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Fraud On Veterans And Con On Those In Service : Culprits Need To Be Exposed

By Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Special Forces Veteran

To eat or not to eat that remains the question. Firstly lets categorically state that no FREE RATION has ever been given to anyone in the Defence Services till date. In case anyone is in disagreement then he must accept that till date only FREE SALARY has been paid to everyone in the Govt of India from President down to a peon.

All ranks in the Forces have always been getting their entitled rations when deployed in Field areas. In peace areas only JCOs and Jawans were getting their entitled rations. However since 1983 this facility was extended to the officers too.

This was done after it became very clear that keeping the Forces Fighting fit was not just a phrase but a responsibility of the Govt of India and it included the officers too. The entitled ration scales have been worked out for high altitude areas down to the plains, on ship and submarines, for flying, for Cadets and recruits, for extra strenuous training / exercises with all the nutritional and calorie requirement worked out to the minutest details.

For Siachen types of places it is a totally different scale. So  that is the reason of giving the rations in kind to officers and all those JCOs and men living in married quarters too. Next merely giving an allowance for buying rations even at the market rates would imply that Govt has simply absolved itself of the responsibility towards the Forces.

In that case it may also extend allowances for private purchase of defence vehicles and finally even for purchase of individual weapons and ammunition and its upkeep, certainly not a bad idea.

After all, in the days of yore this used to be the standard practice by many Kings and Emperors. What has further rubbed salt into wound inflicted has been the ridiculous rate of daily allowance of Rs 96. Whereas the daily ration scales for officers include

Mutton……260 gms (or 4 eggs or 500 ml of milk + 25 cheese + 9 gms maltova)

Eggs………02 (or 250 ml of milk)

Milk…….. 250 ml

Bread/Atta/Rice……450gms

Dalia……20gms

Green Vegetables……260gms

Onion……… 60 gms

Potatoes…..110gms

Dal……..40gms

Cooking oil….80gms

Butter….20gms

Fruit…… 230 gms

Jam……28gms

Sugar……90gms

Tea…..9gms

Salt……9gms

Cooking gas…..130gmsPlus

Other items like ham/ sausages/etc…..7gms,

Cornflakes/ custard etc……7gms

As it is now a days less 20 % of the officers are posted in the peace areas and by depriving them of the entitled rations is Govt of India saving millions or billions and what about the trillions lost in…..morale of the Officers, moral of the Sovereign promise, goodwill etc.

Further all talks of ration management and even the talk of CORRUPTION is all rubbish. Even if there is some malpractice there, then instead of eradicating it with all the administrative powers vested together with all pervasive Army Act why this easy way out of abolishing ration in kind? Then why criticize poor Anthony as Raksha Mantri after all he ensured NO PURCHASE of Defence Equipment for 10 long years because of the prevailing foreign slush funds being offered. Let’s hope the Railway Minister does not start following this after the next rail accident……jai Prabhu.So Colonel Mukul Deva, kudos to you. Well done. You have done what the QMG should have done on his own without even waiting for a nod from the Chief.

Now let’s come to another subject that is a Plot hatched somewhere in Lutyen Zone to deprive the Veterans of the ECHS Scheme. As per the plot, someone raised observations on the ECHS cards with electronic chips being issued to the Ex Service men and their dependents.

Today we have nearly 25 lacs ESM with another 1crore as their dependents and this number rising every month.With unveiling of ECHS for Veterans……a category of Govt servants who actually give their sweat and blood during service and are even ready to give their life voluntarily in case required, ECHS cards began to be issued from 2004.

Then as has been observed by Commander Ravindra Waman Pathak, Veteran the cards came under scrutiny of CAG and subsequently the parliament. There were serious insinuations of malpractice in 2013 and. 2014 by people manning the highest levels of the Ministry of Defence. Dhoti shivering Antony did nothing as usual and permitted the plotters to beat down the Forces and the Veterans once again.

The contract of card making was to finish on 31 May 2015. Not wanting to proceed on accusations of corruption Army HQ refused to renew the cards till Govt which controls the finances and CAG which does the audit, approved the card as part of ECHS. At least someone in the Adjutant Generals Branch took a stand and kept the flag flying and kept giving membership on a paper as Temporary Membership Card.

Finally now the MoD and Finance Ministry have accepted the contention to issue card with a RFP tendering TEC and PNC procedure. A firm has now been finally contracted to produce the ECHS cards, Kiosks with card readers and guidance modules. Old chips are not usable as the previous firm hurt by loss of a lucrative contract refuse to provide computer record backup.

