Saturday, February 13, 2016

MEETING WITH SECRETARY ESW AND PCDA(P) OFFICIALS AT 3PM ON 11.2.2016

From: Indian Ex-Services League ieslhq@gmail.com
Date: Fri, Feb 12, 2016 at 10:52 AM
Subject: Meeting with Secretary ESW and PCDA(P) Officials
MEETING WITH SECRETARY ESW AND PCDA(P) OFFICIALS

1.      A meeting with Secretary ESW, Jt Secy and PCDA(P) Officials was held at MOD at 3 PM on 11 Feb 2016.  Following delegates were invited by the MOD:-

(a) IESL was rep by Maj Gen V Chaturvedi & Brig Kartar Singh, Sr Vice Pre IESL.
(b) DIWAVE was rep by Col HN Handa & Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh.
(c) Gp Capt Ashok Sethi, AFA.
(d) Army, Navy and IAF Pay Cells.

2.     The following issues were raised and discussed by IESL:-         
  
(a) The definition of OROP has been changed which has changed the concept of OROP. The definition as approved by two Parliaments must be brought back.

(b) Jawans Related Points (JCOs/OR)

(i) The pension of Jawans has been fixed by averaging which has resulted in loss of approx Rs.550/-. Hon’ble RM had set a figure of Rs.7000/- minimum pension for 17 years service in Y Group. A goodwill achieved by giving OROP has been lost for few Crores of rupees as 82% pensioners are Jawans.
                  
(ii) TA Subedar at 28 years is getting Rs 12660/- as against Rs 12268/- to an Army Subedar of regular Army. 
       
(iii) JCOs and Jawans must be fixed at highest of the pay band fixation for pension. ACP must be included in the pension at the time of retirement.

(iv) The use of VRS and PMR should be removed. Pension regulation has defined minimum pensionable service for JCOs and OR at 15 years and Officers as 20 years. This must be accepted.

(v) Reservists have not been considered for revision of pension.

(vi) Disability pension between 1-1-2006 and 24-9-2012 hasnot been calculated while giving arrears.

(c) Officers Related Points
             
(i) All Officers (Majors and Lt Cols) including Pre 1996, whose strength is minimal, should be given pension as under:-
                           
(aa) Majors – who have served as Officers for more than  20yrsould be given Lt Col’s pension.
                      
(ab)Lt Cols, especially selection grade, who had Commanded Units and completed 26 years service should get Col (TS) pension.
                             
(ac) Mistake in equalence table Wg Cdr(s) and  col (TS) in Circular No 555.
                          
(ad) Al Lt Gens i.e. HAG, HAG+ and Army comanders should be in one Category being Lt Gens.
                          
(ae) All Hony Ranks including those granted after rtirement, pension to be given to all Officers, JCOs and NCOs.

(d) Gen Points
                         
(i) DPDO should be removed as PDAs.

(ii) PSU Banks should extend CPCs in each State.

(iii) AMC Officers pension is same from Col to DGAFMS which is grossly wrong.

(iv) Jawans minimum pension must be brought upto Rs 7200/- in X Group and Rs 7000/- in Y Group at 17 years of service as promised by Hon’ble RM.

(v) There are many typographic errors which willbeforwarded separately.

(vi) Integrity of pension from Sepoy to Sub Maj and Lt to Lt Gen has not been maintained.

(e) Conclusion

(i) It will be seen that pension scales of following ranks havewider gaps which needs looking in:-

(aa)     Lt/Capt to Major.
(ab)     Maj to Lt Col (TS).

(ii)Pension of following ranks has very little gap:-
    
(aa)     Lt Col (TS) and Col (S).

(ab)     Col (TS) and Brig & Maj Gen.

3. Jt Secy ESW asked PCDA(P) rep to explain the rationale of fixation of pension.  At the outset Sr Vice President IESL brought out that there is a gross error in fixation of Jawan’s pension whereby the minimum pension as given by Hon’ble RM was denied.  Unless the Jawan’s (Sep to Hony NK) pension is revised to Rs 7200/- pm all other fixation would be incorrect.  The definition of the OROP has been changed with intent to Govt convenience. It was emphasized that OROP definition as approved by Parliament should be accepted.

4. Jt Secy ESW explained that they would ask, by a notification, all anomalies noted by various ESM Organisations and then these should be forwarded to the MOD.

5. Thereafter, the three (Army, Navy & IAF) Pay Cells chairmen represented that PCDA (P) Officials should interact with them so that the further procedure to resolve anomalies can be smoothened and progressed at priority.

6. Col HN Handa and Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh then brought, out in detail, the anomalies of War injury pension and invalidated out pension for all ranks.

7. The meeting was called off with an understanding that anomalies will be looked into by the Govt seriously.

(Source- Via 3-mail from Col SS Sohi (Retd)




10 comments:

