Meeting of ESSAA (Maharashra Branch): Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS (Retd.)

Dear Veterans, Regards.
Find below the Venue of meeting of ESSAA (Maharashra Branch) being held on 30th January, 2011 at 10 a.m. as conveyed by Veteran Balbir Singh President of ESSAA (Maharashtra Branch).

Venue:-
Nalanda Baudh Vihar
(It is in the Corner of Proposed College Ground)
Opp to Mahalaxmi Mall, Sec 11,
Kamothe, Navi Mumbai- 410205
9702020412, 9869328402

Fixed medical allowance increased to Rs.300/- P.M. for Veterans and Widows drawing fixed medical allowance.: Vet. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS (Retd.)

Dear Veterans, Regards,
There is a good news for veterans and widows (who are drawing fixed medical allowance) that the same has been increased to Rs.300/- P.M. The message has been received today from the office of Secretary, Ex-Servicemen Welfare, New Delhi, that the letter has been issued by Ministry of Defence on 12th January, 2011.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS (Retd.)
President.
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors & Airmen Association.
Mob. 098554-09128, Tele-fax. 0175-5000896.

Meeting notice of Maharashtra Unit of Ex-Soliders,Sailors & Airmen Association.: Vet. PJS Chhatwal PLS (Retd.).:

Dear Veterans, Regards.
Meeting of Maharshtra Unit of Ex-Soliders, Sailors & Airmen Association is scheduled to be held on 30th January, 2011 (Sunday) at 10.00 a.m. in Mansrover (Kamothe), Navi Mumbai. Exact venue will be intimated in due course. All the Veterans and Widows are requested to attend the same.
Contact:097020 20412 & 098693 28402.
Veteran Balbir Singh.
President ESSAA, Maharashtra Unit.

Press Confrence by Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association at Patiala on 26-06-2010 at 11:45 AM

Dear Veterans,
Regards.
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.), in collaboration with Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh, will hold a wide ranging Press Conference at Patiala on 26th June, 2010 at 11:45 AM to highlight the anomalies in circular no. 430 dated 10-03-2010 in which certain junior ranks have been authorized more pension than the senior ranks, to seek its implementation w.e.f. 01-01-1996 and its applicability to widow and reservist also. Association will seek a minimum pension of Rs. 4600/- in place of Rs. 3500/-. Association will also demand the removal of condition of ten months pay for fixation of pension and grant of pension to Hony. Naib Sub. equal to a regular Naib Sub. which the govt. has already agreed in principal. A large no. of News Paper correspondents and representative of T.V. channels are likely to attend the press conference.

Veteran Malkiat Singh
Gen. Secretary
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association

Election of Haryana State Unit of Ex Soldiers, Sailors & Airmen Association : Veteran Malkiat Singh Gen Secy. ESSAA

Election of Haryana State Unit of
Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association

In a largely attended meeting of ex-servicemen at Krukshetra,
the following veterans have been,unanimously, elected to form
ad-hoc Haryana State Unit of a national level body of
veterans known as EX SOLDIERS,SAILORS & AIRMEN
ASSOCIATION ( Regd.).
The association is composed of veterans of the rank of
Hony. Offrs. and below. Meeting was presided by
National President of the body of veterans i.e.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal who, specially, travelled
to Krukshetra along with veteran Bhupinder Singh Sohi and
veteran Darshan Singh Anand for this purpose.

President :Veteran Balinder Singh Mob. 94162 91969.
Vice President : Veteran Devinder Singh Mob. 90507 68433.
Gen. Secy. : Veteran Ved Rattan Arya Mob. 94672 74747.
Secy. Finance : Veteran Kavinder Singh Mob. 99929 02300.

Veteran Malkiat Singh Gen Secy.
Ex Soldiers, Sailors & Airmen Association.

Meeting of ex-servicemen and widows:Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Meeting of ex-servicemen and widows.

Dear Veterans ( Living in Mumbai and adjoining area),
Regards. Next meeting of Mumbai State Unit of Ex Soldiers,
Sailors and Airmen Association is scheduled to be held on
21 March, 2010 ( Sunday ) at 10.00 a.m.

