Military tribunal verdict brings respite for ex-servicemen
Ajay Sura, May 5, 2011, 05.09pm IST
CHANDIGARH: In an order with the potential of wide ramifications, the Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ruled that the revised pay scales and consequently pensionary benefits on the recommendations of 5th Central Pay Commission to the Persons Below Officers Rank (PBOR) should be applicable with effect from January 1, 1996 instead of October 10, 997. While setting a deadline of three months to comply these orders, the military tribunal has also held that if the ministry of defence (MOD) failed to follow these orders, it would be liable to deposit Rs 10,000 to the tribunal as penalty.
With these orders thousands of soldiers who retired from January 1, 1996 to October 10, 1997 would be eligible for higher pay and pensionery benefits as per the recommendations of Ajit Kumar committee of the central 5th Pay Commission. The committee had revised the pay and pensioner benefits of Persons Below Officers Rank (PBOR) of Army, Navy and Air Force by removing anomalies.
Bench comprising its judicial member, Justice NP Gupta and administrative member, Lt Gen NS Brar of the AFT of has passed these orders while allowing various petitions filed by the ex-servicemen, Adarsh Pal and others. The petitioners were hailing from various districts of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
All the petitioners had retired from January 1, 1996 to October 9, 1997 were receiving lesser pension than those who retired on or after October 10, 997 because the Ajit Kumar committee recommendations were made applicable with effect from October 10, 1997 onwards. The grouse of the petitioners was that the cut off date of October 10, 1997 was not only illegal but arbitrary also as there is no objective and rationality of this cut off date to be achieved. Arguing before the bench, counsel for the petitioner, RC Chatrath contended that said cut off date has no nexus and objective to be achieved and also in view of the fact that the anomaly should be removed from the date it arose rather than subsequent date.
Accepting the contentions, the AFT, for the first time has also made a provision of penalty of Rs 10,000 in its orders, in case of non-compliance of its orders.
Military tribunal verdict brings respite for Ex Servicemen
Comment: The term PBOR is derogatory in nature. MOD drops term PBOR- click here
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Ex-servicemen to help curb power theft
Vivek Narayanan, TNN, Jun 3, 2011, 12.04am IST
CHENNAI: They guarded the borders during their tenure in the army. Soon ex-servicemen will be lending a helping hand to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to crack down on power theft in the state.
This is part of the new government's initiative to bring down electricity theft in the state which forms a major component of the state's transmission and distribution losses that take away 18% of all power generation. "If power theft is reduced, crores of rupees can be saved. The board's financial situation will improve to a great extent," said a source.
During the financial year 2009-2010, the TNEB's enforcement wing detected 6,230 cases of theft. Next year, that number increased by 5%. "We have been seeing more and more incidents of theft. We need to crack down on at the earliest," said a senior TNEB official.
Though the TNEB's enforcement wing nabs such offenders quite often, they are helpless while confronting unruly elements. The staff are not trained to handle rough situations. Hence, the power ministry has decided to take the help of the ex-servicemen. "They are well trained and not afraid of confronting people who sometimes use physical violence on officers," said the TNEB source.
There are over a lakh ex-servicemen in the state and the TNEB's vigilance and enforcement wing needs atleast 250 of them to help crack down on power pilferage across the state. The former soldiers will gather information about electricity theft and accompany the TNEB officials to the site and nab the pilferer. As the job involves physical strain, the TNEB is looking out for candidates between the age of 40 to 50 years.
Captain M David, incharge of Tamil Nadu ex-servicemen helpline in Fort St George, said former army personnel will only be too happy to help. "Most of them serve as sentries in front of houses or offices. This has brought their morale down. But such a task will motivate them," said David.
According to TNEB officials, the most rampant type of power theft now is misuse of electricity connection. "The consumer takes a domestic connection, but uses it to run a small business. Such pilferage is on the rise in Chennai and other districts. But we are cracking down heavily on such people, too," said the official.
Ex-servicemen to help curb power theft
CHENNAI: They guarded the borders during their tenure in the army. Soon ex-servicemen will be lending a helping hand to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to crack down on power theft in the state.
This is part of the new government's initiative to bring down electricity theft in the state which forms a major component of the state's transmission and distribution losses that take away 18% of all power generation. "If power theft is reduced, crores of rupees can be saved. The board's financial situation will improve to a great extent," said a source.
