The Union Cabinet has
approved the recommendations of the Committee headed by Cabinet
Secretary for benefits to ex-servicemen on four issues. The
financial implications of the improvements made as per the Cabinet decision
on the four items are broadly estimated at Rs.2300 crore per annum. The
details are as follows:
I. One
Rank One Pension:
On One Rank One
Pension, the demand of the Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen Associations is
that uniform pension be paid to the Defence Forces personnel retiring in the
same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of
retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension be
automatically passed on to the past pensioners.
The
difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank
occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel
in that rank. There is also a difference between the pension of
pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 retirees belonging to a particular rank. The
UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the
gap between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to
the ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks.
On
the issue of One Rank One Pension, the following have been approved by the
Cabinet:
(i) Bridging
of the gap in the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 JCO/OR retirees by
determining the pension of pre 1.1.06 retirees on the basis of notional
maximum for ranks and groups across the three Services as in
the case of post 1.1.06 retirees. In addition, the weightage of
qualifying service in the ranks of Sepoys,Naik and Havaldar would
be increased by two years for both pre and post 1.1.06 retirees.
(ii) The
pension of pre 1.1.06 Commissioned Officer pensioners would be stepped up
with reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks
instead of theminimum of pay band.
These are expected to
largely meet the demands of the defence pensioners on one rank one
pension.
II. Enhancement of Family
Pension :
(i) The pension of pre -
1.1.2006 family pensioners(Commissioned Officers, Honorary Commissioned
Officers, JCOs/ORs ) be stepped up based on the minimum of the fitment
table instead of the minimum of the Pay Band;
(i) Establishing linkage of
the family pension with the pension of JCOs/ORs, in those cases where the death
takes place after the retirement of the JCO/OR since such a JCO/OR drew a
pension based on
the maximum of the pay scales, 60% of the pension applicable to JCO/OR pensioners would
be granted to the family pensioner in case of normal family pension
calculated a 30% of last pay drawn. Accordingly, based on the rank, group and
length of service of the deceased JCO/OR pensioner, his pension
would first be determined on notional basis. In cases where death of
JCO/OR took place after retirement, the family pensioners in receipt of normal
family pension would
become entitled to 60% of the said pension determined on notional basis and those
in receipt of enhanced family pension will be entitled to 100% of this
pension. Similar entitlements would be determined in the case of Special Family
Pension; and
(ii) The family pensioner of
the JCO/OR would be granted pension arrived at on the basis of the family
pension worked out as per the formulation at (i) above or the pension on the
basis of stepping up with reference to the minimum of the fitment table,
whichever is beneficial.
Further, the linkage of family pension with retiringpension be applied
in the case of post 1.1.2006 family pensioners of JCOs/ORs also.
III. Dual
Family Pension:
Dual family pension would be allowed in the
present and future cases where the pensioner drew, is drawing or may
draw pension for military
service as well as for civil employment.
IV. Family
pension to mentally / physically challenged children of armed forces
personnel on marriage:
Grant of family pension to
mentally/physically challenged children who drew, are drawing or may
draw family pension would continue even after their marriage.
The above recommendations made by the
Committee on pension issues of Ex-Servicemen may be implemented from a prospective
date and payment
made accordingly.
***
SH/SKS
|