In time all 50 lakh card will have to be changed. Presently first those without any formal card that is retirees after 01 Jun 2015 will be issued with new cards followed by replacement of older lots. The portion in red/underlined is a cause of concern for all existing Veterans and their dependents. How can data submitted by a serving soldier / Veterans to Army HQ in true faith for making ECHS Cards made available to a Firm (A private entity) become its property for life time.

There must have been a clause in the contract on the propriety of the database. But since the firm is reportedly refusing to give back the data there a doubt arises of such a clause was indeed there. Further what was the obligation of the security and safety of the data and its misuse by the Firm at any stage either during or after the contract was over? Being peeved at loss of contract is no excuse for the Firm even if it is owned by an influential person, for the data not being handed over to the army (MD ECHS) personal data submitted by the veterans include Name, Personnel Identification Number, Rank, Regiment

  1. Address
  2. Spouse and Children Name
  3. Telephone and / or mobile number
  4. Bank details5. Aadhar card details etc

In view of the above, firstly the AG Branch must file a case against the firm and ask the Raksha Mantri to apply Defence of India Rule (still existing) against the Firm SITL (Score Information Technology Limited) and have it closed down after confiscating all its records.Secondly all ESMs and their dependents should be ready to file cases against the culprits for theft of personal data.

Raksha Mantri also needs to probe and fix the responsibility on those responsible for this fiasco even if it was the Defence Secretary of that period. In case found guilty then action to be initiated against all those found responsible for this.

The PM and his Cabinet must also take responsibility for all decisions pertaining to Defence Forces, it cannot be treated merely like another department of the Govt. Let not Babus, Munims and even Scientists drive agendas affecting the Defence Forces.

There has to be direct interaction between the elected political authority and the Defence Forces Commander on matters military. So instead of losing trillions by removal of rations in kind, spend a few millions on restoring it as a first step.

After all who is a Veteran? As sent by Commander R W Pathak, a Veteran is one who

AT SOME VERY EARLY POINT IN HIS LIFE HANDED OVER A BLANK CHEQUE TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA AND PAYABLE TO MOTHER INDIA, FOR AN AMOUNT “UPTO AND INCLUDING HIS LIFE “ TO BE ENCASHED AT ANY TIME.

http://jagrukbharat.com/18064/fraud-veterans-con-service-culprits-needto-exposed


China won’t go for an all out war, says ex-Army officer

Points out economic interests different from political ones as traders want cheap goods for sale

China won’t go for an all out war, says ex-Army officer
Maj Gen (retd) GG Dwivedi

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 27

Having served with the Army at the Indo-China border for seven years and remained India’s Defence attache in China for three years, Major General (retd) GG Dwivedi is of the strong view that China is just trying to browbeat India and that it will not go for an all out war.Being the co-author of a book on Indo-China war and knowing the Chinese psyche and political scenario well, Maj Gen Dwivedi cites five reasons, “The stability of China depends on economy. Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power on an assurance of providing a prosperous and powerful environment which he has to maintain. A war can destabilise the Chinese government and if the communists he represents go out of power, the changeover will be violent and Xi might even be jailed. China is only a bully. It won’t act as the Communist Party has even announced its annual congress in October. Also, the main issue as of now is over constructing 4 to 5 km of road. Hell won’t break loose if this road is not completed. So, even the stakes are not high for a war to be waged.”Interacting at KMV College campus here (he is the husband of college principal Dr Atima Sharma Dwivedi), Maj Gen Dwivedi holds a view contrary to various organisations seeking a ban on Chinese products. “Our country’s traders want the cheapest products for a good sale. We must understand that economic interests are different from the political ones. Being a professor at Aligarh University, I know how the Chinese locks have thrown the local locks of Aligarh out of market. Their special economic zones (SEZ) are as big as the whole of Jalandhar. We must also realise that the private sector is not under the government. Even if the government intends to ban China-made items, these would be smuggled to India. Even if we increase the duty on Chinese products to discourage their import, there will be a way. These items will start flowing in through Dubai. For the same reason, our Indo-China sports events are continuing to take place. We must realise that 4Cs – cooperation, competition, confrontation and conflict – go on simultaneously.”Giving a clear perception on various issues, he said, “Our President is only for giving a salute. The Chinese President is an operation commander. They do not have the MoD and their Defence Minister is a serving General. So, there is no dichotomy between the political aims and the military strategy, which remains an issue with India.”Discussing the reason over the sharp rhetoric coming from the Chinese side, the Army officer, who retired in 2009, said, “Unlike our media which is free, the Chinese media is controlled by the government. They use various people including the university authorities as their mouthpiece. That is why, they seem to be more assertive.”Comparing China with India, the Armyman-turned-professor says, “They are geographically at least three times bigger than us. We have a 2.2 trillion economy while theirs is 11 trillion. With a trade of 4 trillion, they are well ahead of us. They also have a 2.2 million strong military but that does not mean that we cannot defend ourselves. We can turn the tables if we align with the US and Japan, with whom we have good relations. Our relations with Bhutan is also strategically very important for us.”The retired Army officer has served at the Chinese border in his capacity as a Division Commander for two years, as Battalion Commander for three years and as a young officer for two years. Besides, he has done his double MPhil on China and the Asia-Pacific. He has also co-authored a book, “1962 war: A view from the other side”.


Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India’s military prowess: Modi

Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds us of India’s military prowess: Modi
Narendra Modi. File photo

New Delhi, July 26As the nation remembers its brave heroes on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the great sacrifices made by the Armed Forces.Modi took to Twitter and wrote, “Remembering our brave soldiers who fought gallantly for the pride of our nation & the security of our citizens during the Kargil War.” He further added that Kargil Vijay Diwas reminded us of India’s military prowess and the great sacrifices made by the armed forces while steadfastly keeping India safe.The country is celebrating the 18th Anniversary of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ on Wednesday.On the occasion, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and three Chiefs of Services laid floral tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.At Drass War memorial in Jammu and Kashmir, the celebrations began on Monday.Last Sunday, the Kargil Prakram Rally was organised at the India Gate to recall the valour of the brave soldiers and their sacrifices which got country back the Kargil heights.Kargil Vijay Diwas, celebrated on July 26, commemorates India’s emphatic victory against Pakistan and honours the war heroes.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

On this day in 1999, the Indian Army successfully took control of posts at a treacherous high altitude and glaciated terrain across the Himalayas in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, after fighting for 60 days.More than 500 soldiers from Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives during the war. Four Param Vir Chakras, nine Maha Vir Chakras, 53 Vir Chakras and other medals had been awarded to felicitate the Kargil War heroes. ANI


UK’s first woman Sikh MP elected to key Parliament panel

UK's first woman Sikh MP elected to key Parliament panel
Preet Kaur Gill. File photo

London, July 18

Britain’s first woman Sikh MP has been elected to an influential cross-party panel in the UK Parliament that examines the workings of the Home Office.Preet Kaur Gill, who won the Edgbaston seat for the Labour party in the June 8 snap general election, was elected to the Home Affairs Select Committee in the UK Parliament.”We had no Sikh MPs prior to this election. So, Sikhs had no representation, and we had no female Sikh representation.Parliament must reflect the people it serves,” said the 44- year-old, who will join 10 other British MPs on the committee.The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee was chaired by Keith Vaz, Britain’s longest-serving Indian-origin MP, until he stepped down from the post last year.Its newly-elected chair is Labour party MP Yvette Cooper, elected unopposed to the post last week.The Committee chooses its own subjects of inquiry and seeks written and oral evidence from a wide range of relevant groups and individuals.At the end of an inquiry, the committee often produces a report setting out its findings and making recommendations to the UK government.It is incumbent upon the government to respond to each of the report’s recommendations within two months of publication.Gill has also been chosen to lead the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs.”The APPG has made an excellent start this week…we are confident Preet will make an excellent chair to guide the APPG to make concrete progress on some of the key issues of importance to the Sikh community,” said Bhai Amrik Singh, chair of Sikh Federation (UK).Meanwhile, a veteran Indian-origin Labour MP, Virendra Sharma, was re-elected chair of the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).The 70-year-old, who has been the Chair of the group for seven years and prides himself as the only first-generation member of the Indian Diaspora in the House of Commons, was unanimously re-elected by the cross-party meeting of members of both Houses of Parliament this week.The group, of which fellow Indian-origin Labour MP Seema Malhotra was elected vice-chair, works to promote understanding and co-operation between the people and parliamentarians of India and Britain.”The Brexit negotiation period will be a challenging time for the United Kingdom and I want to do everything I can to encourage further trade and investment opportunities between the UK and India,” said Sharma, the MP for Ealing Southall.Earlier this year, he had led an international cross party delegation of parliamentarians to Agra and Delhi, where the group met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. —PTI


Jawan kills Major over mobile use at Uri post

Jawan kills Major over mobile use at Uri post
Major Shikhar Thapa

Srinagar, July 18

A soldier on duty allegedly shot dead a Major in cold blood after the officer scolded him for using a cellphone at a forward post in north Kashmir’s Uri sector.Major Shikhar Thapa, attached to 8 Rashtriya Rifles and posted at Buchar post in Kamalkote, was shot late on Monday near the Line of Control, hours after a soldier was injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the sector.

