ex-servicemen in B.E. (General) and B.E. (Anna University) and B.E. (Anna University) (lateral entry), besides medicine, arts and science colleges.
Wards of ex-servicemen who are registered in Chennai District may approach the office of the Director of District Ex-servicemen Welfare Assistance in Saidapet. click here

Chib hands over scooters keys to disabled ex-servicemen
Written by Newspoint Bureau Wednesday, 27 April 2011 23:12 Jammu tawi, April 27
Minister for Medical Education R S Chib today said that the government was committed to provide every help to the Rajya Sainik Welfare Board, which he observed is doing excellent job for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the state. He hoped that the Board would achieve new heights in its functioning under the capable patronage of the Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The Minister was speaking at a function, organized by Rajya Sainik Welfare Board in connection with distribution of modified scooters to disabled ex-servicemen here today. These scooters have been provided by the Kendriya Sainik Board, Ministry of Defence. Chib said the Rajya Sainik Welfare Board and Kendriya Sainik Board remain at the forefront in extending help to the ex-servicemen. He said the modified scooters provided to the disabled ex-servicemen are a part of series of the welfare measures to extend succor to the former army personnel and their families. He said the Union Government from time to time formulates welfare schemes for ex-servicemen with provisions for housing, scholarship and financial assistance to the wards and widows of army personnel. Referring to his recent meeting with Union Defence Minister, the Minister said that he took up various outstanding issues of ex-servicemen of the state with him. These included exemption of VAT on CSD item, construction of housing colonies and Sainik Bhawan in the state. He said that the Defence Minister assured early redressal of issues projected by him. Giving brief resume of the achievements of the board, Director Sainik Welfare Board Brig (Retd) R S Langeh said the Kendriya Sainik Board provided seven modified scooters for the disabled ex-servicemen of the state last year, adding 17 more such scooters would be provided to the disabled ex-servicemen shortly. Earlier, the Minister handed over keys to the disabled Ex-servicemen Puran Chand and Balak Ram. Among others, Chairman, Ex-services League Maj. Gen. (Retd) G S Jamwal, Zila Sainik Welfare Officer Lt. Col. R L Gangal, besides a number of retired army personnel were present on the occasion.click here

11 per cent Armymen are from Bihar
March 31, 2011 Patna. Army personnel have reasons to feel proud of their Bihari roots as Bihar accounts for about 11 percent of the total Army personnel strength.
Talking to TOI, Bihar Ex-Servicemen League president Col (retd) V.K. Singh said that Bihar had lost a large size of cantonment after its bifurcation from West Bengal and later due to creation of Jharkhand. While about 20,000 troops went to the Barrackpore Cantonment in West Bengal, it lost two training centres located at Ramgargh to Jharkhand. About 7,500 troops went to the Ramgargh Cantonment after creation of Jharkhand, he said, adding even the main canteen service is still located in Jharkhand.
Col (retd) Singh said that the Army from Bihar has to go to Jharkhand to purchase two or four wheelers. Besides, the League members have been paying state tax on each item of defence being transported to Danapur Cantonment from Jharkhand. He said that about 1.5 lakh personnel are in defence service from Bihar. click here

Punjab committed for the welfare of Ex-Servicemen- Capt Balbir Singh Bath
The Minister said that Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) on its part must get the Union Government to resolve the long outstanding issue of 'One Rank One Pension' and further the case of lateral absorption of Soldiers into the Para Military Forces and State police. He said that in Punjab we were in the process of recruiting 1600 Ex-servicemen for taking over the security related duties from the State Police. He said that there was also a need for the KSB to look at the various Central Schemes that benefit the ESM.
Prominent among others who were present in the meeting included Secretary Punjab Sainik Welfare Mr. Jagjit Puri, Director Punjab Sainik Welfare Brig. (Retd.) Inderjit Singh Gakhal, Secretary K.S.B Brig. Sudhir Uppal, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) V.K. Jain Director Punjab Sainik Welfare Uttar Pradesh, Brig. (Retd.) R.S. Langeh Director Punjab Sainik Welfare J&K, Brig. (Retd.) J.S. Dulal, Secretary R.S.B Haryana, G.P Capt. (Retd.) R.K. Sharma Secretary R.S.B Delhi, Lt. Col. (Retd.) R.K. Singh District Sainik Board Chandigarh (UT), Maj. (Retd) J.S Puria Deputy Director RSB Himachal Pradesh, Maj. (Retd.) B.S. Negi, Deputy Director RSB Uttrakhand. click here

Tall Promises for the Welfare of Ex Service Personnel

Union Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju on Sunday 06 feb 2011 at Tadepalligudem said pensions, resettlement and the healthcare of ex-servicemen and widows were on the top of the Defence Ministry's agenda.

Speaking at an Army Mela here, he informed that the government had streamlined the pension payment system. A software was introduced in the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) office to check errors in effecting hikes in pensions in line with the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) recommendations. Similar software would be introduced in the State Sainik Board and District Sainik Board Offices across the country, he added.

