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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Ironic ‘rationalisation’

Ironically, the orders of revision of disability pension and other casualty pensionary awards issued on 04 May 2009 have been ostensibly promulgated to ‘rationalise’ the said pension structure of pre-2006 retirees. But the same, to put it mildly, are baffling. Firstly, it is not understood as to why pre-06 pensioners have not been put on the percentage system recommended by the 6th CPC as has been accepted for post-06 pensioners. While recommending the new system of calculation (as was in force earlier for civilians), the 6th CPC had nowhere stated that it shall only be applicable to post-06 pensioners. The emerging disconnect cannot be ignored. For instance, a General who retires on 31 Dec 2005 with 100% disability is now entitled to a fixed amount of Rs 5880 as disability element while an officer of the same rank with the same disability for the same injury or disease who retires a day later on 01 Jan 2006 is entitled to a disability element of Rs 27000. While the disability remains the same, is the suffering of a pre-06 retiree lesser than that of a post-06 one ?. And in addition to disability element, officers are entitled to service element (service pension) in the area of which, as it is, there is great gap between pre and post-2006 pensioners thereby ultimately resulting in creation a huge space between the total package of disability pensioners. Perhaps the committee under the Cabinet Secretary looking into bridging the gap between pre and post-06 pensioners would take a note of this ‘rationalisation’.

Some varying examples of disability element rates for pre and post-2006 pensioners :
(Service element / pension is at applicable pre/post-06 rates is admissible in addition to disability element)

Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 freshly commissioned Lieutenant who got disabled : Rs 5880
Disability element of a post-01-01-06 freshly commissioned Lieutenant who gets disabled : Rs 8100

Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 freshly promoted Lt Col who got disabled : Rs 5880
Disability element of a post-01-01-06 freshly promoted Lt Col who gets disabled : Rs 15759

Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 Colonel who was at the end of scale at the time of retirement : Rs 5880
Disability element of a post-01-01-06 Colonel who is at the end of scale at the time of retirement : Rs 24510

Disability element of a pre-01-01-06 General : Rs 5880
Disability element of a post-01-01-06 General : Rs 27000

Some rationalisation eh !!!

25 comments:

Lt Col G K Mohan Rao said...

Totally a raw deal for the pre 1-1-2006 pensioners. No stone should be left unturned to achieve the justice.

bsk said...

Dear Navdeep,
Thanks for raising the issue.This is nothing but a deliberate mischief by baboos to create another annomaly.All ESM orgs,irrespective of thier pol affiliation,must REJECT this "rationalisation".The Chiefs & Servive HQ's must also do so immidiatly & request the RM to cancel this Notification.They owe at least this much to their Disabled Comrades.Matter should also be taken up Min of Social Justice Which is Nodal agency for overseeing interests of the Disabled.
The RM should get this matter investigated & Baboos responsible for this Anti Armed Forces mischief should be brought to book.In any case Secy ESW (MOD)is answerable as he is being paid to look after "Welfare"of ESM.

Anonymous said...

I feel Govt is good at creating annomalies, does it have no control over their breaucrates who have master the art of being anti armed forces and the ex servicemen. Some one at the top have to put an end to this.
col J M Sharma

Harry said...

@ All

Its a pitible state for the "sarkari set up". These baboos are just insensitive and haughty!!
They have no understanding of military affairs and keep prooving it time and again. Each new order/notification brings forward loads of anomalies/injustice. What has happened to their calibre? When will the political leadership wake up and realise that military matters are best handled by those in uniform. Whats the point in announcing separate pay commission for AF if their issues continue to be bungledby boorocracy and not still not handed over to AF to sort out!!!

SANTOKH said...

Dear Navdeep,
Thanks a lot for drawing comparison between pre and post 2006 disabled soldiers.
I would request you to post similar comparison between civilians drawing disability pension.
The shocking disparity which existed between defense and civil disabled pensioners was an Armed forces officer with 100% disability was getting Rs 2600/= PM where as an IAS officer was getting Rs 10,000/= PM--what a justification !!!!.
The tables so prepared can be submitted to the High Powered committee set up to resolve the disparities.
Thanks a lot for enlightening the environment

Anonymous said...

Either someone has just put a 'ghughi' on the order, which is the most plausible explanation for a fiasco like this

Or

There is actually a 'Shadyantra' going on where the boo's are planning anti-armed forces stuff !!!

Mr. Singh said...

Maj Navdeep Singh,
I have a small query I hope you will address it. After attaining 80 Yrs of age the pension factor goes up by 20%,30%,40%,50%,and 100% after completion of each 5 yrs of age.Now taking an example that an individual draws a pension a per new scales of Rs 10000/-,after attaining 90 yrs of age he is to get an additional pension of 40% thus his pension becomes 14000/-, now at present the DA sanctioned is 22% from 01 Jan 2009, is he entitled the DA on Rs 10000/- or Rs 14000/- as the difference is Rs 880/- and this amount would mean a lot to an individual at that phase of life.

Anonymous said...

a very informative article. thanks for writing in such a clear and informative manner. we must fight for justice.

ANR said...

Dear Maj Navdeep,
The baboos have done it once again-another kick in the teeth of the Armed Forces.This time agaist the hapless disabled pensioners,who have no voice.They would have issued the orders after due deliberation.Hence,one should construe this appalling discrimination to be wilful and deliberate.The Forces disability pension is nowhere near what is sanctioned for civs.In their case even the percentage of disability is computed in a more beneficial and benevolent manner;above75% disability is computed as 100% for calculation of disability element,50% to 75% disability is computed as 75%, and 50% disability and below is reckoned as 50% for computing disability element.
The Armed Forces disabled pensioners have been treated as pariahs.Now,who will take up cudgels on their behalf?

