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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

All Lt Cols authorised residential telephone

All Lt Cols across the board have now been authorised residential telephone at home as per orders issued by the MoD.

The facility would be provided through military network as far as possible and if not so provided then a re-imbursement of Rs 1500/- per month can be claimed through contingency grants.

The authorisation would be read in conjunction with the earlier letters issued on the subject by the Ministry of Finance.

The govt letter on the subject can be downloaded here.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Navdeep,

It is actually a retrograde step. Lt Cols do have telephones from the Army Exchange. Unfortunately, you cannot connect to the internet from the Army or Air Force Exchanges. I don't know about Navy but Navy is far ahead. The whole purpose of having 1500/- authorised was so that Officers have an access to the Broadband (info Superhighway). If no Broadband is being used,authorisation is limited to 400. Got the idea / point? This letter will create confusion and disorder. CDA will start refusing claims. Wonder why the guys who sign the letter do so without understanding the issues, limitations and secrecy of Army Exchanges and the danerous place that the Internet is if connected to the Army Net?. Infact, I have two computers, one for connecting to the Net and one on which I do my service related work, without connecting to the Net. The letter should be returned to sender as unactionable. Officers should have a STD + Broadband Civil connection at home(and not limited to BSNL/MTNL). That was the whole point of the VI PC recommendation, not the restictions.

Anonymous said...

dear navdeep you are requested to write a comprehensive article and blog on COL TS 18 YEARS and financial up gradation for army also WHY it should be given with due comparison with ias/ips/irs /ifs to be pub in leading newspaper and also email to people who matter. you are the last hope of Indian army

Anonymous said...

Sir,
A very positive step. Lt cols and eqvts can automatically have a civil tele with broadband at home precisely citing the security reason that Army network do not permit broadband. The Army network telephone can now be gainfully employed in unit premises where network connectivity is not necessary. Officers can refuse the service telephone and have a civil telephone at residence and claim the reimbursement. I hope intelligence prevails and reimbursement of claims is simplified (through CDA(O)) rather than make each officer run from unit to local IFA for concurrence in each case and during every posting as is stated in the orders.

Rajababu said...

Dear Navdeep,

as far as I know Navy has given telephones with STD to all offrs from 2008 only. Those not having service tel nos can opt for a civil line with STD and BB facility and claim reimbursement upto 1500/-. Those with service tel can opt for service tel with STD and have a separate civil tel for BB(reimbursible for only bb charges upto Rs 400).

I feel that its an old case and wonder why army has been caught napping.

Maj Mayank said...

Dear Sir,

my name is Maj mayank and we are the couple in army. my wife , a lady offr is a oldterms optee and now it's the time for the choice for the options after 5 years. i request u to kindly elaborate on the following issues:

1. Can a lady offr opt for extension for anothe 5 years and then quit in between? if so what is the rule posn?

2. if such lady offr conceives during this period, can she take all leaves in conjunction i.e maternity leave and then the child care leave? if this is the first and only child what is the max child care leave she can avail?

3. i request your personal attn on the issue as the info shall e useful to numerous lady offrs who are still on the stg of indecison.

Anonymous said...

Why go through the agony of claiming this (whereby the claim has to pass through the tables of many an ingnorant soul)!!! This can be granted to all officers (authorised as per the letter under ref, similar to Tpt Allce irrespective of whether they have one or ten connections. This will obviate the unnecessary paper work and loss of manhours in scrutinising such claims.

Anonymous said...

What about the Indian Air Force?Will it be applicable to them also or is it only for the Indian Army. Please clarify.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said,
Eureka! An authority for a telephone which no body wants.This not only speaks poorly about the people who are helm of affairs but also tells what is is in store for any future demands.God save the officer cadre.

N.A. Samy said...

Hello Navdeep Singh,

Ur website is pretty informative. I am a re employed Ex-serviceman and I would like to know about "Exemption of Professional Tax for re-employed Ex-servicemen". Could you please let me know any information you get related to this?

Thanks!
- N. A. Samy

Anonymous said...

Maj Navdeep,

Kindly remove ur chat box it as good as not having it, rather better.What is the fear in going back to ur old tested system. Pls put a filter for abuses IF THAT SPOILS THE TASTE OF THE FORUM.

Thanks

Unknown said...

Navdeep,

What is the date from which residential telephone is authorised to all Lt Cols. Are offrs on study leave can also claim for the telephone.

Anonymous said...

I dont understand why LtCols and above cant just have the same telephone policy as all other govt officers on the civil side who are of equivalent (And lower: ref DepSec) rank! Why these arcane and confusing letters?

Anonymous said...

As it is the signal corps will provide std broad band to the General so why bother for him just give him army phone which half of the time does not work
the lt col want any facility at all they are just supposed to work this letter shows the exact thinking of the top bosses who are at the commanding position
Govt wanted to give tele with std and Broadband so as the officers remain connected to the world but our own organisation is always ready to cut the facilities
pathetic conditions

Anonymous said...

Sir,
This is an issue we were trying to pursue with imdt hq as navy was providing this facility since 2008 with STD facility.
The new rule has no significance as one cannot refuse the army tele and if one has army tele one cannot avail of refund,and on army tele STD and internet will not be provided.they should provide refund thru local audit office for the amount incl mobile bills!

