Wednesday, October 24, 2012

LETTER TO PM ON OROP BY SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR MP

DO YOU THINK YOU DIE FOR YOUR COUNTRY?”-A QUESTION TO SOLDIERS?

Anatole France once asked a soldier, ” Do you think you die for your country?” When the soldier replied in the affirmative, he said, ” Wrong! You die for the INDUSTRIALISTS.” I would, in the Indian context, like to modify his suggestion to read as : WRONG, YOU DIE FOR THE CORRUPT, UNGRATEFUL and UNCONCERNED. Bureaucrats and politicians head this list, followed by bulk of unscrupulous businessmen who would qualify to be included in the list. Soldiers, today, must learn that they NO MORE fight a Nation’s wars but the conflicts started by inept, inefficient and incompetent BUREAUCRACY of India, in league with self-centered, greedy and corrupt politicians. You ask me to explain it. My answer is very simple. All internal and external problems of India are created by lack of vision and thought bankruptcy on strategic matters by two sets of people who rule India, namely, BUREAUCRATS and POLITICIANS: -From Nagaland in the fifties to Mizoram in the sixties; -from Assam in the seventies to Punjab and J&K in the eighties; -from Mumbai riots in the early nineties to Mumbai attack in 2008; -from communal riots in Gujarat to the same in Andhra & Karnataka; -from killing fields of BIhar and UP to mafia murders in Mumbai; -from ‘MANDAL’ issue to ‘KAMANDA’L issue; -from demolition of BABRI MASJID to burning of TRAIN in GODHARA; -from Naxalite hooliganism to Communalist mayhem since independence; all this and much more owe themselves to the misdeeds of an unholy nexus between the bureaucrats and politicians, who govern this country. Whether it was the Indo-Pak wars in1947, 1965 and 1971 or ‘WAR LIKE SITUATION ‘in Kargil in 1999 or even Operation PAWAN in Sri Lanka in the late eighties and the Chinese invasion of 1962—–my dear departed comrades: you did not die for the nation; instead, you gave your lives so as to cover the callous mistakes of these people. You are dead and gone. But no one remembers you other than some rantings on these annual rituals, called ‘Vijay Divas’ or the ‘VICTORY DAY”. If there is a natural calamity in the country—army is called in. If law and order goes awry, soldiers are roped in. If a child gets stuck in a bore-well pit, soldiers are mustered to save the innocent life. BUT,No one punishes the guys responsible for such acts of omission and commission. In the bargain, if a soldier loses a life, they play-act a drama, as if they care too much but none does. There are many a widows of soldiers, who are fighting their lonely battles—– —-no one is coming forward to help them except some ESM organisations such as IESL and IESM—whom no one listens to—not even the army. Once NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, while in Germany, had made a remark on the army’s recent projection of anomalies in the Sixth Pay Commission. He retorted to the questioner,” Don’t worry we will sort out the bast**ds” or words to that effect. He did not know that MILITARY ATTACHE was also listening and who, then, faxed it to his chief. You know what happened then. The three chiefs walked up to the PM with resignation letters in hand. The recent case of OROP(One rank One Pension) is an interesting testimony to how bureaucracy fools everyone. Don’t you know the way the soldiers have been fooled by this announcement in the parliament by our respectable Finance Minister on July 6 2009, when he vociferously announced implementation of ONE RANK ONE PENSION for the armed forces. Undoubtedly, it was an attempt to divide soldiers by announcing it ONLY for PBOR (PERSONS BELOW OFFICERS RANK). The govt has, thus, tried to create a wedge amongst officers and PBOR. Even the so called grant of OROP to PBOR is a fallacy. Unfortunate ly the UPA government is trying to exploit this by allowing some ex- Major in Delhi distributing leaflets on this. It is an utter nonsense. What the government has done is to bring at par the pre-96 retirees with pre- 2006 