One Rank One Pension issue: Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear Veterans, Regards.

Find below two news items published in Express News Service and The Tribune.

Though Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association is not a party to IESM but it strongly condemns the statement given to press by no one else than an army veteran himself . He may belong to any party but should not give such statement to disseminate such wrong things.

At the same time, we appriciate the statement given in Parliament by Hon'ble Defence Minister, A.K. Antony in which he has stated that implimentation of 'One Rank One Pension' is an ongoing process and further stated that it is a long process.

We are also thankful to leader of the oppositition in Raja Sabha, Arun Jaitely (BJP) who supported the cause of ex-servicemen and requested the govt. to look in to the issue of thousands of Jawans who retire before the age of 40. We fully agree with his statement and request the govt. to further revise the the pay/pension of Havaildars/ Sergeants /Petty Officers and below who have been hit hard, equated with class IV civilian pensioners and placed in Pay Band-I wthout giving any credit to their professional skills attained by undergoing training of , atleast, one year at the entry into Armed Forces.They have, also, not been duly compansated for the risk factor and have been given a meager amount of Rs. 2,000/- as MSP.

As such, we request the govt. to place all these personnel in Pay Band-II with consequental benefits in this ongoinng progress to reduce the prevailing resentment among these personnel.

Veteran Prabhot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

President

Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association

‘Ex-servicemen returned fake medals’

Express news service: Posted: Tue Aug 24 2010, 02:51 hrs New Delhi
A day after over 2,000 retired military personnel returned their medals to President Pratibha Patil and also submitted a memorandum purportedly containing their signatures in blood in support of their demand for “one-rank one pay” for all, the Congress has alleged that the medals were fake and bought from local markets.
The party also alleged that the members of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) used a red chemical for their signatures.
“The medals which were returned have been purchased from Sadar Bazar in the Delhi cantonment area. We have proof that they have been bought recently,” Praveen Davar, Secretary, AICC Ex-Service Department, said.
Davar said IESM, which he termed a pro-BJP organisation, has been returning medals by the thousands to the President but not a single gallantry awardee has come forward to return a medal. “Not a single awardee of gallantry awards has returned his medal. This shows that the bravest of the brave soldiers do not approve of the activities of a handful of ex-servicemen being misled by disgruntled elements,” Davar said, adding that “the signatures were not in blood but in a red chemical that looks like blood”.

One-rank One-pension will take time: Antony

New Delhi: 25/08/2010: Even as ex-servicemen take the extreme step of returning their medals demanding one-rank-one-pension, the government on Wednesday clarified that it may not come very soon.

Replying to a zero hour mention by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley (Bharatiya Janata Party) and supported by members across party lines including the Congress, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said that the implementation of one-rank-one-pension is an ongoing process.
"At the time we cannot implement one-rank-one-pension, but we are nearing the goal. It is a long process," Antony added.
Raising the issue, Jaitley said that though it was mentioned in the budget speech of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, no steps have been taken so far for implementing the one-rank-one-pension system.
"Neither the 5th nor the 6th Pay Commission addressed the issue. The finance minister also indicated in his budget speech that a committee will be formed but nothing happened," Jaitley pointed out.
He also said that ex-servicemen should not take extreme steps like returning their medals.
"The medal is an honour given to them by the nation. I therefore appeal to them not to return the medals," Jaitley said.
He was supported by Communist Party of India-Marxist member Sitaram Yechury and Congress member P.J. Kurien, among others.
"I would also request the Government to look in the issue of thousands of jawans who retire before the age of 40," Kurien said.
The Defence minister, however, said that though one-rank-one-pension was still far, a number of steps have been taken by the government to ensure that ex-servicemen are benefitted.
"The Prime Minister appointed a committee to look into the issues of the ex-servicemen. The committee gave recommendations in five areas and all have been accepted," Antony said.
"Government has increased the pension of nearly 12 lakh ex-servicemen. We are also starting 197 additional polyclinics for them across the country," he pointed out.
The opposition, however, remained unsatisfied with the reply as BJP member S.S. Ahluwalia urged the government to talk to the ex-servicemen and settle the issue.
Over 5,000 ex-servicemen on Sunday returned their medals to protest the government's reluctance to accept their one-rank-one-pension demand. They also submitted a memorandum on the issue to President Pratibha Patil, the supreme commander of the armed forces.