  1. These fruitful discussion to iron out differences/anomalies should have started long back avoiding a the bitterness between the concerned. Till now the OROP issue is mishandled, at least at this juncture let us hope that the wisdom prevails.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very good backup info for all ESM and feels somebody is doing something for the ESM. I have read a comment of somebody in the recent past that" eh table (Circular 555) XXX Rum peekar banaaya hai". It is absolutely true then how a Sub Y 28 or TA get more pension that his counterpart from regular?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now the Jt Secy ESW will ask by a notification, all anomalies noted by various ESM Organisations and then these would be forwarded to the MOD. Thereafter, the PCDA (P) Officials would interact with MOD so that the further procedure to resolve anomalies can be smoothened and progressed at leisure. All this means, that the veterans have to be contented with the diluted PCDA (P) Circular 555 on OROP till a far off date. Is this not a ploy to prevent ESM's approach to the SC in the mean time? This action of deliberations should have started long back in Feb 2015 itself instead of making the definition of OROP too complicated to confuse everyone including themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Experts from Armed Forces should be associated with the preparations of implementation tables for OROP.So that correct tables are issued and time is not wasted.Also some action need to be taken against the persons responsible for issuing wrong tables.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly said. Not some action some criminal and penal action should be exercised on erring officials being error tantamount to cheating of armed forces veterans. Again transparency of PCDA, CGDA IS TOTALLY BLOCKED UNTIL RELEASE OF OROP BY DEPTT OF EXSM WELFARE.WHAT IS SECRECY NEEDED BEHIND THERE RELEASE. INSTEAD OROP FIRST FIGHT FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THEIR WORK AND ALSO INCLUSION OF OUR INVOLVEMENT IN PREPARATIONS OF SUCH TASK.

      Delete
  5. Arrears pre-2006 for pbor must be given wef 01.01.2006 to 23.09.2012 as difference of pension circular 501 and 547.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Sir,
    You are taking about Major's that they must get pension of a Lt Col and Lt Col oof a Col.
    What about Naib Subedar(Y group) who has served for 17 years is getting Rs 8740 and Halaldar ( X group) is geeting Rs 8925 much more than of a Naib Subedar. Is it one rank one pension. Officers are demanding one rank higher pension and Naib Subedar is getting less than of a Haladar. Please look into this matter a Naib Subedar must get more than of Haladar.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The points mentioned at para 2 (c) (ae) regarding grant of financial benefits to all the Hony rank without any discrimination of while in active service or on retired list is a stressing need. Honorary ranks are conferred to JCOs OR on the verge of retirement on completion of specified tenure of service for each rank. JCOs OR granted Honorary rank while in service get pay and allowances and pension to the next rank.Normally Sepoy and Naik granted Honorary Rank are eligible for pay and allowances and pension of Hony Nk and Hony Hav without any discrimination of while in service or on retired list. When Hav is conferred with the rank of Hony Nb Sb there is clause pre 2006 and post 2006 for entitlement of pay and allowances and pension at par with regular Promotted Nb Sub. Pre 2006 Hony Nb Sub was entitled for Rs 100 which was multiplied by 2.26 and an extra Rs 226 was added to thier pension in addition to their normal pension entitlement of the rank of Hav. In the case of post 2006 their Hony ranks are treated as regular promotion and they become entitled for pension at par with regular promoted NB Sub. In addition Sep, Nk and Hav (direct entry) are elegible for ACP up gradation on completion of 8,16 and 24 years of service when they did not get their promotion in the normal prescribed qualification and fulfilling the criterien. Look at the case of JCOs . Except direct entry JCOs, the benefit of ACP upgradation is deprived. Nb Sub, Sub, Sub Maj and Hony Lt when conferred with the rank of Hony Sub, Hony Sub Maj, Hony Lt and Hony Capt on retired list isnot entitled for any financial benefit of the Honorary rank conferred to them.The said Hony Rank is awarded to the JCOs on the occassion of Republic and Independace Day by the President of India every year. The prescribed percentage released for grant of Honorary rank depending the total strength of retirees of the perticular year/occassion becomes an obsticle to get the Hony Rank while in service though they are fully qualified,recommended and stands at the merit list but rejected for want of vacancy. Take the case of Hony Rank conferred to Sub and Sub Maj as Hony Lt.Most of the cases the rank is conferred on 26 Jan and 15 Aug each year and retire from service after completion of 6 to 16 days service in that rank.In their case the stipulated10 months service period in the rank is condoned as per pension regulations and they are entitled for all the benefits and draw pay and allowances and pension at par with regular commissioned officers. Hony Lt when cinferred with the rank of Hony Capt while in service he becomes eligible for the pay and allowances at par with regular promoted rank Capt. Hony Lt conferred with the rank of Hony Capt on retired list he is deprived of the financial bebefit of the Rank of Capt. Since Honorary ranks are conferred to the JCOs at the verge of retirement as a mark of honor for their meritorious and unblemished service and published in the Gazette of India the discrimination of while in active service and retired list, needs regularisation and equalization for the status and financial benefits for the next higher Hony Rank lifting conditions of while in service and retired list.Honorary rank holders deserves the regrads and respects in their retired life and it will remain with him till his soul depart from the soldierly corpse. With highest regards. Sub Maj and Hony Lt on retired list. At last I am compelled to mention here that as on date I am drawing pension less than a Sub and Hony Lt(on active List) at about Rs8000.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Refer the comments posted on various govt emp blogspot. This pension revision is full of complaints totally unlike the at the times of upa.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The information provided by Col Sohi is very
    encouraging. But what is discouraging that Ex Srrvicemen delegations always fail to tell the authorities that the MAJOR ANOMALY in OROP for JCOs/OR is that the pension has been granted to them based on their Pay Group whereas the detailed letter written to the three Chiefs clearly states that no differentiation will be made between different pay groups for the purpose of granting OROP. We the JCOs/OR pensioners request all the leaders of Ex Servicemen Organisations to tell the govt that all JCOs/OR pensioners. are required to be given pension of X group. A burden of Rs 600 crore on the govt for grant of X group pension. will not upset the defence budget.

    ReplyDelete