retirees, which is only a miniscule segment of pensioners. The bulk of the pensioners lay in the post-1996 and pre-2006 category, which has been left untouched by the government. This is how our bureaucracy makes fool out of everyone and this is how the politicians willingly play into the hands of bureaucrats. I bet if Pranab Mukerji knows as to what harm he has done to the armed forces by approving this Machiavellian strategy of bureaucrats. To them, it is NOT the NATIONAL INTERESTS that matter but their PERSONAL INTERESTS. They had done the same thing during implementation and formulation of proposals for armed forces by SIXTH PAY COMMISSION. It is only due to near-rebellious situation in the armed forces that the govt reluctantly accepted it. Now the same bureaucrats have played another dirty trick with the army and the ESM. They do not realise by tampering with the ARMED FORCES and its disciplined ethics, they are endangering the security and integrity of the nation. Just imagine what happens, if the armed forces whither away like police or any other government organization! Bureaucrats and politicians have broken the back of police and made them ineffective. Thus Law and order has become a serious problem. Like Committed bureaucracy and committed police officials— -they want soldiers also to be committed to political parties. If it happens, your national security be damned. THERE IS A VITAL NEED TO KEEP THE ARMED FORCES APOLITICAL. But some wise Congressmen think KARGIL-99 was not their war but BJPs—similarly BJP will think that 1971 or 1965 wars were not theirs but of the Congress. What happens to soldiers?They too are being cultivated to divide the army. Would Congress’s soldiers like to die for BJP’s war? The question is ridiculous but this is what Mr Rashid—– a Congress MP, meant when he ridiculed the celebrations of VIJAY DIVAS. No congressman asked him to shut up. How disgusting. Often, I hear a logic, that one joins armed forces voluntarily and that no one forced them to join. Very right. This very logic has affected the military ethos. You do not get the quality material any more because of this lopsided thinking. Therefore there are aberrations —corruption cases—rapes- –misbehaviour- –hooliganism- —extortion and what not by some officers and soldiers. It is still under control—but if you continue to ignore them, certainly he would ask the question: WHY SHOULD I DIE FOR THESE PEOPLE? IS IT WORTH LAYING DOWN ONE’s LIFE FOR SUCH SELF CENTERED PEOPLE? Most of our soldiers come from rural poor backgrounds and they still think of their poor families before they do any act which might affect their family honour. Therefore, they not only tolerate all sorts of nonsense but also accept the professional hardships. Their tolerance limits are much more than the soldiers of other armies. They suffer the vagaries of weather and man-made conditions silently. In 1962, they fought the Chinese with point 303 rifles with just 50 rounds—they went to snow covered high altitude mountains in their summer clothing. They died. They were injured but they did not rebel. It was exploitation of their impoverished background by the nation. Giving medals and awards to a few does not ameliorate the pain of many others whose deaths go unnoticed and uncared. The question is how long the nation and the army can keep its soldiers in the ‘DENIAL MODE’ from their LEGITIMATE DUES and RIGHTS? Today’s soldiers are more aware of their rights and privileges. Education and literacy is making them INDIVIDUALISTIC. Time is NOT far when they would behave like the EDUCATED SOLDIERS—- Yes, its implications must be understood by all and sundry—even the army. They will question every one–from their own bosses to governmental orders. THEY WILL NO MORE BE SOLDIERS OF THE ‘LIGHT BRIGADE’—WHO WILL AUTOMATICALLY MARCH INTO THE ‘VALLEY OF DEATH’ WHILE THE BULLETS FLY LEFT AND RIGHT OF THEM. They will no more sing the hymn: THERE IS NOT TO REASON WHY; THEIRS IS BUT TO DO AND DIE. Therefore , please do understand that ignoring SOLDIER’s MARTYRDOM and his