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AK Antony
DNA
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Defence Minister AK Antony on Saturday said government is committed to the welfare of defence personnel and ex-servicemen. Addressing the "Army Mela' at nearby Pangode military camp,Antony said the pension of ex-servicemen would be revised with a total commitment of Rs2300 crore. "Order in this regard would be issued next month",Antony said, adding, in 2009, after he took over as Defence Minister, the pension for ex-servicemen was revised with a total outlay of Rs2300 crore.This increase happened after the sixth pay commission recommendations," he said.
Stating that it was the government's responsibility to look after the welfare of defence personnel and ex-servicemen, Antony said peace prevailed in the country due to dedication and vigilance of 'our armed forces' to protect boundaries.
"Centre not only extends assistance to armed forces in imparting training and equipping it with modern weapons, but also equally gave importance of personnel's welfare," he said.
Antony said Indian defence has 13 lakh personnel and out of this 11 lakh were in the Army. Besides this,India has Coast Guard and Territorial Army strength of 23 lakh and 14 lakh NCC cadres who assist defence forces in times of need, he said. Antony also said India was able to overcome various crises since Independence mainly due to the strength and dedication of defence forces.
The Army has organised an exhibition of ammunition and other armaments as part of the mela titled 'Know your Army'. The army personnel also displayed their adventurous skills during the occasion,which witnessed huge public participation.
Union Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor, top South-Indian actor and Lt Col in Territorial Army Mohanlal were among those present. GOC in Chief Southern Army Command Lt General A K Singh welcomed the audience.
(Source-DNA)
Revision of Definition of Ex-Servicemen
ReplyDeleteEX-SERVICEMEN STATUS for TERRITORIAL ARMY OFFICERS
1.As per prevailing policy;-. Short Service Commissioned Officers though being NON-Pensioners are treated as Ex-Servicemen as are given GRATUITY
2. Commissioned Officers of Territorial Army despite having earned gratuity At par with SSCO are denied of Ex-Servicemen status .
3.As per ARMY pension regulation Part-I 1961;- Gratuity is an kind of pension but officers Honorably released\discharged with Gratuity from TERRITORIAL ARMY are excluded from Ex-servicemen definition without any valued reason thus are deprived of all prevailing beneficial scheme of center & state Govt & virtually NO helpful policy subsist for honorably released Territorial Army Officers being deprived of EXSERVICEMAN status
5.Officers in the TERRITORIAL ARMY are holding commission, granted by the president of INDIA with designation of Rank corresponding to those of Indian commissioned officers of the regular Army, Granted Gratuity on their honorable retirement\ Discharge\Release after 05 years of aggregate embodied service / or 10 years of commissioned service alike Non pensioner SSCO\ECO
4.Honorably retired officers of TERRITORIAL ARMY are awarded Gratuity at par with All retirees of Indian Armed forces & constitute one class of Ex serviceman. It is untenable to single out certain persons of the same class for differential treatment
5. Denial of Ex-Service men status and ensuing benefits has produced a class within a class without rational basis amongst ALL retired commissioned officers.
6.it is an open affront to their Reckon able embodied service rendered voluntarily in the national defense this discrimination has ruined the praiseworthy status & self-esteem of all honorable retired Territorial Army officers in INDIAN society are forced to suffer in silence for no reasons\fault on their part
7. It is therefore, requested to include Honorably released Territorial Army Officers into the preview of Ex-Servicemen, Being Gratuity holders alike SSCO