Venue of meeting.
Maruti Tower,Plot No.11,Sec-05,Kamothe,Navi Mumbai ,
Near Venkat Presidency Hotel.All the veterans are requested
to attend the same to know Improved Pension Rates and
other benefits.
Contact No. 9869328402, 9920018982, 9702020412.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
National President,
Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association.
Mob.98554-09128,tele-fax 0175-5000896.

MoD clears pending pension orders -Tribune News :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans, Your wait is over.
Finally, MoD has issued the
notification on 8-3-2010. It will
soon reach all of you through net.

Veterans may please note that all this delay was due to
the fact that some of our own (R) own veterans, still having
a sway in MoD.,have been trying to get this delayed so that
JCOs. and below should carry on looking forward to them
for every thing and follow them like MAI BAPP as they did
during active service.
Now those veterans are oppsing the move of Govt. to
abolish the Tradition of Deployment of Sahayak with
officers in Army.
We,all, have to stand,firmly, against them and support
the Govt. in getting this tradition abolished.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal
PLS Retd.
President,
Ex Soldiers,Sailors andAirmen
Association( Regd.)

MoD clears pending pension orders:
Ajay BanerjeeTribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10.Just five days after Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh promised in Lok Sabha to address the

issue of pensions for ex-servicemen, the Ministry of

Defence today circulated instructions to implement two

pending matters.
This would increase the pensions of jawans and also

bring the much-awaited parity between persons who

were getting lesser pension than their juniors.
The Ministry has issued orders to bring about parity

between persons who retired before October 10, 1997,

and those who retired after that date. This will be

applicable to all persons below other ranks (PBORS)

of the Army, Air Force and the Navy.
About 12 lakh retired jawans, airmen and sailors, who

form the core of Defence Minister AK Antony’s long-term

welfare measures, will be benefited.
The second part of the latest instructions is to improve

the pensions as per the award of the Group of Ministers

in 2006. This mean the award has been accepted and orders

issued in this regard.
It may be mentioned that these two issues were pending

since last year’s Lok Sabha polls, and even ended up

creating a minor controversy. Media reports were then

published quoting unidentified sources that the same

had been cleared, even as the five-phase polling process

was on.
The Election Commission had sought a clarification and

the Ministry had to clarify that the said media reports

were false.
Sources in the Ministry of Defence today explained that a

Committee under the chairmanship of the Cabinet

Secretary has considered the demands of the ex-servicemen

and made seven recommendations. Five of these had been

cleared and two were pending.
The other five points cleared by the Cabinet Secretary

and implemented by the MoD were:

1.Inclusion of Classification Allowance for PBOR from 1.1.2006;

2.Removal of linkage of full pension with 33 years from 1.1.2006;

3.Revision of Lt Generals’ pension after carving out a separate

pay scale for them;

4.Broad banding percentage of disability/war injury pensions

for pre 1.1.2006 disability/war injury pensioners.

5.Removal of cap on war injury element of pension in the case

of disabled pensioners.
All these moves will collectively cost Rs 2,200 crore to the

exchequer annually.
Implementation of these orders will not only significantly

reduce the gap between the past and the current pensioners

but will also considerably improve the pension of

ex-servicemen, including disabled ex-servicemen. Last week,

the Prime Minister and BJP veteran LK Advani had an

exchange of sharp words over the matter. Advani has

accused the government of going back on its words of

helping the ex-servicemen in and implementing ‘one rank

one pension”.

Orders issued for pensionary benefits to ex-servicemen-ZEE News Com :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,
Find below a news item from ZEE News Com. With this it
is duly confirmed that the orders for Modified Parity in
Pension for JCOs. and below have been issued on
8-3-2010 by MoD.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Orders issued for pensionary
benefits to ex-servicemen

New Delhi: In a move that will bring relief to over 12 lakh
ex-servicemen, the Defence Ministry has issued orders to
implement pending pensionary benefits to them involving
an annual expenditure of about Rs 2,200 crore. The
decision followed recommendations by a high-level
committee and recent assurance in this regard in the Lok
Sabha by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

With these orders, the ministry has implemented all the
seven recommendations of committee headed by Cabinet
Secretary K M Chandrasekhar on pensions, which would
now be close to the 'One Rank-One Pension' demand of
ex-servicemen, senior ministry officials said today.