SACRIFICES was going to be very costly for this nation. Nation has to pay the PREMIUM for the SOLDIER’s SACRIFICES and MARTYRDOM. Nation has to pay this premium for its own security and safety. It is NO FAVOUR nation is doing to its soldiers—whether they joined voluntarily or due to some economic pressures. The words of General Douglas Mac Arthur, US army Chief in 1931 echo in my ears, when he told president Franklin Roosevelt, “Mr President, when in the next war, an American soldier lay on the ground with enemy bayonet slicing his abdomen and spat out his last curse, I do not want the name to be Mac Arthur but ROOSEVELT”. It is no point emphasizing that president Roosevelt gave to the army what he wanted. And second world war is a testimony that US army tilted the balance in favour of Allied Powers. Therefore. I reiterate that dues of indian soldiers must be given. The nation must do it. If you do not do this then the ULTIMATE WILL HAPPEN—–as a URDU SHAYAR had said, ” GAR AB BHI NA SAMJHOGE AYE HINDOSTAN WALO—TUMHARI DASTAAN TAK BHI NA HOGI DAASTAANO MEIN”( If you do not mend your ways O’ Indians, you shall evaporate and not exist even in History books). Take it from me, there will be no more SAFE INDUSTRIES– -THERE WILL BE NO MORE JET FLYING ‘CEOs’ and smooth talking corporate managers or the GLOBE TROTTING IT’s WONDER BOYS IN INDIA——- —THERE WILL BE NO MORE SAFE HOMES FOR YOU TO INDULGE IN BLOGGING ON SULEKHA—– –IN FACT, THERE WILL BE NO MORE INDIA AS IT EXISTS TODAY. Decide what you want. The last bastion of India’s UNITY and INTEGRITY is waiting to DISINTEGRATE because of CONSTANT TAMPERING WITH it by BUREAUCRACY and POLITICIANS. Indian army has been fighting for 60 years in Nagaland and other North East States—it has been holding Assam, Kashmir and Punjab for you for the last 25 to 30 years. Despite all this there are no major cribs against it, other than media hyped non-sense by vested interests by which some of you get influenced. Remember, Soldiers are not saints—there will be aberrations but the track record of Indian armed forces is much better than most of the armies. I am appalled to see some debates on Sulekha which talk about wrong doings in the army. Most of it is based upon misinformation- -but even if there was any misdeed army is prompt to act and punish the guilty—you know about TEHELKA expose and what Army did later. Who else did it and who else does it? Haven’t you heard the recent murder of a youth in Baramulla? There was KASHMIR BANDH on this on the plea that he was killed by the army. Now it has turned out that he was killed by his friends for money. Such manipulations against army are quite common in insurgency infected areas. All cases of alleged rapes are speedily dealt with—most of them turn out to be motivated allegations. When you ask soldiers to search for militants at the dead of a night in a village—-such rubbish will be attributed to them. Even if some soldiers misbehave— take it, they are NO HOLY MEN. If you want to avoid such incidents— ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO SEND THE ARMY BACK TO BARRACKS. This is what the SEPARATISTS and the MILITANTS want—If some of you, educated elites of SULEKHA are going to play into the hands of the SEPARATISTS of KASHMIR like this and believe in their motivated propaganda– —–then, also be prepared for them to walk into your homes one day and there would be none to check them. Look at the record of Pakistan army in Bangla Desh in 1970. More than 10 million people had become refugees; many lakhs perished and thousands of women were raped and hundreds of children maimed. Just have a glance at Sri Lanks’a recently concluded operations against LTTE. what has NOT come out about thousands of CIVILIANS of TAMIL ORIGIN who were killed. Look at what the PAKISTAN ARMY has done in SWAT? Some 3 million people have been rendered homeless. There is no independent check of army’s claims of killing some 1000 Taliban ( there were only 4000)—No top leader has been killed or arrested. Compare the track record of Indian army against this back drop. Now, read “CRISIS IN COMMAND” by RICHARD GABRIEL and PAUL SAVAGE to know the track record of US army in VIETNAM in the 60s & 70s of the last century. If still not convinced then it would be interesting for you to know of US army’s recent misdeeds in IRAQ in the years 2007 &2008. Here is the link:- http://news. yahoo.com/ s/ap/20090727/ ap_on_re_ us/us_soldier_ slayingsHere are some excerpts from this link:- “———— ——-Several soldiers said unit discipline deteriorated while in Iraq.