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.

Reply to Maj.Gen.Satbir Singh ( Retd.) : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,

Find below the news got published by IESM in Today's Tribune and our reply given Maj.Gen Satbir Singh Retd.

Veteran Prabhjot singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Ex-servicemen to deposit medals with President .

Rajay Deep.Tribune News Service
Bathinda, March 7The recent statement of the Prime Minister in Parliament that recommendations regarding enhancement in pensions of jawans and JCOs have been implemented has created a flutter among members of the Indian Ex-servicemen (ESM) Movement.
Taking a strong exception to the statement, the vice-chairman of the ESM, Major General Satbir Singh (retd), said the reason as to why the PM made this “wrong” statement was beyond comprehension.
In an exclusive interaction with The Tribune here today, he said the way the PM brushed aside the issue of pensions of defence personnel by stating that the enhancement recommended by the committee had been implemented revealed that either the staff at his office had not correctly briefed him or the government itself was “indifferent” to their genuine entitlements.
“It is emphatically reiterated that the enhancement of pensions of jawans and JCOs as announced by the government in Parliament on July 6, 2009, and again announced by the Prime Minister on August 15, 2009, from the ramparts of the Red Fort for which Rs 2,140 had been earmarked to benefit 12 lakh ex-servicemen jawans and JCOs has not at all been implemented,” claimed Satbir Singh.
Accusing the system of damaging the morale of the ex-servicemen, he said, “It is a sad reflection of the government’s attitude that 22,000 prestigious medals have been returned to the President by ex-servicemen on six different occasions to express their anguish. Still, the government continues to ignore their main demand of one-rank-one pension.”
“Witnessing the callous attitude of the government towards our problem, we are going to intensify the protest. Ex-servicemen from all states will deposit their medals with the President for the seventh time on March 14 along with a memorandum signed in blood to express deep anguish over the apathy of the government,” said Satbir Singh.
“This is not the only pain. The President is not even granting audience to a delegation of the movement, who have been leading the protest to secure justice for defence personnel,” he alleged.

Dear Veteran (General ) Satbir Singh ji,
Regards. We thank you for the efforts you are making to highlight the discrepancies ( relating to JCOs. and below) in implementing the recommendation of CoS report through Hon,ble BJP leader , Sh. L. K. Advani who has been kind enough to make OROP a hot topic in the highest forum of the country,though belated,as he took no notice of the same issue when he was sitting on treasury benches. At the same time, your own body i.e. IESM has also ignored and opposed announcement of Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs. and below. Still it is never too late and we are thankful to you for the same.
Now I would request you to be kind enough to use your good offices to advise your organization not to opposite the recommendation of Parliamentary Standing Committee in respect of deploying Sahayaks in Army which has created much heartburn among the soldiers during the last six decades of Independence.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
President,
Ex Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd.)
Mob.098554-09128, Tele-fax 0175-5000896.

Veterans (JCOs. and below ) now, certainly, have a reason to rejoice : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear veterans,
Find below the reply given by Hon,ble Prime Minister to the
BJP leader Sh L.K. Advani in response to his remarks on
ONE RANK ONE PENSION. It is neddless to mention here
that the delay in releasing the notification in respect of
Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs and below, in the
concerned deptt., was certainly at the behest of some big
brothers , still having their sway in MoD. They never
supported this clause of CoS report for self interests as
they were not included in this knowing well that they
have already got the benefit of improved Pension
( 10-10-1997 ) back in year 1998.

Now the Prime Minister has cleared every doubt about
Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs and below

Veterans may, please, note that those big brothers are
now opposing the abolution of Sahayiks in Army which
the Govt. has decided to implement on the advice of
Stress Management Committee.