"The Defence Ministry issued the orders on March 8
this year to implement the remaining two of the seven
suggestions of the Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar-
headed committee on 'One Rank-One Pension' demand,"
they said. The two recommendations for which the orders
were issued were bringing parity between pension of
pre- and post-October 10, 1999, personnel below officer
rank, and further improving their pensions based on award
of Group of Ministers in 2006. "With this order, the
pensionary benefits of officers and jawans comes to near
'One Rank-One Pension' (OROP) benefits sought by the
ex-servicemen," they added.
To queries on the order, Defence Ministry spokesperson
Sitanshu Kar saidimplementation of the orders would
not only significantly reduce the gap between the past
and current pensioners,but would also considerably
improve the pension of ex-servicemen including
disabled pensioners. "
It will benefit 12 lakh ex-servicemen at a cost of Rs 2,200
crore approximately annually," Kar added.Singh had
told the Lok Sabha on March 5, in reply to BJP leader
L K Advani's contention that OROP was not implemented,
that five of the seven recommendations of the
Chandrasekhar Committee were implemented and the
remaining two would be fulfilled soon. Among the other
recommendations already implemented were inclusion
of classification allowance for personnel below officer
rank from January 1, 2006 and removal of linkage of full
pension with 33 years from January 1, 2006 (the day Sixth
Pay Commission came into retrospective effect.The
government had also implemented revision of pension
for Lieutenant Generals after carving out a separate pay
scale for them; broad banding percentage of disability and
war injury pensions for pre-January 1, 2006, pensioners;
and removal of cap on war injury element of pension in the
case of disabled pensioners. Ex-servicemen organisations
had held protest marches all over the country last year to
press for the acceptance of their OROP demand by the
government and had also returned their service and gallantry
medals to President Pratibha Patil in protest over the delay
in its implementation. With these orders, the ministry has
implemented all the seven recommendations of committee
headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar on pensions,
which would now be close to the 'One Rank-One Pension'
demand of ex-servicemen, senior ministry officials said
today.
"The Defence Ministry issued the orders on March 8
this year to implement the remaining two of the seven
suggestions of the Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar-
headed committee on 'One Rank-One Pension' demand,
" they said. The two recommendations for which the
orders were issued were bringing parity between pension
of pre- and post-October 10, 1999, personnel below officer
rank, and further improving their pensions based on award
of Group of Ministers in 2006. "With this order, the
pensionary benefits of officers and jawans comes to near
'One Rank-One Pension' (OROP) benefits sought by the
ex-servicemen," they added. To queries on the order,
Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said
implementation of the orders would not only significantly
reduce the gap between the past and current pensioners,
but would also considerably improve the pension of
ex-servicemen including disabled pensioners. "It will benefit
12 lakh ex-servicemen at a cost of Rs 2,200 crore
approximately annually," Kar added.Singh had told the Lok
Sabha on March 5, in reply to BJP leader L K Advani's
contention that OROP was not implemented, that five of
the seven recommendations of the Chandrasekhar
Committee were implemented and the remaining two
would be fulfilled soon. Among the other recommendations
already implemented were inclusion of classification
allowance for personnel below officer rank from January 1,
2006 and removal of linkage of full pension with 33 years
from January 1, 2006 (the day Sixth Pay Commission came
into retrospective effect). The government had also
implemented revision of pension for Lieutenant Generals
after carving out a separate pay scale for them; broad
banding percentage of disability and war injury pensions
for pre-January 1, 2006, pensioners; and removal of cap
on war
injury element of pension in the case of disabled
pensioners. Ex-servicemen organisations had held protest
marches all over the country last year to press for the
acceptance of their OROP demand by the government and
had also returned their service and gallantry medals to
President Pratibha Patil in protest over the delay in its
implementation. After the committee submitted its
recommendation early last year, Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee had announced in his budget speech on July 6,
2009, that the government had accepted the suggestions
and would implement it soon.

