Good News for Veterans and widows: Now,Disability Pension for voluntary Defence Retirees.Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans,
Regards. Find a good NEWS below. Read and disseminate among other veterans.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
Mob.098554-09128, Tele-Fax. 0175-5000896.

Now, Disability Dension for voluntary Defence Retirees :Vijay MohanTribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 12In a move that would benefit a large number of disabled armed forces personnel, the Ministry of Defence has issued orders granting disability pension to those who have sought voluntary retirement before reaching the age of superannuation.
Orders received by the three service headquarters from the MoD earlier this month state that the new provisions would be applicable to personnel who retired or were discharged at their own request on or after January 1, 2006.
The pension regulations of the three services would be amended accordingly. Heretofore, armed forces personnel retiring voluntarily were not eligible for any award on account of disability.
“Armed forces personnel who are retained in service despite disability, which is attributable to or aggravated by military service and have foregone lump sum compensation in lieu of their disability, may be given disability or war injury element at the time of their discharge, whether voluntary or otherwise, in addition to service pension and gratuity,” the new orders state.
While appreciating the move as a step in the right direction, some veterans felt the orders should have been implemented for all similarly placed personnel instead of fixing a cut-off date.
In fact, a large number of disabled soldiers who left the services voluntarily had earlier moved various high courts against the provisions denying them disability pension. In many instances, the courts had granted relief to the affected pensioners. The courts had ruled that disability pension for reasons attributable to military service could not be denied.
Meanwhile, the MoD also issued an order this week, granting full pay and allowances to officers for the entire period they were on sick leave or under hospitalisation. Till now, pay and allowances were stopped after a specified period.
Interestingly, officers were at a loss on this account while personnel below officer rank were better placed as far as this regulation was concerned. The orders would be effective from September 1, 2008.
Orders received by the service headquarters about a week ago state in case of grant of sick leave exceeding six months after the period of hospitalisation, full pay and allowances would be admissible to officers granted such leave up to the limits specified under the rules. Leave has to be on account of injury or sickness attributable to or aggravated due to service conditions in accordance with the regulations.