——- ———”Toward the end, we were so mad and tired and frustrated,” said Daniel Freeman. “You came too close, we lit you up. You didn’t stop, we ran your car over with the Bradley,” an armored fighting vehicle.—- ——— With each roadside bombing, soldiers would fire in all directions “and just light the whole area up,” said Anthony Marquez, a friend of Freeman in the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. “If anyone was around, that was their fault. We smoked ‘em.——— ———” “———— ——— -Taxi drivers got shot for no reason, and others were dropped off bridges after interrogations, said Marcus Mifflin, who was eventually discharged with post traumatic stress syndrome. “You didn’t get blamed unless someone could be absolutely sure you did something wrong,” he said “———— ——–Soldiers interviewed by The Gazette cited lengthy deployments, being sent back into battle after surviving war injuries that would have been fatal in previous conflicts, and engaging in some of the bloodiest combat in Iraq. The soldiers describing those experiences were part of the 3,500-soldier unit now called the 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team.——- ——— -Since 2005, some brigade soldiers also have been involved in brawls, beatings, rapes, DUIs, drug deals, domestic violence, shootings, stabbings, kidnapping and suicides. ———— ——-The unit was deployed for a year to Iraq’s Sunni Triangle in September 2004. Sixty-four unit soldiers were killed and more than 400 wounded — about double the average for Army brigades in Iraq, according to Fort Carson. In 2007, the unit served a bloody 15-month mission in Baghdad. It’s currently deployed to the Khyber Pass region in Afghanistan- ——— ——— ——— .” Now talk about the Indian army and its track record. It is sixty year for this army to hold your nation together from Nagaland to Kashmir and J&K to Kanya Kumari. It has been involved in wars—low intensity conflicts— militancy /terrorism– —–flood reliefs—children rescue—-earthquak e relief—-you name a damn thing where you have not called your army—how many INDIANS have been rendered home less. It has fought four and a half wars (Kargil was somewhat a war) for you. Some thousands of soldiers have laid down their lives in these wars and operations ——–they have left their widowed wives; orphaned children; helpless mothers, sobbing sisters and wailing fathers in your care for, they had faith in you. Would they have sacrificed their lives if they had an iota of doubt on your sincerity? They fulfilled their part of the CONTRACT by laying down their lives for your safety, honour and security. Why are you retracting from your part of the contract? Please ensure they are not to be ridiculed and slighted as you are doing it today. I insist soldiers are no saints—they are from the same society—-as you all are—-while you have gone astray—–I mean the society—-how do you expect them to remain holy men? if soldiers are running berserk at times—it is the social system which is to be blamed which has begun to TREAT THEM AS DOORMATS. Reform the society first. Stop this unwanted criticism— else you break this institution as a back lash by the soldiers who will ask (An excellent write up by Col Virender Pal Singh. He has written from the heart, and as a soldier painted true picture.Worth reading. Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh via S Chopra - source - AIRFORCECHAT)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Payment of Pension to Government Pensioners - Scheme for Payment of Pension to Government Pensioners by Authorised Banks