How Big Brothers are conducting themselves with VETERANS ( JCOs and below ) Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,
To give a soothing touch to agitated feelings of
veterans, specially, JCOs and below, the govt. of India was
kind enough to constitute a committee of Secretaries which
gave its report emphasizing on the following seven points :
1. Inclusion of Classification Allowance for PBOR w.e.f.
Jan 01,2006.
2. Removal of linkage of full pension with 33 years w.e.f.
Jan 01,2006
3. Revision of Pension of Lt. Gen. after carving out a
separate pay scale for them.
4.Broadbanding of percentage of disability/war injury
pension for Pre-01-01-2006 disability/ war injury
pensioners.
5.Removal of cap on war injury element of pension in the
case of disabled pensioners belonging to Category ‘E’
6.Bringing parity between pension of Pre and Post
10-10-1997 PBORs.
7.Further improving the pension of PBORs based on
award of GOM,2006.
lAST TWO POINTS ARE NOT YET NOTIFIED AND THEY
ARE TOTALLY RELATED TO JCOs and below.
As on today, govt. has issued orders for the first five
points, out of which only first point relates, specifically,
to the PBOR and whereas remaining four points relate
to PBORs and Officers both. Because of pay scales and
allowances, offrs. stood to gain more than the PBORs as
a result of all these four points. Hence, there is no hue
and cry on implementation of CoS report from the officers
but when the Govt. announced the Modified parity in
pension for JCOs and below at the time of last budget and
there after, officers opposed it tooth and nail to compel
the govt. to delay the issuance of the orders of Modified
Parity in Pension for PBORs and started harping on
OROP which is a remote possibility. This modified parity
in pension has, already, been given to the officers way
back in year 1998. As such, why the PBORs should not
appeal to the govt. not to implement the latest orders
regarding the improved Pension for Lt. Gen., specially,
because they have been harping on OROP only . Let them
wait for OROP. On the other hand, the Govt. should
immediately issue the orders for Modified Parity in
pension for PBORs lest it may lead to catastrophic stage.
The govt. should have implemented this report in one go
and not in peace meal. This is causing much frustration
among the JCOs and below.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President,
Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association. (Regd.)

AN APPEAL AND A REQUEST TO VETERANS

AN APPEAL AND A REQUEST TO
VETERANS
Dear veterans,
Regards. Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (ESSAA),
is not an Association which has been formed under ordinary
circumstances. It has come up as a result of gross injustice
done to veterans of the rank of Sub. Maj. and below by 6th
Central Pay Commission and at the same time, most un-caring
attitude exhibited by the serving Chiefs as well as retired
Senior officers still holding their sway in the bureaucratic
set up of the govt. towards those who serve or served under
them.
1. Where as the Pay commission has dumped the soldiers,
up to the rank of Hav. and below, in Pay Band PB-1(along with
Class IV) and JCOs in Pay Band PB-II (along with certain
Class III employees of Centre Govt.) without paying slightest
attention to the fact that Hav. and Nk. are Senior and Junior
Non-Commissioned Officers and JCOs. are Junior
Commissioned Officers, no serving Chief as well as Senior
Retd. Officer came to their rescue when certain organizations
of veterans in Punjab raised the demand of placing soldiers of t
he rank of Hav. in Pay Band PB-II and Sub. Maj. in Pay Band
PB-III as if Pay Band PB-III is reserved for Commissioned
Officers only. At the same time when the demand of placing
Lt. Col. in Pay Band PB-IV surfaced, serving Chiefs as well
as the Senior Retd. Officers rallied around this demand and
supported it till the same was agreed to by the Govt.
2. ESSAA was born out of the frustration caused among the
veterans as a result of this discriminatory attitude of the
officers, both serving as well as retired, towards them.
3. An Appeal and a Request.
a. As per rules, money received by way of Life Membership
Fees, will be invested as ‘Fixed Deposit’ in the Bank. Only the
Annual Membership Fee and interest that will accrue on this
‘Fixed Deposit’ will be utilized for funding various expenditure
& activities of ESSAA, viz. organizing Meetings of members,
Press Conferences and veteran’s Rallies etc. Since the amount
that accrues as interest will be very less and will not suffice to
fund ESSAA activities, this appeal is being made to veterans to
join ESSAA in large no. and donate as much as your pocket
allows for this good cause. Though a few of our Veterans have
been very kind & gracious enough to to donate money to ESSAA
for its activitie, not much is available in our kitty to carry on
our work. Smoothly.
b. Money is always required to fund every movement & ESSAA
is no exception.. Money to sustain ESSAA will have to come from
Veterans (Hony. Offrs and below) themselves. Senior veterans
will spend the money and energy to hamper your efforts as one
Maj. has gone to Court with a plea that he gets less pension than
a Sub. Maj. is drawing more pension than him in his neighborhood.
c The ESSAA is committed to fight for the rights of Veterans
(HONY. OFFRs and below).Our foremost demand is that Govt.
should grant enough pension to enable us to live honorably and
grant the Modified Parity in Pension at the earliest and
subsequently change the Pay Band for Hav.and Sub. Major.
d. Our next demand is grant of two pensions to the widow whose
husband drew two pensions during his life time.
e. We further demand guaranteed employment up to the age 60
years like civilian employees.
To fight for such demands of veterans (Hony. Offrs. and below,
this organization has been formed under the able guidance of
one of the most experienced and able veteran, S. Prabhjot Singh
Chhatwal PLS Retd. which has now spread to whole of India
and many state units have come up. As such, we appeal to you
all to join the organization in large number to achieve your aim
Vet. B.S. Sohi Vet. S.C.Sharma Vet. Malkit Singh
IAF IND. NAVY IND. ARMY
Vice President Gen. Secy Asst Secy.
Vet. M.S.Anand
IAF
Finance Secy.