Manmohan gives it back to Advani.
Aditi TandonTribune News Service
New Delhi, March 5.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today
gave it back to BJP leader LK Advani who had, day before
yesterday, accused the UPA of failing on various counts,
including the foreign policy front.
Today, it was Manmohan Singh’s turn to counter attack,
and he did so well, mentioning Advani four times in his
long speech. The first reference to the BJP leader came in
context of farmers’ suicides. While Advani had accused
the government of putting money into the hands of banks
instead of farmers’ in the name of debt waiver, the PM
rejected the argument, saying the UPA had been very
sensitive to the issue and had done everything possible to
solve the agrarian crisis.
“It had been said that the loan waiver scheme has not
helped farmers and it helped only banks. Nothing can be
farther from the truth. It is surprising that we forget that
nearly Rs 70,000 crore that was recoverable from farmers
was not recovered,” he said.

The PM further countered Advani on the latter’s
accusation that the UPA had not implemented
one-rank, one-pension scheme. The committee
formed for the purpose never recommended one
rank one pension. It asked to enhance the
pensionary benefits of personnel below officer rank
and commissioned officers. This was accepted,” said
the PM, adding that out of the seven recommendations
of the committee, five have been implemented and
two will,soon, be implemented.

The most important clarifications the PM gave to Advani
today pertained to the latter’s demand to recall India’s
black money stored in foreign banks and the accusation
that the government was acting under US pressure.
On the black money front, the PM said 20 countries and
jurisdictions had been prioritised for entering into
agreements regarding exchange of information and
assistance in collection of taxes.

An Appeal for showing Gratitude to Sh. L.K.Advani - Brig. Harwant Singh( Retd.) :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,

Find below an appeal made by brig. Harwant Singh (Retd ) and my comment regarding this .The appeal is posted on IESM blog.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

An Appeal for showing Gratitude to Sh. LK ADVANI

Dear Friends , Please refer to my mail below.It is the FIRST time that any person of stature has raised a voice in our favour , in the Parliament about OROP . It is incumbent on all of us to show'Gratitude' to him .In view of the foregoing , it is requested that all of us , our friends and acquaintances MUST send him amessage of thanks , organisationally and individually .

E Mail ID of Mr Advani is -advanilk@sansad.nic.in .

When lakhs of such mails go to him , the Govt WILL take note of them . These will also further motivate him tocontinue to take up our ''CAUSE'' in future also . The suitable messages MUST be sent 'SEPARATELY' and my mail MUST NOT be forwarded as such. You are KINDLYrequested to approach as many friends , foes and acquaintances to send e-mails of gratitude to Mr Advani , immediately .Submitted for your kind INDULGENCE please.

With Warm Regards,

Yours' Sincerely,Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)

54, Phase-7, MOHALI.(Pb) 91+98144 32554

Posted by Indian ExServicemen Movement at 12:42 AM

1 comments:Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal said...Dear Veteran (Brig.)Regards. Your statement,referring Hon,ble BJP leader Sh. L. K. Advani,is absolutely correctand he, certainly, becomes the first person of stature to dwell on most important topic of OROP in the house but being a humble veteran ,I would like you to clear some ofmy doubts before I, like other veterans, indulge in showering my gratitude to him for taking up this cause of veterans in the house .

1.Does the term OROP referred to by the hon’ble member denote the same meaning as OROP demanded by IESM or it denotes the OROP as proposed in CoS report,accepted by the govt. i.e. Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs.and below?

2.Has IESM ever supported or demanded Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs. and below which the govt. proposes to give to Veterans (JCOs. and below)?

3.Is it not true that IESM, in fact, has been, vehemently opposing this proposal of Modified Parity in Pension for JCOs.and below?

Please clarify and oblige.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

President,

Ex Soldiers,Sailors and Airmen Association.

