Upholding highest standard of forces
Capt Jasmine Kaushik was the all-India topper in the service selection board merit list (women’s technical entry) of the Indian Army in 2013. She was commissioned with ‘top 10’ order of merit after the training at Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, in 2014. She went on to be felicitated with the Northern Command army commander’s commendation card.
What did it take to be an achiever?
‘The game is not over until I win’ attitude has kept me going. Be sure about how you want to see yourself and then work towards that aim. Why not live
the best version of your life?
Who is your inspiration, and why?
I want to be the lead in my life story because a supporting role is such a waste of time. I draw my inspiration from the success of people in different spheres. I am a dedicated reader and for me books are a wealth of wisdom. My father has been my guru.What’s your next goal?
Goals are consequent results of sincere work at hand executed to quality outcomes with a sense of enthusiasm. I love what I do, I love where I am. I would say my next goal is to deliver my best to my organisation and uphold the highest standards of an Indian armed forces officer.
How can the youth be a change-maker?
The youth is the game changer and holds the key to influence change with the vision of experienced heads. Youth is not merely confined to a particular age-bracket. It is a mindset
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 20
The Army organised a four-day workshop on the development of leadership skills and team building for students and teachers of Army Goodwill Schools in north Kashmir.
A defence spokesman said over 90 students and 72 teachers attended the workshop.
“They gained valuable insight into the subject of leadership under guidance of a professional team of councillors from a reputed NGO, The Global Education and Leadership Foundation (TGELF),” he said.
The TGELF in consultation with the Dara Shikoh Trust has been engaged in developing leadership skills for students, teachers and corporate bodies.
By SSP KUPWARA, Kashmir
“I know colonel Santosh
As a person grounded to reality
He was passionate about social and political developments and like an intellect had deep insight
He would believe in the role of his institution in changing the outlook of society
He wanted to do something for changing the mindset of public towards the army and would indulge in certain activities strange to his institution
He organised trekking tours with youth and would often talk of integrating the army occupied scenic spots with those areas quite known on tourism map
He would see a great potential in tourism and believed army could lead in promoting tourism in border areas particularly those on LC
He had made a beautiful documentary on the scenic spots of Lolab valley
He had not only an eye for beauty but he had also a heart of a gentleman
He wanted to change the outlook of his forces and make them morale and humane
He would organise brainstorming sessions with troops and would invite general public to deliberate on the ills of society
A morally upright person he would bring people of expertise for interaction with troops and public
Sessions on attitudenal transformation would be organised and the result was a cordial relationship with the other agencies and public at large
He would believe in the process of change he felt was emerging in the society
He would offer a helping hand to the needy
A great Samaritan people would expect help from him and he would always acquiesce
As a soldier he would lead from front
He had great stamina and would walk uphill like on Plains
He had a carved out physique of Bruce lee yet he was soft in demeanour
He possessed a smiling countenance and mesmerising personality and
He would never look fatigued and give thums up to whatever assignment
A brave soldier and a great buddy he would always invite to his camp for meals and sight seeing
In the operation which consumed his life he never looked back
He pursued and pushed the militants
He wished to bring laurels to army and brought it with supreme sacrifice
I salute his personality
And wish him paradise
I have lost a brother
RIP Santosh”
Dear General Satbir sir,
No one is in better picture than you with regards to OROP, therfore I will restrain myself from review of the situation.
I submit the following for your consideration:-
1. Whatever has been achieved is from Jantar Mantar has been achieved. I see no point in continuation of our fight from JM in the existing form as it is not likely to yield any further results with the kind of sensitivity of our Govt. therefore we should call off the protest from JM. There is no point in frittering away our energy & resources.
2. We should file a petition in supreme Court in the wake of parliament’s passing it twice duly ratified by the President.
3. We should keep the issue alive by holding periodic press conf for the sake of Media. .
4. We should hold massive rallies of single day duration in Delhi once in every 4-8 weeks with a view to keep the torch burning amongst ESM & public. Similar action is recoomended in various states & Districts by respective Local ESM.
I have made these suggestions for immediate action. Long term strategy can be thought, deliberated & decided. You already have that in mind. But the Supreme Court Option is necessitated.
Not withstanding my suggestions whatever you decide, we will cooperate.
With this assurance & Regards
Brig Vijay Kumar
Dehradun
NEW DELHI: Over 25 lakh veterans across the country will get at least Rs. 3,000 to 5,000 more in pensions – depending on their last rank and years of service. And this will cost the exchequer a minimum of Rs. 8,000 crore to start with.
The increased pension will be paid with effect from July 1, 2014.
The Government today issued the much awaited One Rank One Pension or OROP scheme. Although, a formal announcement on OROP was made on September 5, no official order was issued because of Bihar elections and the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar signed the official notification today evening making good his promise that the government will implement OROP before Diwali.
Pension arrears to widows and gallantry award winners will be paid in one go, the government said showing sensitivity. Others will get arrears in four equal instalments. But it was clear that veterans may not find all their demands met.
Pensions for all veterans will be equalized every five years although veterans want it equalized every two years at least. The government says this would be an administrative nightmare.
Reacting to the notification, Major General Satbir Singh (Retd) said that the notification “is not accepted”. “This is ‘One Rank Five Pension’ and not ‘One Rank One Pension’,” he told news agency news agency ANI.
“This is injustice to the soldiers, we’ll fight with the government in court,” he said.
Also, in future, soldiers who quit without completing their full term irrespective of whether they have made it to the next rank will not get OROP. For instance, if a Colonel who doesn’t make it to the next rank – Brigadier – retires before 54 years – when he completes his full term – will not get OROP.