Punjab Chief Minister orders to examine cases of land allotment- Tribune News Service:Vet.Prabhjot Singh PLS Retd.

Chandigarh January 10:Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh
Badal today ordered to examine entire cases of land allotment
to the gallantry award winners, following the alleged cases of
discrimination in such allotments to the awardees by the
revenue authorities.
The Chief Minister here gave an assurance to this effect in a
meeting to delegation of the War Decorated India led by its
President Brigadier (retd), MVC and Bar, Sant Singh.
The delegation informed the Chief Minister that the state
government entitled PVC winner to 15 acres of land, MVC
winner to 10 acres and a Vir Chakra winner to 5 acres. In
case of non-availability of land, inadequate cash grants
have been fixed. In some cases, the district revenue
authorities wrongly intimated to an award winner that
land was not available and asked him to take the cash
grant, whereas the land was actually available and has
still been available.
A few awardees accepted the cash grant on wrong advice
of the revenue authorities. The delegation asked Badal
to order the grant of land by taking the cash grant back
after seeking a detailed report on the issue. The
delegation also urged Badal to remove an anomaly to
consider the Vir Chakra awardee senior to a Miltary
Cross, whereas the state government was paying an
allowance of Rs 7,500 per month to a MC winner and
Rs 5,500 per month to a Vir Chakra.
The delegation also demanded to incorporate a
provision in the Punjab Tenancy Act, which existed
in the erstwhile PEPSU’s Tenancy Act, and had
exempted lands owned by them from the said Act, but
there was no such provision in the existing Punjab
Tenancy Act.
Further, the delegation urged the CM to incorporate
such a provision in the Punjab Act preferably for all
armed forces personnel (both serving and retired).
But in case it was not possible, it may be done for the
gallantry award winners and their widows. The Chief
Minster assured the delegation that all the issues raised
by them would be examined by the Department of
Defence Services Welfare in a time bound manner.
He also assured the delegation to look into their
demand to exempt the real estate, both residential and
commercial, owned by gallantry award winners in
particular and armed forces personnel in general from
the Punjab Rent Control Act. The Chief Minister accepted
the invitation extended by them to preside over the
triennial function of the War Decorated of India being
held at Chandigarh on March 6, 2010.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Modified Parity in Pension for Pre-2006 veterans (JCOs.and below) : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,
Regards. It is informed in response to many enquiries
by our veterans that the orders for Modified Parity in
Pension for Pre-2006 veterans (JCOs. and below) are
in final stages but not (R) not yet issued.Veterans will
get the information about the orders as and when these
are issued.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
Mob.098554-09128,Tele-Fax 0175-5000896.

An organisation,exclusively,for JCOs and below has been registered with Registrar of Firms and Societies: Vet.PJS Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans
Regards.You will be glad to know that a new organisation, which we have been discussing in past few months, has, finally,been registered with Registrar of Firms and Societies on 7th day of January,2010 and blog on this name has been created.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
Mob.98554-09128,Tele-Fax 0175-5000896