Lt Col A N Ramachandran(Retd)

Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh said...

@Col Ramachandaran

The said rounding off of disability percentage (50/75/100%) is equally applicable to the defence services too. However it is granted only to invalidation cases and not to 'superannuation' cases.

bsk said...

@Col Ramachandran
Dear Maj Navdeep,
It is not an act of ommission,its been deliberately engineered,planned as far back as Nov2008 when in Pre 2006 pension notification of 11.11.08 DP was shown as "Interim DP" @existing DP X 2.26 while there was no such mention of DP in similar notification for Post 2006 retirees issued at about the same time.During the past few months the word was out that 6CPC recommendation on revision of rates of DP to 30% has been rejected by MOD due to ongoing agitation of IESM for OROP.Surprisingly the Baboos did not have the guts to do it for Post2006 & Future as it would have resulted in a massive reaction from the Services.So they have targetted the hapless with no Mai Baps!!
Dear Navdeep you must suggest as to what all should be done & by whom?Also what course should the affected people(the hapless lot)adopt to get back their entitlements?

Anonymous said...

Navdeep ref ur reply to Col Ramachandran @ May 11, 2009 7:13 AM

Why not to 'superannuation' cases ?

Is it applicable similarly to civilians also ?

Anonymous said...

The disability element for pre 1-1-06 pensioners need to be rationalised justfully. The rate should be at 60% of service element of pension for 100% disability..
The service element of pension also need to be rationalised for pre 1-1-06 pensioners.The minimum limit laid down in para 5 of MOD letter dt 11-11-08 should be revised as under-
" Not less than 50% of revised maximum pay for the rank from which the pensioner retired+Grade pay+MSP"
Justification for "maximum revised pay" is -longer service was needed to reach rank upto Lt Col-TS and there were no provisions for promotion to Colonel by time scale.
Hope authorities concerned will do some rationalisation of service pension as well as disability pension for pre 1-1-06 pensioners

Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh said...

@Anony 10.57

No it is not applicable to similarly placed civilians since disability pension is not admissible at all in superannuation places on the civil side.

@BSK 10.24

What you say about the thought process in MoD is incorrect. This was rumour mongering at its best. The recommendations for Disability Pension were never rejected by anyone in the MoD. Things would still get sorted out, I'm hopeful.

Anonymous said...

Diability pension for defence officers must be at least at par with IAS officers...
We need to take best care of our disabled soldiers....
Why should any one join the Defence Services ?
Service life is shorter, pay & promotions are poor, ultimately the pensions are also poorer.
We need to atke special care for pre 1-1-06 defence pensioners.

ANR said...

Dear Maj Navdeep,
Thank you for your clarification given May 11, 2009 7:13AM.However
,a nagging doubt arises based on the contents of para 5(¡) of Dept of Pension OM dt 3Feb 2000, linked to your post dt 17 Sep 2008.The order has not made any deferentiation between invalidation or superannuation.In fact these two terms do not figure in the order at all. Perhaps I have missed out something!

Lt Col A N Ramachandran(Retd)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for raising another important issue.This I suppose is nothing but a deliberate deed by baboos to create another annomaly. All Exservice Men orgns, must reject this rationalisation .The Chiefs & Servive HQ's must also do so immidiatly & request the RM to cancel this Notification....Lt Col (Retd)KVS Choudhary

Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh said...

@Col ANR

The notification for civilians only talks of 'invalidation' and not of disability pension on retirement / discharge. Whereas the notification for armed forces takes care of both invalidation and retirement / discharge cases.

SANTOKH said...

Dear Navdeep May 11, 2009 1:40 PM
Thanks for the hope of getting it sorted out.
Can it be refer ed to the high powered committee? since the difference is glaring.
Thanks once again

सप्त ॠषि सहगल said...

SAME ENGLISH FORMULA DIVIDE AND RULE, LET IT BE CAST, RELIGION AND NOW PENSION, THERE ARE ALWAYS DOUBLE STANDARD'S, MY FATHER WHO RETIRED IN 1976 WITH 20% DISABILITY IS GETTING A MEAGER AMOUNT OF Rs.1157/-, HIS DISABILITY HAS ALSO AGGRAVATED AND NOW BEEN ASSESSED AT 75% BY LOCAL MEDICAL AUTHORITY BUT CDA(P) IS NOT CONDUCTING THE RESURVEY MEDICAL BOARD, AND SAYING THAT DISABILITY IS SANCTIONED FOR LIFE, AND THEY ARE NOT GIVING THE SERVICE ELEMENT ALSO. THEY ARE SAYING THAT SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION OFFICER DO NOT GET SERVICE ELEMENT. PLEASE GUIDE ME WHAT SHOULD I DO. MY EMAIL ID IS rishisaigal@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

The govt has denied constitution of committee for orop .check this link :-

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Forces-pension-Govt-U-turn-after-EC-heat/articleshow/4511734.cms

Anonymous said...

Let us think as to what should we do to request the authorities concerned to take corrective action .A near parity in pensions between pre and post 1-1-06 pensioners is absolutely justful expectation of ore 1-1-06 pensioners.

Anonymous said...

sir
I retried from 1 july 2006. my disability pension 30% what my new disability pension my rank was subeadar

sub gurnam singh

Anonymous said...

Dear maj Navdeep
With your efforts , I hope we shall soon see some notification on improvement on disability pension for pre 1-1-06 pensioners.
I find NO justification for any variations ,at least, in disabilty element of pension between pre and post 1-1-06 pensioners.

Lt Col A K J (Retd)

Anonymous said...

Dear Maj Navdeep,
Any activity on this subject ?