During the financial year 2009-2010, the TNEB's enforcement wing detected 6,230 cases of theft. Next year, that number increased by 5%. "We have been seeing more and more incidents of theft. We need to crack down on at the earliest," said a senior TNEB official.
Though the TNEB's enforcement wing nabs such offenders quite often, they are helpless while confronting unruly elements. The staff are not trained to handle rough situations. Hence, the power ministry has decided to take the help of the ex-servicemen. "They are well trained and not afraid of confronting people who sometimes use physical violence on officers," said the TNEB source.
There are over a lakh ex-servicemen in the state and the TNEB's vigilance and enforcement wing needs atleast 250 of them to help crack down on power pilferage across the state. The former soldiers will gather information about electricity theft and accompany the TNEB officials to the site and nab the pilferer. As the job involves physical strain, the TNEB is looking out for candidates between the age of 40 to 50 years.
Captain M David, incharge of Tamil Nadu ex-servicemen helpline in Fort St George, said former army personnel will only be too happy to help. "Most of them serve as sentries in front of houses or offices. This has brought their morale down. But such a task will motivate them," said David.
According to TNEB officials, the most rampant type of power theft now is misuse of electricity connection. "The consumer takes a domestic connection, but uses it to run a small business. Such pilferage is on the rise in Chennai and other districts. But we are cracking down heavily on such people, too," said the official.
Ex-servicemen to help curb power theft
Civil Society of India wages war on corruption
INDIAN YOGA GURU ANTI-CORRUPTION HUNGER STRIKE 02 Jan 2011
Only a month or so after prominent Indian activist Anna Hazare went on a hunger strike to protest against the lack of anti-corruption measures put in place by the ruling Congress Party, India's most famous yoga guru, Swami Ramdev (pictured here) is threatening to start a hunger strike on Saturday in Delhi for the same reasons.
While Swami Ramdev insists that his protest is apolitical, various BJP commentators say that it is Congress that will suffer if holders of black money are made public, offering a political explanation as to why many prominent Congress politicians have pleaded with Swami Ramdev not to carry out his plans.
The now-famous Indian anti-corruption activist and former police officer Kiran Bedi was quoted as saying that "You will never have this kind of mass movement for the wrong reasons".
For the original article from International Business Times, please click here.
Please note that the photo of Swami Ramdev comes from Breaking news online, here.
Courtesy: Civil Society Against Corruption
War against corruption
A recent series of big-ticket corruption scandals in India ranging from the Delhi Commonwealth Games to the 2G telecom scam have plagued and electrified the nation, triggering massive public outrage. Earlier this month 71-year old social activist Anna Hazare held a four-day fast to pressure the Indian government to form a committee of politicians and social activists to finally come up with an effective anti-corruption bill.
For the link to the article, which includes the 25-minute Video with Ms Bedi and Prof Bhagwati, please click here.
Related Reading: The Swindlers List
Tehelka reveals name of 15 Indians with black money in Swiss banks- Indian Black Money
Only a month or so after prominent Indian activist Anna Hazare went on a hunger strike to protest against the lack of anti-corruption measures put in place by the ruling Congress Party, India's most famous yoga guru, Swami Ramdev (pictured here) is threatening to start a hunger strike on Saturday in Delhi for the same reasons.While Swami Ramdev insists that his protest is apolitical, various BJP commentators say that it is Congress that will suffer if holders of black money are made public, offering a political explanation as to why many prominent Congress politicians have pleaded with Swami Ramdev not to carry out his plans.
The now-famous Indian anti-corruption activist and former police officer Kiran Bedi was quoted as saying that "You will never have this kind of mass movement for the wrong reasons".
For the original article from International Business Times, please click here.
Please note that the photo of Swami Ramdev comes from Breaking news online, here.
Courtesy: Civil Society Against Corruption
War against corruption
A recent series of big-ticket corruption scandals in India ranging from the Delhi Commonwealth Games to the 2G telecom scam have plagued and electrified the nation, triggering massive public outrage. Earlier this month 71-year old social activist Anna Hazare held a four-day fast to pressure the Indian government to form a committee of politicians and social activists to finally come up with an effective anti-corruption bill.
For the link to the article, which includes the 25-minute Video with Ms Bedi and Prof Bhagwati, please click here.
Related Reading: The Swindlers List
Tehelka reveals name of 15 Indians with black money in Swiss banks- Indian Black Money
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