Has child carw kve been approved for the army.what are the modalities,is co the sanctioning auuthority?can it be taken 6 mnths at atime and bal in equal or smaller instalments later till child is 18?is it on full pay or like furlough?

Regular said...

What Rajababu has written about the service being provided in Navy is absolutely correct. I have a service phone with STD and claim broadband charges of Rs 400 on a separate BSNL line. Been doing that since 2008.

Rajan said...

As the first poster I must say Navdeep wakes up at some unearthly hour to post/blog. Attaboy Navdeep.

Haven't you guys also missed the trees for the woods. To bring the discussion on track-
(1) Army and AF cannot provide BB at Home.
(2) Navy is brighter.
(3) Why should every Officer not be provided BB at Home and a Civil Connection?? Why only Lt Cols and above?
(4) Civil authorities while making GoI letters should know facts or take the technical advice from Faujis before dishing out half baked letters.
(5) All Officers (particularly youngsters who will be the Backbone of the Forces tommorrow) should be Net savvy and should have a BB at home. We owe it not to ourselves but to our country, that youngsters become smart, savvy and informed.
As a Lt Col equiv outside and not affected by this half baked letter, I cannot comprehend why you people are restricting yourselves (a la Babooz).

PS. I have BB at home a 600/- connection and avail the 20% rebate on BB by BSNL. The bill rarely exceeds 500/- and is paid for by the GoI / Taxpayer/ Poor Indian. I do not misuse my Office Phone/ Residence Phone for pvt calls. For my unofficial calls (to my parents friends etc), I use my mobile and do not reimburse it (though I can and no one will question me).
We faujis are inherently built with straight spines. The rules are made by Babooz who cannot comprehend the self discipline and honesty of Faujis. I hence write with conviction, that the silly limitations being put should be removed. JAI HIND.

Anonymous said...

do comment on the website. and this is meant in constructive spirit. jai hind.
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/india-s-ragtag-army

Pied Piper said...

What constitutes a 'Tele Connection' in the instant case?


>> A Tele instrument which can call within your own unit/formation? Is this not an Intercom?


>> A hand wound tele set 5A capable of calling only a local 15 line exchange?

>> A Tele with local, STD & Internet facilities provided by BSNL/MTNL etc?

Only once this is clear we can go ahead? Maybe I should file an RTI to get this information from the Govt?

Any comments please?

Anonymous said...

Dear Navdeep, though the reimbursement of STD tele or mobile has been authorised, It may not be easy to get the benefit. Though the modalities for claiming this amount has not yet been worked out, I feel that the audit authorities are going to create problems on the following account : -
(a) No offr having an army number at home would be authorised reimbusresement. The audit auth would probably ask for NA cert from the local Signal Centre which will be difficult to obtain.
(b) No STD facilities are presently available with the Army exch for direct dialling of STD No. One has to book a call. You will not get a call unless you are a VIP.
(b) Your calls are likely to be terminated when an VIP asks for a Number.
(c) No separate funds have been allotted for this purpose. It has to be paid from the ACG. Hence, reimbursement likely to be at whims and fancy of senior officers.

Anonymous said...

Army is not getting any allotment of fund for reimbursement of tele bill> The contingent bill submitted has been returned by PCDA for want of Code Head> Is there any common code head for reimbursement of Residential Tele .

Rajiv Choudhry said...

Rajiv Choudhry....
I am amazed at the turn of events. Just to put the record correct I wish to place a few facts for all...
In 1988, Resi tele was allowed by MOF (the only autho to decide the perks of personnel) to all officers (no segregation between Service or civilian)with Pay Scale of Rs 3500-100-4200 (IV CPC) (or Dy Secy). Navy and IAF gave tele to Cdrs and Wg cdrs...AHQ went to MOD and got a letter issued quoting the MOF letter to provide tele to Cols and above..(equation of Dy Secy with Col by AHQ)...promptly CDA raised Audit objection on Naval and AF officers for reimbursement....Air HQ and NHQ continued to fight MOD on the grounds that MOF letter was equally applicable to Service officers and MOD had discriminated between Service and Civilian officers and denying them their due....The issue was finally resolved after Vice Chief meeting with Def Sec and MOD relented to accept that Lt Col were authorised resi tele....Army also gained by the efforts of the Navy and similar dispensation and letter authorising resi tele was issued in respect of Army offrs....Post issue of MOF letter in 2006..NHQ and Air HQ promptly made the same applicable and have followed it in letter and spirit...whenever queried the autho quoted is MOF letter... Unfortunately, army refuses to learn from its mistakes...when resi tele to Lt Col was already resolved..why has this letter been issued from MOD....one look at the ref will reveal that it is not a suo moto action by MOD but AHQ/SD(1) has initiated the file... the authority is your hand and you want to hand over to others...I cannot fathom the rational...By the way..the autho to sanction resi tele to entitled pers is with the Vice chiefs in the NHQ and Air HQ and probably with VCOAS/COAS in AHQ and the entitlement is as per MOF letters.... MOD cannot give you more than MOF but can surely play spoilsport and can only deny....we are tying ourselves in knots by seeking their approval...MOF letter gives adequate flexibilty in all respects and can be interpreted to your benefit...now you are forcing officers to go only one way