Major Thapa originally belonged to 71 Armoured Regiment but had been attached to 8 RR unit in Uri for nearly a year.“Amid hostility along the LoC, the officer found the jawan using a phone while on duty. The officer warned him and tried to confiscate the phone. In the process, its screen broke leading to an argument,” a source said.( AK-47, killing him on the spot. The jawan was overpowered. A probe has been ordered and a police case registered.  Since the start of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, dozens of soldiers have committed suicide or have been killed by their colleagues. Fratricidal killings are believed to be due to “high level of stress”.This is the first major fratricide incident in Kashmir in three years. In 2014, a soldier from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry in Poonch shot two of his colleagues before turning the gun on himself.In March 2014, a solider of 13  Rashtriya Rifles shot five of his sleeping colleagues before ending his life in the Manasbal area of central Kashmir. — TNS

It’s hard to believe, says Major’s father

It’s hard to believe, says Major’s father
Parents of Major Shikhar Thapa inconsolable at their house near Dharamsala. Photo: Kamaljeet

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, July 18

A pal of gloom descended on the house of Major Shikhar Thapa (29), who was killed in a fratricide incident in the Uri sector of Kashmir last night. Kuljeet, his neighbour, said, “We were taken aback when we heard screams coming from the house Maj Shikhar this morning. Later, we came to know that the Major has been shot by a soldier.”Shock and confusion prevailed among family members of the late Major. “We have come to know that Major Thapa might be given the status of a martyr by the Army as there was heavy cross-firing going on between Indian and Pakistani troops when the incident happened, said the uncle of the soldier.Arvind Kumar, father of Major Thapa, who is also an ex-serviceman and retired teacher from the Himachal Government, found it hard to believe that a fellow soldier could kill his officer in the Army. Serving in the Army was a tradition in the family. His grandfather Anand Thapa had also served in the Army and had retired as Subedar.Major Thapa (29) had joined the Army in 2011 after completing his engineering. He was married to Suvidha Thapa and the couple had 3-month-old son Suvir. Major Thapa had visited his family three months ago to see his new-born son. He has also talked to his wife on the phone yesterday at 11 pm.Poonam Thapa, mother of the Major, was inconsolable and was not in a position to talk. Friends and people from the Dari area started gathering at his house.The last rites of Major Thapa will be performed at Dharamsala after the body arrives here tomorrow.Major Thapa was serving the 71 Armoured Regiment but was attached to the 8 Rashtriya Rifles in Uri close to Line of Control. Sources said Major Thapa pulled up a soldier for using mobile phone while on duty in the sensitive area which led to an argument. The soldier shot the officer with his AK 47 rifle around 12.15 am.


Army vows to continue targeting militants

Army vows to continue targeting militants

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 15

Describing the attack on Amarnath yatris as “one reversal”, the Army’s topmost officer in Kashmir Lt Gen JS Sandhu today vowed to continue targeting militants in the region.The General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen JS Sandhu, also hoped the situation would improve in Kashmir soon.“…Amarnath yatra attack has been one reversal but we will continue our operations and will continue targeting terrorists,” Lt General Sandhu told reporters on the sidelines of a passing out parade.Seven pilgrims, including six women, were killed and 19 others were injured when suspected militants attacked a yatra bus in Anantnag district on Monday evening. The killing of pilgrims evoked widespread condemnation across Kashmir. The forces have launched a massive hunt to the track the prime suspect, Pakistani militant Abu Ismail.“When the action (against the militants involved in Amarnath attack) is complete, you will come to know,” he said.The Corps Commander said the situation would improve in the Valley.“I am not too worried about situation becoming too bad or alarming. The situation will remain under control. In fact the assessment is we will continue improving the situation,” he said.He said there was no confirmation of Kashmiri Army man, Zahoor Ahmad Thokar, who deserted his unit last week along with a weapon from Baramulla, joining militant ranks.“We are tracking him,” he said.The Army has also taken action against its men found guilty of not working in a professional manner after some videos surfaced on social media showing Kashmiri youth being beaten up by the Army.“Some of the videos are old, some of videos were doctored to some extent sometimes. We keep ensuring that people continue working in a professional manner in the Army. When I find a person not behaving in a professional manner, we continue to haul them up…we have investigated these videos and wherever we found evidence against soldiers, we have taken action,” Lt General Sandhu said.


