Ex-servicemen's body flays DC -Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service :Veteran Prabhjot Singh PLS Retd.

Ex-servicemen’s body flays DC
Lalit Mohan:Tribune News
Dharamsala, January 31.The Himachal Pradesh Ex-Servicemen
League has flayed Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner Abhishek
Jain, who is also acting as director of the Sainik Welfare Board,
for giving their funds to the Chief Minister’s relief fund.
The DC, on the Flag Day function held at Dharamsala last
month, had given Rs 1 crore from the Sainik Welfare Board to
the Chief Minister’s relief fund.
The ex-servicemen league members, who held a meeting here
today, alleged that the acting president of the welfare board
had committed an illegal and unconstitutional act by
diverting the organisation funds.
Later, while talking to The Tribune, Vijay Singh Mankotia,
president of the ex-servicemen league, alleged that the said
money was meant to be used for the welfare of ex-servicemen
of the state. According to the constitution of the
organisation, it cannot be used for any other purpose, he
added.
The ex-servicemen also urged the Union government to
implement “one rank one pension scheme”.
“Till date, we have been listening to statement of various
leaders regarding the one rank one pension scheme. However,
the scheme had not been implemented as yet,” they said.
The lower-rank soldiers were likely to benefit from the
scheme. At present, soldiers who retired before the
implementation of the new pay scales, were getting pension
of just Rs 3,000 per month. However, soldiers retiring now
were getting pension of Rs 8,000. In case ‘one rank one
pension scheme’ is implemented, many ex-soldiers were
likely to be benefitted. Ex-servicemen also alleged that the
state government was not serious towards making sainik
welfare board effective. At present, 75 posts are lying vacant
in the district-level sainik welfare offices. The posts of
deputy director in nine districts were also lying vacant.
The ex-service league members also rued the slow progress
in implementation of 15 per cent job reservation quota for
ex-servicemen in government jobs in the state. They alleged
that though the quota had been implemented in papers,
the backlog in government jobs since 2000 had not been filled.
Meanwhile, Vijay Singh Mankotia today announced his
resignation from the post of state president of the
ex-servicemen league. He said he had been heading the
organisation for the past 25 years.
“Now, I want that alternative leadership should take over,”
he added. The next meeting of the league would be held
under the new president, he announced.
Veteran Prabjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
Mob.098554-09128,Tele-fax 0175-5000896.