Mob.098554-09128,Tele Fax 0175-5000896

Abolish sahayak system: House panel to Army :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Abolish sahayak system: House panel to Army-
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 4.A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence today asked the Indian Army to abolish the “colonial” practice of employing jawans as sahayaks of officers. It also expressed "strong displeasure" over the Defence Ministry's procedure to assess the exact level of indigenisation achieved by its production agencies to manufacture equipment.
On sahayaks, the committee asked the Army to abolish the "demeaning and humiliating" system. In an action taken report tabled in both the Houses of the Parliament, the committee said it was unable to comprehend why it was necessary to continue with the sahayak system that "lowers the self-esteem of a jawan" when the Navy and Air force have abandoned it.
Several jawans were engaged at the residence of senior officers for domestic work and to serve the family members of officers. In reply, to the committee's suggestion, the Defence Ministry had said a sahayak was "a comrade-in-arms" to officers.
The Army has issued instructions to its units to ensure that combatant soldiers were under no circumstances be employed on a job not in conformity with the dignity and self-respect of a soldier.

3.98 per cent hike in defence outlay :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

3.98 per cent hike in defence outlay.
The Union budget increased the outlay for the defencesector
by 3.98 per cent with a total allocation of Rs. 1,47,344 crore as
against the previous allocation of Rs. 1,41, 703 crore.However,
the outlay represents a 8.13 per cent growth over the revised
estimates of Rs.1,36,264crore for the current fiscal.Of the
total outlay for 2010-11, an allocation of Rs.87,344 crore has
been made for revenue expenditure, a growth of 0.54 per cent
over the revenue allocation in the budget estimates of the
current financial year.“Secure borders and security of life and
property fosters development…needless to say, any additional
requirement for the security of the nation will be provided for,”
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in his budget speech.
The budget estimates for 2009-10 included the allocation for
defraying expenditure on payment of 60 per cent arrears of pay
and allowances, which had been increased on the basis of the
recommendations of the 6thPay Commission.
Of the three services, the manpower-intensive Army gets the
major share of the allocation at Rs.58,995.19 crore, the Navy
Rs.9,455.03 crore and the Indian Air Force Rs.15,803.65 crore.
Significantly, the government earmarked Rs.60,000 crore for
capital expenditure againstthe previous allocation of Rs.54,824
crore, of which Rs.7,000 crore was returned unspent.The capital
expenditure which includes funds spent for modernisation
represents a growth of 9.44 per cent over 2009-10 budget
allocation.An increased allocation of nearly 25 per cent from
revised estimates includes the big ticket deals in the pipeline.
These include the IAF’s 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft,
medium-lift helicopters, basic jet trainers, armed choppers, the
Navy’s aircraft carrier and other naval fleet acquisition
programme and the Army’s quest to procure the ultra light
howitzers.Of the major heads that could not be spent include
Rs.1,782 crore for construction, Rs. 1,969 crore for aircraft and
aero-engines and Rs.34,00 crore for other equipment.In line
with the government policy, the allocationfor the Defence
Research Development Organisation witnessed an increase of
Rs.881 crore from the revisedestimate of Rs.5,260.42 crore.

Dear Veterans,Given above is the detailed outlay for Defence
in the union budget 2010-2011 which shows a very normal
increase in the allotment which counts for modernisation of
defence equipments and rising prices of these requied items
only. No extra allocation seems to be made for giving any
additional benefit in pension to veterans.Whatever Govt.
proposes to give the veterans (JCOs and below ) is to be
met from the funds allocated for this purpose during the
last budge i.e. 2009-2010.And if the govt. skips issuing the
orders for Modified Parity in Pension for the veterans
(JCOs and below),allocated funds will lapse which the
Govt.should not (R) not resort to.
Veterans should patiently wait for the orders which are
likely to be issued any moment as per the statement of
Minister of State for Defence,Sh. Palam Raju. At the same
time ,we should be very clear that nothing like ONE RANK
ONE PENSION (as being promised to be achieved by certain
big brothers only to garner funds from the veterans ) is on
the anvil in Govt's planning.As such, Ex Soldiers, Sailors
and Airmen Association warns theveterans (JCOs and
below ) not to be caught in their net and stay away from
them