Capt seeks Modi’s help in checking unemployment

Capt seeks Modi’s help in checking unemployment
PM Narendra Modi has assured that his office will be recommending Punjab as an investment destination to foreign companies. File photo

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12

The Punjab Government has sought the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in dealing with large-scale unemployment in the border state, “which has the potential of disturbing peace in the border state”.With over 30 lakh unemployed youth in the state not able to find job avenues in the organised sector, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh sought the attention of the PM on this crucial issue during their meeting held at Delhi last evening. The CM is reportedly eyeing more jobs in the organised sector through a push to promoting industrialisation in the state.Official sources say the PM has assured that his office will be recommending Punjab as an investment destination to some Israel and Japan-based companies, which are looking to invest in India.Besides this foreign direct investment (FDI), the state is looking up to the Centre to announce a mega project in the public-private partnership mode.Sources say Amarinder, who stormed to power, buoyed by his promise of “ghar ghar naukri”, is concerned over the inability of policy makers to address this issue. Though the state government has tried to dovetail several central schemes such as MUDRA and Stand-Up India to provide employment, it is unlikely to take off in a manner that it can redress the problem. The number of jobs that the government itself can offer to youth is miniscule as compared to the huge unemployed population.Officials in the CM’s Office also say that recent incidents of terror outfits scouting for “their talent pool” have come to light. To nip this problem in the bud, the focus of the government is on creating gainful employment opportunities in the organised sector.The department of employment generation has already been asked to prepare a blueprint for setting up employment generation bureaus. A survey to identify unemployed youth in each district has started as also the preparation for an employment plan.


Army Cantt centre hosts plantation drives

Army Cantt centre hosts plantation drives
Army jawans visit the SLRM centre in the Cantonment areas in Amritsar on Saturday. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 8

As the NGOs gear up to begin the plantation drive and initiate a series of eco activities in the city, the Solid Liquid Resource Management (SLRM) centre at the Army cantonment has become an epicentre of eco activities with continuous plantation, cleanliness and awareness drives.Already setting an example by setting up the first such garbage management centre in the city, the cantonment has also opened the centre for volunteers, who want to actively contribute towards improving the environmental health of the city.Recently, it held a plantation drive in association with an NGO where local residents and volunteers planted trees and saplings of medicinal plants. A team from Army cantonment Khasa also visited, with members of the Army medical core to inspect and participate in the awareness drive. They were also presented with 150 saplings by volunteers to be planted at Khasa cantonment.The fact that the SLRM centre has engaged residents in segregation and garbage-collection procedure is an achievement, as the residents manage their own garbage. Taking a step ahead, they have also organised workshops and awareness seminars for other citizens to learn about the entire process and implement it in their own way.


US fighters fly over South China Sea

WASHINGTON: Two US bombers have flown over the disputed South China Sea, the US Air Force said on Friday, asserting the right to treat the region as international territory despite China’s claim to virtually all of the waterway.
The flight by the B-1B Lancer bombers from Guam on Thursday came as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping prepare for a meeting on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Germany. The two leaders were expected to discuss what China can do to rein in North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapon programmes.
North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday that some experts believe has the range to reach Alaska and Hawaii and perhaps the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
While Trump has been seeking China’s help to press North Korea, the U.S. military has, nevertheless, been asserting its “freedom of navigation” rights in the South China Sea, at the risk of angering China.
Asked about the flight by the two U.S. bombers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said there was no problem with freedom of navigation or overflight for the East and South China Seas.
“But China resolutely opposes individual countries using the banner of freedom of navigation and overflight to flaunt military force and harm China’s sovereignty and security,” he said.
The United States has criticised China’s build-up of military facilities on South China Sea reefs and tiny islands it has constructed, concerned that they could be used to extend its strategic reach.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims in the sea.

CHINA’S CARRIER DOCKS IN HONG KONG

Top) The Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier, sailed into Hong Kong for a port call on Friday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army garrison’s presence in the city; (left) Residents photograph the ship; (right) A fighter jet on the Liaoning.


CAPTAIN WITH THE GENERAL

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh called on army chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Thursday. Amarinder presented a set of six military history books authored by him to the General.