Ex-servicemen to get a full pension as service limit goes

Ex-servicemen to get a full pension as service limit goes

The three services refused to implement the pay panel award till the ‘anomalies’ were removed

After years of dithering, the Centre has finally acted on its promise of One-Rank, One-Pension (OROP).

In a September 30 letter addressed to the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force, the Ministry of Personnel informed them about the notification on pension benefits as recommended by the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC).

Disability Pension for Defence Pensioners

Disability Pension for Defence Pensioners

The Cabinet also approved the retention of the percentage-based regime of disability pension implemented post 6th CPC, which the 7th CPC had recommended to be replaced by a slab-based system.

The issue of disability pension was referred to the National Anomaly Committee by the Ministry of Defence on account of the representation received from the Defence Forces to retain the slab-based system, as it would have resulted in a reduction in the amount of disability pension for existing pensioners and a reduction in the amount of disability pension for future retirees when compared to percentage-based disability pension.

Revision of pension of pre – 2016 pensioners and family pensioners

Revision of pension of pre – 2016 pensioners and family pensioners

The Cabinet approved modifications in the recommendations of the 7th CPC relating to the method of revision of pension of pre-2016 pensioners and family pensioners based on suggestions made by the Committee chaired by Secretary (Pensions) constituted with the approval of the Cabinet. The modified formulation of pension revision approved by the Cabinet will entail an additional benefit to the pensioners and an additional expenditure of approximately Rs.5031 crore for 2016-17 over and above the expenditure already incurred in the revision of pension as per the second formulation based on fitment factor. It will benefit over 55 lakh pre-2016 civil and defence pensioners and family pensioners.

While approving the implementation of the 7th CPC recommendations on 29th June 2016, the Cabinet had approved the changed method of pension revision recommended by the 7th CPC for pre-2016 pensioners, comprising of two alternative formulations, subject to the feasibility of the first formulation which was to be examined by the Committee.

In terms of the Cabinet decision, pensions of pre-2016 pensioners were revised as per the second formulation multiplying existing pension by a fitment factor of 2.57, though the pensioners were to be given the option of choosing the more beneficial of the two formulations as per the 7th CPC recommendations.

In order to provide the more beneficial option to the pensioners, Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the Committee, which has suggested the revision of pension based on information contained in the Pension Payment Order (PPO) issued to every pensioner. The revised procedure of fixation of notional pay is more scientific, rational and implementable in all the cases. The Committee reached its findings based on an analysis of hundreds of live pension cases. The modified formulation will be beneficial to more pensioners than the first formulation recommended by the 7th CPC, which was not found to be feasible to implement on account of non-availability of records in a large number of cases and was also found to be prone to several anomalies.

7th Pay Commission

7th Pay Commission: Cabinet approves modifications in 7CPC recommendations pertaining to pensioners, ex-servicemen

Providing relief to pensioners and ex-servicemen, Government on Wednesday approved major modifications in the 7th Pay Commission related to pay and pensionary benefits. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a green nod to the restoration of disability pension for defence personnel, along with the approval of pensions committee report for the ex-workforce of the central government. However, the Lavasa committee report related to allowances of Central Government employees was not taken up for review by the Cabinet.

Army Welfare Placement Organisation

Register with Army Welfare Placement Organisation

Job seekers and recruiters can register themselves with the Army Welfare Placement Organisation to get information about employment opportunities for ex-Army personnel, widows of Army personnel, dependents of serving or retired Army personnel. Users can log in to register and avail the recruitment services. Details related to career counselling guidance, placement nodes and cells are given. A toll-free number is also available to help job seekers.

Our Hero

Param Vir Chakra

Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous), 4 KUMAON (1947) 

Naik Jadunath Singh (Posthumous), 1 RAJPUT (1948) 

2nd Lt Rama Raghoba Rane, BOMBAY ENGINEER (1948) 

CHM Piru Singh (Posthumous), 6 RAJ RIF (1948)

Lance Naik Karam Singh, 1 SIKH (1948) 

Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria (Posthumous), 3/1 GR (1961) 

Major Dhan Singh Thapa, 1/8 GR (1962) 

Subedar Joginder Singh (Posthumous), 1 SIKH (1962)

Major Shaitan Singh (Posthumous) 13 KUMAON (1962) 