Reserve Bank of India (the Bank) monitors disbursement of pension by its agency banks in respect of all Central Government Departments (except the Department of Post) and certain State Governments. It has been receiving several queries/ complaints from pens-ioners in regard to fixation, calculation and payment of pension including revision of pension/ Dearness Relief from time to time, transfer of pension account from one bank branch to another, etc. We have analysed the queries/ complaints, rights and duties of pensioners &put the same in the form of answers to these Frequently Asked Questions. It is hoped that these will cover most of queries/ doubts in the minds of pensioners. 1. Can the pensioner draw his/ her pension through a bank branch? Yes. Even the Government employees earlier drawing their pension from a treasury or from a post office have the option to draw their pension from the authorized bank’s branches. 2. Who is the pension sanctioning authority? The Ministry/ Department /Office where the Government servant last served is the pension sanctioning authority. The pension fixation is made by such authority for the first time and thereafter the refixation of pay, if any, is done by the pension paying bank based on the instructions from the concerned Central/ State Government authority. 3. Is it necessary for the pensioner to open a separate pension account for the purpose of crediting his/ her pension in authorized bank? The pensioner is not required to open a separate pension account. The pension can be credited to his/her existing savings/ current account maintained with the branch selected by the pensioner. 4. Can a pensioner open a Joint Account with his/ her spouse? Yes. All pensioners of the Central Government Pensioners and those State Governments which have accepted such arrangement can open Joint Account with their spouses. 5. Whether Joint Account of the pensioner with spouse can be operated either by ''Former or Survivor" or "Either or Survivor". The Joint Account of the pensioner with spouse can be operated either as ‘‘Former or Survivor" or “Either or Survivor". 6. What is the minimum balance required to be maintained in the pension account maintained with the banks? RBI has not stipulated any minimum balance to be maintained in pension accounts by the pensioners. Individual banks have framed their own rules in this regard. However, some banks have also permitted zero balance in the pensioners’ accounts. 7. Who sends the Pension Payment Orders (PPOs) to the authorized bank branch? The concerned pension paying authorities in the Ministries /Departments/ State Governments forward the PPOs to the bank branches wherefrom the pensioner desires to draw his/her pension. 8. When is the pension credited to the pensioner's account by the paying branch? The disbursement of pension by the paying branch is spread over the last four working days of the month depending on the convenience of the pension paying branch except for the month of March when the pension is credited on or after the first working day of April. 9. Can a pensioner transfer his/ her pension account from one branch to another branch of the same bank or to the branch of another bank? (a) Pensioner can transfer his/ her pension account from one branch to another branch of the same bank within the same centre or at a different centre; (b) He/ She can transfer his/ her account from one authorized bank to another within the same centre (such transfers to be allowed only once in a year); (c) He/ She can also transfer his/ her account from one authorized bank to another authorized bank at a different centre. 10. What is the procedure for payment of pension in the case of the transfer of PPO to another branch or bank, as the case may be? Pension will be paid for three months on the basis of the photocopy of the pensioner’s PPO at the transferee (new) branch from the date of the last payment made at the transferor (old) branch. Both the branches (old and new) are required to ensure that all the required documents are received by the transferee branch within these three months. 11. Is it necessary for the pensioner to be present at the branch of the bank along with documents for the purpose of identification before commencement of pension? Yes. Before the commencement of pension, a pensioner has to be present at the paying branch for the purpose of identification. The paying branch shall obtain the specimen signatures or the thumb/toe impression from the pensioner. 12. What is the procedure to be followed by the bank branch if the pensioner is handicapped /incapacitated and is not in a position to be present at the paying branch? If the pensioner is physically handicapped/incapacitated and unable to be present at the branch, the requirement of personal appearance is waived. In such cases, the bank official visits the pensioner’s residence/hospital for the purpose of identification and obtaining specimen signature or thumb/toe impression. 13. Has the pensioner got right to retain half portion of the PPO for record and to get it updated from paying branch whenever there is a change in the quantum of pension due to revision in basic pension, dearness relief, etc.? Yes. The pensioner has right to retain half portion of the PPO for record and whenever there is a revision in the basic pension/Dearness Relief (DR), etc. the paying branch has to call for the pensioner's half of the PPO and record thereon the changes according to government orders/notifications and return the same to the pensioner. 14. Whether the paying branch has to maintain a detailed record of pension payments made by it in the prescribed form? Yes. The pension paying branch is required to maintain a detailed record of pension payments made by it from time to time in the prescribed form duly authenticated by the authorized officer. 