Polyclinics
Mr. Raju said the government had recently sanctioned an additional 300 polyclinics as part of the endeavour to provide better health care to the ex-servicemen. Efforts were also underway to help the ex-servicemen have an access to the corporate hospitals. Resettlement courses for the ex-servicemen were getting fine-tuned in a bid to promote skill upgradation among them. The idea was aimed at preparing the ex-servicemen, who were used to do the conventional jobs associated with the refilling stations, toll plazas on the highways and security agencies, to take up the emerging and new generation employments like software as their second career. The Minister said the Centre had decided to increase its share of funds from 50 to 75 per cent for running the State Sainik Boards in a bid to provide more focus on the welfare of ex-servicemen and widows. The State-level boards are funded by the State and Central governments in a 50:50 ratio till now.
Welfare of ex-servicemen priority of Defence Ministry

Tall promises on paper- mission blunted by bureaucrats
Welfare of Ex-Servicemen and Their Resettlement by Sangeeta Agarwal
1. Introduction
Having given the best years of their lives to the country, it becomes a national obligation to resettle and rehabilitate the ex-servicemen.
An ex-serviceman is a person who has served in any rank, whether as a combatant or as non-combatant, in the Armed Forces of the Union of India, including the Armed forces of former Indian States, but excluding the Assam Rifles, Defence Security Corps, General Reserve Engineer?ing Force, Lok Sahayak Sena and Territorial Army, for a continuous period of not less than 6 months after attes?tation and has been released, otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inef?ficiency or has been transferred to the reserve pending such release or has to serve for not more than 6 months for completing the period of service requisite for becoming entitled to be released or transferred to the reserve.
2. Administrative Responsibility and Organisation
The Central and states/UTs are jointly responsible for the resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen. The Kendriya Sainik Board, whose designation was introduced in 1951 for the earlier organization i.e. the District Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen's Board, is the apex body at the Central Government level.
At the state level, the subject of resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen is allocated to one of the ministers in the state governments and Secretary of the Department concerned oversees the work of the Rajya Sainik Board.
The welfare funds administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board are: Flag Day Fund, Armed Forces Benevolent Fund, Armed Forces Reconstruction Fund, Special Fund for Re?construction and Rehabilitation of Ex-servicemen, War Bereaved and Disabled Servicemen Special Relief Fund, India Solders', Sailors' and Airmen's Board Fund, Services Welfare Fund and Indian Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund.
3. Necessity of Resettlement Assistance
The releases from Armed Forces create a reservoir of trained manpower which can profitably be made use of in various skills; are a national asset and should be utilized as such. They should be merged in the mainstream of national life so that they continue to contribute their skills for national advantage. It is felt that any delay in resettling them will only cause dissatisfaction and frustration amongst them.
Resettlement on Land
The bulk of our Jawans come from rural areas with agricultural backgrounds. Resettlement on land, however, on a major scale is no longer feasible as land is increasingly becoming scarce. Effort is, however, made to persuade state governments to accord high priority to ex-servicemen for the allocation of surplus land.
Self-Employment
A large number of ex-servicemen have found avenues of self-employment by securing agencies of public sector undertakings in tea, fertilizers, cement, steel, salt, machine- tools, cloth, bakery products, petroleum items, photo-ma?terial, papers, transportation of scooters, milk-booths, elec?tronic goods etc.
In the field of transport, ex-servicemen are helped through provision of tractors, discarded vehicles, and bus, taxi and truck routes including allocation of national permits for transportation of goods. For those interested in starting small scale units, consultancy services are provided in preparing project reports. Assistance is given in securing finances from banks and in marketing of products.
Dissemination of Information
Dissemination of information in regard to benefits and concessions available to ex-servicemen and their families is of paramount importance. Apart from projection of resettlement and welfare activities pertaining to ex-service- men through different media of publicity, the Directorate General Resettlement, Ministry of Defense, has brought out a comprehensive guide to Resettlement of Ex-servicemen both in English and Hindi.

Comment. Very laudable goals. The welfare funds administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board are the Flag Day Fund, Armed Forces Benevolent Fund, Armed Forces Reconstruction Fund, Special Fund for Re?construction and Rehabilitation of Ex-servicemen, War Bereaved and Disabled Servicemen Special Relief Fund, India Solders', Sailors' and Airmen's Board Fund, Services Welfare Fund and Indian Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund. The utilisation of these funds are questionable and really not audited to ensure they benefit the deserving Ex Service Personnel. Only a small percent of the funds reaches the beneficiaries!

Manipulation in the 6th CPC implementation

MANIPULATION IN THE WELL INTENTIONED RECOMMENDATION OF THE 6TH CPC

The Govt approved recommendation the 6th CPC states “The fixation of pension will be subject to the provision that the revised pensions, in no case, shall be lower than fifty percent of the sum of the minimum of the pay in the pay band and grade pay thereon corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired”.

However, above provisions having been duly approved by the Union Govt, were tweaked / tinkered / modified / manipulated as under to entirely change the essence of the govt resolution “The pension calculated at 50 percent of the minimum pay in pay band plus grade pay would be calculated (i) At minimum of pay band (irrespective of the pre-revised scale of pay ) plus the grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale”.

Kindly note- The wording “Minimum of Pay in the Pay Band” has been replaced by inserting words “At minimum of Pay Band (irrespective of the pre-revised scale of pay)”

Further the word “and” has been replaced by word “plus” thereby bringing about complete change to determent of the defence services. It may be noted that “the words “sum of” and “thereon” used by the 6th CPC have been omitted and the word “and” has been replaced by word “plus”. This mischievous insertion (of plus) side tracks/de-links wording “corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired” from the grade pay and relates ONLY to the “Grade Pay” of the rank, thereby de-linking the same from the words “Pay in the Pay Band”. The entire effect of the 'well- intentioned' Government resolution has been wiped out by this unauthorised and mischievous substitution.

Defence pensioners can only be benefited from the recommendation of the 6th CPC if Minimum of pay in the pre-revised scale of pay of the rank from which such pensioners retired, is taken into account for revision of pension of pre 2006 pensioners.

Consequent to above, not only are we nowhere near to the genuine demand of OROP but even the modified parity recommended by the 6th CPC and accepted by the Government has been mischievously and maliciously denied to defence personnel due to bureaucratic intrigue.
Extracted
Above is from the Memorandum submitted by IESM in response to public inputs sought with reference to petition praying for grant of OROP to the Armed Forces Personnel.
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman, IESM.