Veterans ( JCOs. and below ) being Killed Inch by Inch :Veteran Prabhjot Singh PLS Retd.

LET THE VETERANS (JCOs.and below) GET SOMETHING


Dear Veterans,
The guardians of the nation’s security, who guarded the
nation at the risk of their life without asking the reason
why but followed the tradition of do and die, are being killed
inch by inch, both by the govt. and their own senior veterans
who still matter in the govt.

JCOs. and below, who count for 96% in the Armed Forces of India ,
are being neglected at every step by the govt. while granting
them the pension and other post retrial benefits. Veterans up to
the rank of Hav. have been placed in the Pay Band - I along with
class IV Civilians and most of them draw a basic pension of
Rs. 3500/- PM , an amount being bagged by Chokidars, Malis ,
Cooks and Sweepers etc.

Realizing the pathetic condition of these veterans,committee
headed by Cabinet Secretary recommended a step of equating
Pre - 96 with Post- 10.10.97 counter parts to remove the anomaly
in their pension, and same has been announced in the union
budget on 6-7-2009 ,then in Parliament on 12-07-2009 and then
finally by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 15-08-2009 although giving
it a name of ONE RANK ONE PENSION for PBORs only.

This flared up the mood of superior veterans who protested
against the grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION only to JCOs.
and below without waiting for a moment to think that it was
a removal of anomaly relating to JCOs. and below only.

However, the Hon’ble Defence Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony
silenced them by announcing ONE RANK ONE PENSION for all
including officers in Lok Sabha 0n 12 July, 2009 which was in
fact a step to implement the decision of court regarding the
pay anomaly of Maj. Generals and giving a separate pay scale to
Lt. Generals, as well as their counter parts, in civil.

The govt., after the announcement, has immediately issued
the orders for Lt. Generals and Major Generals but the orders
for JCOs.and below are still gathering dust in the Ministry of
Defence and not yet issued, presumably, at the instance of some
of the remaining senior veterans who have not been benefited by
this announcement of the govt.

The travails of JCOs.and below do not end at this stage.
The orders for giving pension to JCOs. at the rate of 60% of
their last drawn payand to Hav. and below at the rate of 70%,
which were acceded by the govt. along with change of pay band
from PB-3 to PB- 4, in case of Lt. Cols., have also not been issued
till date where as the Lt. Cols. have received the revised pension,
as a result of change in pay band, long ago.

Such discriminatory treatment to veterans( JCOs. and below)
is not un- common in every field, may it be in granting pension
or canteen benefits to them. They have been authorized to purchase
cars from CSD canteen only up to 1300 CC, after a gap of 7 years,
only if they have current Driving License and earned pension
after a minimum 15 years of service where as officers including
Short Service Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned
Officers who are not drawing any pension, can purchase a car of any
brand after a gap of 2 years without having current Driving License.

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS (Retd.)
President.
Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab & Chandigarh .
Mob. 98554-09128 – Ph. 0175-5000896.