CQMH Abdul Hamid (Posthumous), 4GRENADIERS (1965)

 

Lt Col AB Tarapore (Posthumous), 17 HORSE (1965) 

L/Naik Albert Ekka (Posthumous) 14 GUARDS (1971)

2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal (Posthumous), 17 HORSE (1971) 

Major Hoshiar Singh, 3 GRENADIERS (1971) 

Naib Subedar Bana Singh, 8 JAK LI (1987)

 

Major R Parameswaran (Posthumous), 8 MAHAR (1987)

Capt Vikram Batra (Posthumous), 13 JAK RIF (1999)

 

Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey (Posthumous), 1/11GR (1999) 

Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, 18 GRENADIERS (1999) 

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK RIF (1999)

Dependent Canteen Smart Card

Dependent Canteen Smart Card (Grocery Only)

Due to exigencies of services, dependent canteen smart cards (grocery only) have been authorized to dependents of Armed Forces personnel (serving & retired) only. Feedback has been received from the environment wrt misuse of dependent canteen smart cards by few beneficiaries. Following issues are reiterated:- 

(a) Dependent cards may be applied on the need basis only. Further, dependent canteen cards will not be used as identity cards. Dependent cards will only be used for gaining access to Unit Run Canteens. 

(b) Following dependents of Armed Forces personnel (serving & retired) only are entitled to dependent canteen smalt cards (grocery only):- 

• (i) Parents of Armed Forces personnel (serving & retired) (only if dependent, as per official records).
• (ii) Daughter. Up to the age of 25 years or till getting married \ (whichever is earlier). Unmarried/ Widow/ divorcee daughters ii dependent are also entitled irrespective of age. The eligibility will be verified by the URC through official records. 
• (iii) Son. Up to the age of 125 years or till getting employed (whichever is earlier). 

The eligibility will be verified by the URC through official records. 3. Only two dependent grocery cards are entitled to a beneficiary. The onus of furnishing authentic data lies with the primary grocery card holder. URCs/ Local military authority will carry out check URC authenticity/ eligibility of dependent canteen smart cards.

Defence Canteens Plan To Track Orders, Inventory Online

Defence Canteens Plan To Track Orders, Inventory Online

“If a jawan is at the border but wants a product delivered at the residence, he should be able to do so by logging online.” Online ordering and inventory management will leave an audit trail, he said. “There is a trail for the future audit to know if a particular decision was correct or incorrect. The answer for all this [corruption] lies with automation.”

Online ordering and inventory management will leave an audit trail, he said.

There is a trail for the future audit to know if a particular decision was correct or incorrect. The answer for all this [corruption] lies with automation. 

                                                                           By -M Baladitya, Air Vice Marshal & Chairman, CSD

Defence Canteens Plan To Track Orders, Inventory Online To Curb Corruption

Defence Canteens Plan To Track Orders, Inventory Online To Curb Corruption

The Canteen Stores Department, a non-profit retailer that’s also India’s largest, has one big problem: pilferage. The Defence Ministry-operated chain is now betting on a central database and online retail to beat rampant corruption.

“If I can remove human touch from decision making as far as inventory management or ordering is concerned to a large extent, [corruption] will get resolved,” Air Vice Marshal M Baladitya, chairman and general manager of CSD, told BloombergQuint in an interview. The aim is to monitor stock at all its warehouses from its Mumbai headquarters, he said.

The retailer with yearly sales of Rs 18,000 crore has 4,500 outlets across length and breadth of India, selling everything from toothpaste to cars at lower tax rates to defence personnel. It even runs mobile stores for those deployed at forwarding locations. Pilferage is such a big problem that Army Chief General Bipin Rawat sought the help of consumer goods makers that supply to the retailer, the Economic Times reported on April 3. The national auditor had in its 2016 report cited examples to point out the retailer’s failure to curb corruption.

The Canteen Stores Department wants to connect 34 warehouses online to automate inventory management. It has already submitted its proposal to the Ministry of Defence and has already short-listed software services providers, Baladitya said.

The outlets keep 5,500 stock-keeping units and Baladitya wants to prune the list. The focus is not on increasing inventory but filling shelves with fast-moving items, he said.

Apart from automating inventory management, the retailer is also looking to start an e-commerce website. Only armed forces personnel with smartcards that are used at canteens will be used.

The Indian Army

The Indian Army