This is also not acceptable to veterans. They claim that this forces soldiers to continue with the forces without any future prospects. Also they claim this is in contrary to keeping the forces young.
Further, the Government has appointed a one man judicial commission to examine issues. Force issues while veterans want the committee to comprise soldiers only.
United Nations, November 29
Improved relations between India and Pakistan could create a more conducive environment for the two nations to stem the threat posed by terrorism, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said, asserting that dialogue is the only way for them to resolve the differences.
“I am convinced that dialogue is the only way forward for improving relations between Pakistan and India. I have urged leaders of both countries to resolve all differences through talks and have offered my good offices to that end,” Ban told PTI.
He noted that he has publicly called on both countries to exercise restraint in dealing with any incidents.
Given the significant threat terrorism has become to international peace and security, Ban said an improved environment between India and Pakistan could help both nations to tackle the threat posed by the scourge.
“I believe that an improved relationship between India and Pakistan could create a more conducive environment for both countries to stem the threat posed by terrorism,” he said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his address to the UN General Assembly debate this year, had proposed a four- point peace initiative to which External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had responded that Pakistan should address just “one issue” of giving up terrorism. The UN chief said that he is aware of the proposals on resuming talks between the two countries presented by leaders of both countries during the General Debate at the United Nations Headquarters this September.
“Terrorism has become a significant threat to international peace and security and is causing huge losses every day, as evidenced by recent horrific attacks in places such as Lebanon and Paris,” he said.
“Member States must work together towards curbing and eradicating this menace,” he said. He noted that Pakistan has suffered many terrorist attacks for which its people have paid a heavy price and the country’s authorities have been making efforts to combat terrorism on its soil.
What UN Secy-Gen said
Dialogue is the only way forward for improving relations between Pakistan and India. I have urged leaders of both countries to resolve all differences through talks and have offered my good offices to that end
An improved relationship between India and Pakistan could create a more conducive environment for both countries to stem the threat posed by terrorism
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, November 26
The SC today reserved its judgment on the Centre’s appeal against the Armed Forces Tribunal’s verdict quashing Army’s promotion policy under the command exit model.
A Bench comprising Justices TS Thakur and Kurian Joseph passed the order at the conclusion of several days of arguments that saw the Centre’s assurance that additional posts of colonels would be created for non-combat officers affected by the policy.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh and advocate R Balasubramanian said 141 additional posts would be offered to non-combat officers. The command exit policy was framed in 2009 on the recommendations of AV Singh committee for reducing the age of colonels in combat units in line with the practice in Pakistan, China and Japan.
Our Correspondent
Khamano, November 23
A retired Army man was found murdered at Pohlo Majra village, near here, today. The deceased has been identified as Bhag Singh (75), a resident of the same village.
Police officials from Khamano and Fatehgarh Sahib reached the spot. The SHO, Sukhvir Singh, said they got information in this regard at about 8 am and a police party visited the spot. The found the body of Bhag Singh lying in a pool of blood. The body bore multiple injuries. Fatehgarh Sahib SP (D) Rajwinder Singh Sohal and DSP-Khamano Ajinder Singh also visited the spot.
The SHO said they had recovered the mobile phone of the deceased from the spot and a finger print team was also pressed into service. The police have registered a case of murder against unidentified persons in this regard are investigating the matter. He said the body was handed over to his relatives after post-mortem.
Shaurya Karanbir Gurung
Tribune news Service
New Delhi, November 22
Several paramilitary forces personnel are dejected over the Seventh Central Pay Commission’s (CPC) proposals as some of their crucial demands have not been appropriately recommended.
These demands are non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU), bringing the basic pay of Second-in-Command (2IC) officers on a par with the Indian Army’s Lt Col, improvement in the modified assured career progression (MACP) scheme and removal from the contributory pension scheme, wherein personnel have to contribute 10 per cent of their salary for pension accumulation.
The pay panel in its report has recommended that NFFU should be extended to paramilitary and defence forces, due to the promotional stagnation in their ranks, however, two members have not supported this. NFFU ensures when an IAS officer is posted at the Centre with a specific grade pay, the officers belonging to the batches of Organised Group A Services (OGAS) that are senior by two years or more to the IAS officer, and have not reached that particular grade pay, would be granted the same grade pay on non-functional basis from the date of the posting of the IAS officer at the Centre.
The paramilitary forces personnel are not satisfied as the report states, “The number of non-functional upgrades may be limited to two, as it is in the case with Organised Group ‘A’ Service. These two upgrades should, logically, be at the two levels just above those where the system of time-bound promotions ceases. These are also the stages at which the stagnation levels are high.”
“We feel a sense of betrayal as clauses added by the Seventh CPC’s recommendations dilute the NFFU recommended by the Sixth CPC. The Seventh CPC fails to understand that no time-bound promotion exists in paramilitary forces and are only vacancy based, unlike in the defence forces,” explained a paramilitary force officer.
The Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force (BSF) and Assam Rifles had demanded that their 2IC be placed in Pay Band-4, like their counterparts, Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. The CPC has termed this demand as irrelevant.
Reasons for disappointment
Paramilitary personnel feel the Seventh CPC’s recommendations dilute the non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) recommended by the Sixth CPC
The Seventh CPC fails to understand that no time-bound promotion exists in paramilitary forces and are only vacancy based, unlike in the defence forces
The CPC has termed the demand of placing their second-in-Command (2IC) officers on a par with the Indian Army’s Lt Col in Pay Band-4 as irrelevant