15. Can the pension paying bank recover the excess amount credited to the pensioner’s account? Yes. The paying branch before commencement of pension obtains an undertaking from the pensioner in the prescribed form for this purpose and, therefore, can recover the excess payment made to the pensioner's account due to delay in receipt of any material information or due to any bonafide error. The bank also has the right to recover the excess amount of pension credited to the deceased pensioner’s account from his/her legal heirs/nominees. 16. Is it compulsory for a pensioner to furnish a Life Certificate/Non-Employment Certificate or Employment Certificate to the bank in the month of November? Yes. The pensioner is required to furnish a Life Certificate/Non – Employment Certificate or Employment Certificate to the bank in the month of November. However, in case a pensioner is unable to obtain a Life Certificate from an authorized bank officer on account of serious illness / incapacitation, bank official will visit his/her residence/ hospital for the purpose of recording the life certificate. 17. Can a pensioner be allowed to operate his/ her account by the holder of Power of Attorney? The account is not allowed to be operated by a holder of Power of Attorney. However, the cheque book facility and acceptance of standing instructions for transfer of funds from the account is permissible. 18. Who is responsible for deduction of Income Tax at source from pension payment? The pension paying bank is responsible for deduction of Income Tax from pension amount in accordance with the rates prescribed by the Income Tax authorities from time to time. While deducting such tax from the pension amount, the paying bank will also allow deductions on account of relief to the pensioner available under the Income Tax Act. The paying branch, in April each year, will also issue to the pensioner a certificate of tax deduction as per the prescribed form. If the pensioner is not liable to pay Income Tax, he should furnish to the pension paying branch, a declaration to that effect in the prescribed form (15 H). 19. Can old, sick physically handicapped pensioner who is unable to sign, open pension account or withdraw his/ her pension from the pension account? A pensioner, who is old, sick or lost both his/her hands and, therefore, cannot sign, can put any mark or thumb/ toe impression on the form for opening of pension account. While withdrawing the pension amount he/she can put thumb/toe impression on the cheque/withdrawal form and it should be identified by two independent witnesses known to the bank one of whom should be a bank official. 20. Can a pensioner withdraw pension from his/ her account when he/she is not able to sign or put thumb/toe impression or unable to be present in the bank? In such cases, a pensioner can put any mark or impression on the cheque/ withdrawal form and may indicate to the bank as to who would withdraw pension amount from the bank on the basis of cheque/withdrawal form. Such a person should be identified by two independent witnesses. The person who is actually drawing the money from the bank should be asked to furnish his/her specimen signature to the bank. 21. When does the family pension commence? The family pension commences after the death of the pensioner. The family pension is payable to the person indicated in the PPO on receipt of a death certificate and application from the nominee. 22. How the payment of Dearness Relief at revised rate is to be paid to the pensioners? Whenever any additional relief on pension/family pension is sanctioned by the Government, the same is intimated to the agency banks for issuing suitable instructions to their pension paying branches for payment of relief at the revised rates to the pensioners without any delay. The orders issued by Government Departments are also hosted on their websites and banks have been advised to watch the latest instructions on the website and act accordingly without waiting for any further orders from RBI in this regard. 23. Can pensioners get pension slips? Yes. As decided by the Central Government (Civil, Defence & Railways), pension paying banks have been advised to issue pension slips to the pensioners in prescribed form when the pension is paid for the first time and thereafter whenever there is a change in quantum of pension due to revision in basic pension or revision in Dearness Relief. 24. Which authority the pensioner should approach for redressal of his/ her grievances? A pensioner can initially approach the concerned Branch Manager and, thereafter, the Head Office of the concerned bank for redressal of his/her complaint. They can also approach the Banking Ombudsman of the concerned State in terms of Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2006 of the Reserve Bank of India (details available at the Bank’s website www.rbi.org.in) This is applicable only in respect of complaints relating to services rendered by banks. For other issues the complainant will have to approach the respective pension paying authority. 25. Where can a pensioner get information about the changes in the pension/ Dearness Relief or any pension related issue? The pensioner can visit the Official Website of the concerned Government Department as also Reserve Bank of India Website (www.rbi.org.in) to get the information about pension related issues. 26. Whether a pensioner is entitled for any compensation from the agency banks for delayed credit of pension/ arrears of pension? Yes. A Pensioner is entitled for compensation for delayed credit of pension/arrears thereof at the fixed rate of 8% and the same would be credited to the pensioner's account automatically by the bank on the same day when the bank affords delayed credit of such pension / arrears etc without any claim from the pensioner. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These FAQs are issued by the Reserve Bank of India for information and general guidance purposes only. The Bank will not be held responsible for actions taken and/or decisions made on the basis of the same. For clarifications or interpretations, if any, the readers are requested to be guided by the relevant circulars and notifications issued from time to time by the Bank and the Government. (Source-RBI Website)

