Memorandum to Central Govt. by ESSAA regarding omissions and discrepancies in Modified Parity in Pension : Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

EX-SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND AIRMEN ASSOCIATION (REGD.)
# 3, Guru Ram Dass Nagar, Tripuri Road, Patiala.

ESSAA/13/2010 Date: 01 July, 2010
To
Secretary Govt. of India,
Ministry of Defence,
101, South Block,
New Delhi 110 011.
Sub. Omissions and Discrepancies in the Modified Parity in Pension.
Dear Sir,
Consequent to the recommendation of 6th Central Pay Commission, Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence, has implemented the revised pensions which led to much frustration amongst pre-2006 defence pensioners. To give a soothing touch to the feelings of aggrieved Ex-Servicemen orders for modified parity in pension, based on CoS Report, was issued and implemented in a record time of three months. Govt. of the day deserves to be highly appreciated for this.
Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association has observed the following omission and discrepancies affecting a large number of Ex-Servicemen and the widow which need to be looked in to and corrected at your level at the earliest to avoid further frustration and heartburn:-
1. Minimum Pension for Defence Pensioners: Minimum pension of Rs. 3500/- PM fixed by the Govt., is not justified in case of Defence Pensioners since it is based on the Minimum Pension fixed for civilian pensioners and MSP, an element granted exclusively to Defence pensioners, has not been taken into consideration while fixing the pension. If MSP is included, the minimum pension for Defence pensioners amounts to Rs. 4600/-PM (M.B.Pay- Rs. 5200/-) +(Grade pay- Rs. 2000/-) +(MSP- Rs. 2000/-) divided by 2. It should be made applicable to Reservist and Widows.
2. Grant of same pension to Hony Naib. Sub. as given to regurlar Naib. Subedar : 6th Central Pay Commission has recommended this and the Govt. has already agreed, in principal, to implement the same but it has not been incorporated in the circular 430 dated 10-03-2010. We request that the same should be implemented at the earliest.
3. Removal of condition of ten months pay in the rank for fixation of pension: Sixth Central Pay Commission has recommended the removal of condition of ten months pay for grant of pension for that rank and the Govt. has already agreed to it but whereas while granting parity in pension vide circular 430 dated 10-03-2010, the same condition has again been taken into consideration for fixing the pension of that rank. A large number of soldiers are facing a great loss due to this. We vehemently demand that pension should be fixed on the last pay drawn by the individual in that rank instead of ten months pay.
4. Discrepancies in the tables issued by Directorate of Pension in department of defence pensioner's welfare: It is further pointed out that there are many glaring discrepancies in the tables prepared by the Govt. in respect of pension of various ranks in Army & Air Force.
As per tables, certain junior ranks have been authorized more pension than the senior ranks. For example: Sepoy with 15 years of service in Group-X is entitled for Rs. 5368/- PM whereas Naik and Havaildar, with the same years of service and in the same group, are entitled for Rs. 5290/-PM & 5355/-PM respectively. We request the removal of these anomalies at the earliest.
5. Date of implementation of Modified parity in pension: There is no justification in granting modified parity in pension to JCOs and below w.e.f. 01-07-2009 since the parity has been given between the pre-1996 and post-10-10-1997 retirees and the same has already been paid to Hony Officer and above w.e.f. 01-01-1996, way back in year, 1999. We request that orders for modified parity in pension (Circular no. 430) be implemented w.e.f. 01-01-1996 instead of 01-07-2009.
6. Irregularities in the disbursement of pension: There have been many grave irregularities in disbursement of pension by Pension Disbursing Authorities (DPDO/Banks). For example, A War Widow, Rajinder Kaur wd/o Flt. Lt. Gurbax Singh Ahuja of 1965 fame has been receiving minimum pension for the last 25 years @ Rs. 375/- PM w.e.f. 01-01-1986, Rs.1275/- w.e.f. 01-01-1986 and Rs. 3500/- w.e.f. 01-01-2006 instead of Liberalized Family Pension. In another case, Chief Petty Officer Jaswant Singh Retd. is being denied his hard earned pension due to high handedness of Treasury Office, Faridkot for the last about 35 years. Yet in another case, Sgt. Harmohinder Singh Retd. has received Rs. 653/- PM less in his pension for about three and half years and Rs. 58/- PM less for eight years from DPDO, Patiala. There are many such other cases where the individuals are being paid less pension.
In view of above we humbly request that the above omissions and irregularities be corrected at the earliest to avoid further frustrations among the ex-servicemen and the widows.
Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal,
President
Copy to:
1. Director (Pension/Policy) Ministry of Defence, 213,
A Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi for information
and necessary action at his end.
President