Tuesday, October 16, 2012


The conference will conclude on October 19 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will jointly address Commanders of all three services - the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Sources said that one of the key proposals that the Army Commanders will make to the Ministry of Defence is on re-employing ex-servicemen in the government set-up and not just the existing available openings in the paramilitary and some state police forces.

The Army wants more avenues to be made available to Junior Commissioned Officers and other ranks. Most of them retire between the age of 36 and 42 years and are skilled in specialised tasks and have the tenacity required for high-security work.

The Commanders will seek lateral entry for jawans into public sector undertakings (PSU) and also the government sector. They will suggest that departments need to be identified in the government where lateral entry is possible.

A source — giving an example — said that one clear case is of optic fibre cable (OFC) management. With so much business in India riding on telephony and internet, jawans from the ‘signals’ regiment could be used to manage the OFCs running throughout the country.

These jawans are already trained in managing the dedicated OFCs of the forces and know its secrecy protocols and the necessary precautions.

Similarly, the Army trains its jawans in the engineers regiment to repair heavy equipment, machinery and even helicopters.

The government and PSUs can utilise these instead of opting for unskilled workers outside. Also, the men are highly skilled drivers in high altitudes.

Additional natural employment for the jawans are high-risk and skill jobs like working on oil rigs, gas pipelines, oil pipelines - all these are expected to form the proposal.

Besides this issue, the Army Commanders will deliberate on having an enduring human resource promotion policy from the level of Major Generals and above.
(Source India of my dreams)

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Change in Definition of Ex-serviceman and Reservation pof posts in civil services - Amendments in Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 2012

Friday, October 05, 2012

Amendments in Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in C C S and Posts) Rules, 2012.[To be published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub section (i)](Govt of India, Min of PPG&P)

  NOTIFICATION
  New Delhi, dated the 4th October , 2012

G.S.R. - In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution, the President hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, namely:-
 
1. (1) These rules may be called the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Amendment Rules, 2012.
(2) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, (I) in rule 2, for clause (c), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

(c) An 'ex-serviceman' means a person -

(i) who 'has served in any rank whether as a combatant or non- combatant in the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union, and
  (a) who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at his own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her pension; or
(b) who has been relieved from such service on medical grounds attributable to military service or circumstances beyond his control and awarded medical or other disability pension; or
(c) who has been released from such service as a result of reduction in establishment; or
(ii) who has been released from such service after completing the specific period of engagement, otherwise than at his own request, or by way of dismissal, or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency and has been given a gratuity; and includes personnel of the Territorial Army, namely, pension holders for continuous embodied service or broken spells of qualifying service; or
(iii) personnel of the Army Postal Service who are part of Regular Army and retired from the Army Postal Service without reversion to their parent service with pension, or are released from the Army Postal service on medical grounds attributable to or aggravated by military service or circumstance beyond their control and awarded medical or other disability pension; or
(iv) Personnel, who were on deputation in Army Postal Service for more than six months prior to the 14th April, 1987; or
(v) Gallantry award winners of the Armed forces including personnel of Territorial Army; or
(vi) Ex-recruits boarded out or relieved on medical ground and granted medical disability pension.

 (2) for rule 3, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:-
 
"3. Application - These rules shall apply to all the Central Civil Services and Posts and the posts upto the level of Assistant Commandant in all paramilitary forces."
(3) in rule 4,- (a) for sub-rule(I), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:-

"(i) Reservation of vacancies: — Ten per cent of the vacancies in the posts upto of the level of the Assistant Commandant in all para-military forces, ten per cent of the vacancies in Group 'C' posts; and twenty per cent of the vacancies in Group 'D' posts, including permanent vacancies filled initially on a temporary basis and temporary vacancies which are likely to be made permanent or are likely to continue for three months and more, to be filled by direct recruitment in any year shall be reserved for being filled by ex- servicemen."

(b) for sub-rule(2), the following sub-rule shall be substituted, namely:-

"(2) The Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Class candidates selected against the vacancies reserved for ex-servicemen shall be adjusted against vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, respectively: Provided that if a the Scheduled Caste or the Scheduled Tribe or the Other Backward Class ex-servicemen is selected against the vacancy reserved for ex-servicemen and vacancy reserved for theScheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes or the Other Backward Classes, as the case may be, is not available to adjust such ex- serviceman, he shall be adjusted in future against the next available vacancy reserved for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes or the Other Backward Classes, as the case may be."

(c) after sub-rule (3), the following proviso shall be substituted, namely:-
"Provided that in case of recruitment to the vacancy reserved for Ex-servicemen in the Central Para Military Forces, the reserved vacancy remained unfilled due to non-availability of eligible or qualified candidates, the same shall be filled by candidates from non-ex-servicemen category".

(4) for rule 5, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:-
"(5) (a) For appointment to vacancies in Group B(Non-Gazetted), Group C or Group D posts in Central Government, an ex- serviceman shall be allowed to deduct the period of actual military service from his actual age and if the resultant age does not exceed the maximum age fimit prescribed for the post for which he is seeking appointment by more than three years, he shall be deemed to satisfy the condition regarding age limit.
(b) For appointment to any vacancy in Group A and Group B services -or posts filled by direct recruitment otherwise than on the results of an Open All India Competitive Examination, the upper age limit shall be relaxed by the length of military service increased by three years in the case of ex- servicemen and commissioned officers including Emergency Commissioned Officers or Short Service Commissioned Officers.
(c) For appointment to any vacancy in Group A and B services or posts filled by direct recruitment on the results of an All India Competitive Examination, the ex- servicemen and Commissioned Officers including Emergency commissioned Officers or Short Service Commissioned Officers who have rendered atleast five years military services and have been released -,

(i )on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency; or

(ii) on account of physical disability attributable to military service or on invalidment, shall be allowed maximum relaxation of five years in the upper age limit.

[File No.36034/(I/06-Estt(SCT)]
 
(Manoj Joshi)
Joint Secretary to the Government of India

(Note:- The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section3, Sub- section (i), vide number G.S.R 1530, dated the 15th December, 1979 and subsequently amended by G.S.R. 973 dated 27th October, 1986, and was last amended by notification No. G.S.R. 333(E), dated 27th March, 1986.)
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(Source- Central Govt Employees news)

Friday, October 12, 2012

Extending the 'one rank one pension' rule to ex-servicemen was long overdue

(ET Bureau Oct 8, 2012, 06.42AM IST) The government has done well to accede to the longstanding demand of ex-servicemen for 'one rank, one pension (Orop)'. But the manner of putting this principle to practice has invited criticism from exservicemen. This defeats any political gain the ruling coalition expected from the decision. It is still possible to discuss this with ex-servicemen and remove the niggles that remain. This corrects a long-standing injustice to the armed forces vis-a-vis their civilian counterparts. The government had conceded the Orop demand for civilians close to a decade ago on the grounds of equity. It is iniquitous to differentiate between pension entitlement of retirees of the same rank and years of service merely on the basis of when they retire. Having accepted the merit of this in one case, there was no justification to deny it to ex-servicemen. Many would argue the nation owes more to those who guard its borders than to civilian pensioners. Governments resisted the Orop demand because of the additional stress it would impose on the exchequer. Unlike civilians who retire at 60 and, given the average life span of 70-80 years, can be expected to draw pension for an average of 10-20 years, military personnel retire earlier. As a result, they can be expected to draw pensions for much longer. The reality, moreover, is that the rules of the game are drawn up by civilians and that meant ex-servicemen had to wait for justice to be done. As a paper that has long argued for fiscal rectitude and expenditure control, it might seem at odds for us to defend a package that is expected to cost about Rs 2,300 crore annually in its present form, a little more when the package is properly fleshed out and is likely to increase in future. Except that we have never stood for a blanket clamping down on expenditure as much as for rationalisation and wise prioritisation of public expenditure. Between subsidies on diesel and cooking gas of over Rs 1.5 lakh crore and other subsidies, the Rs 2,300-crore bill on account of higher pension to ex-servicemen, there is no doubt which is more deserving. In terms of hard numbers, the amount is almost insignificant. But as a long-overdue * gesture, its significance cannot be underestimated. (Source- The Economic Times)