Gen Bipin Rawat. PTI file

New Delhi, June 8Chief of Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat on Thursday said the Indian army is well prepared to face external, as well as internal threats to the country.In an interaction with ANI, Gen Rawat said, “The Army is fully ready for a two-and-a-half front war.”He said even though India is ready for a multi-front war there are effective mechanisms available to defuse an adverse situation. “Even the PM has stated that for the past 40 years not even a single bullet has been fired on the Indo-China border,” said Gen Rawat.

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In a freewheeling conversation with ANI, Gen Rawat said a new strike corps, 17 Strike Corps, is being raised specifically for mountain warfare. When asked about the delay in its raising, the Army chief said a process as complex as that took time. He said, “It is being raised from scratch. The recruitments are on. As it is, to prepare an army soldier it takes about three years from recruitment process to training and then orienting and finally their deployment.”Gen Rawat went on to discuss modernisation plans of the army, saying the government is aware of our all needs and is supporting us in every manner. “Make in India is a good initiative, it will give results in two to three years,” he said.He said all armies across the world maintained an inventory in the ratio of 30:40:30. Here 30 per cent equipment is state-of-the-art technology, 40 per cent is undergoing modernisation and the rest 30 per cent is obsolete, which requires an upgrade.Gen Rawat concluded by saying that the Army’s preparations are not against any specific country. ANI

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Lt Gen GS Sahota, VrC, Vayu Sena  Medal,ex Army  Commander Southern Army ,inaugurated the statue of Sep Dalip Singh of 8 SIKH  LI at village  Ghunas,  District Barnala by   unveiling ceremony of the statue of Martyr Sep Dalip Singh of 8 Sikh Li who sacrificed  his life on 12 December 71 in Amritsar sector.

It was the desire of Pritam Singh,  brother of the martyr to see his statue erected.

11 December 1971 is a red letter day in the history of 8 Sikh L.I. 

Sehna block, which has 19 martyrs,  including  Karam Singh, PVC and others of Barnala contributed to the cause. About 200  ESM and equal number of residents of the village turned up.

8 SIKH LI won  One  MVC,  5 VrC,  4 SM and 2 Mentioned in Despatches.  3 Officers,  1 JCO and 32 OR sacrificed their lives and over 100 wounded.

Bn was awarded Battle Honour Fatehpur,as intimated by  

 Maj Gen SPS Grewal, MD PESCO and Vice Chairman ESM Cell (Pb)

HEALTH BULLETIN AS ON 01 JUN 2017 AT 20000HRS

ACTION TAKEN BY PUNJAB GOVT : PRAISEWORTHY

CPS रहे केडी भंडारी और भाजपा के Ex MLA मनोरंजन कालिया के चहेते SHO विमलकांत सस्पैंड

MILITANT SEEN AT HIZB COMMANDER’S FUNERAL SURRENDERS

IAF’S FIRST WOMEN FIGHTER PILOTS SET TO FLY SU-30 JETS

IMA AWARD CEREMONY GENTLEMEN CADETS FELICITATED

PRE-SELECTION CAMPS FOR ARMY ASPIRANTS SOON

SACRIFICE OF MARTYR BEING IGNORED: KIN

EX-PARAMILITARY PERSONNEL PRESS FOR OROP BENEFITS

INFILTRATION BID IN MACHIL, 3 MILITANTS GUNNED DOWN

MAJOR, 3 ULTRAS DIE IN NAGALAND ENCOUNTER

Tribune file photo

THE Special Task Force, constituted by the Congress government in Punjab to tackle the drug menace in the state, is showing some positive results. It has arrested a CIA Inspector, known in police circles as a “drug recovery specialist”, posted at Kapurthala. Small-level arrests have been made but big fish have escaped the net. Results are inadequate and unsatisfactory. A few days ago the Bathinda SSP and a DSP were accused of facilitating the release of a drug trader. The detention of an SP-rank officer after the Pathankot air base attack suggested a police-drug-terror nexus but the NIA clean chit came without offering a convincing explanation for his activities close to the border with Pakistan. Then there is the all-important 2014 case of ex-DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola, which hinted at political involvement in drug trade. The case has dragged on and seems to be proceeding in favour of the accused. Last year a Jalandhar court acquitted him in one of the cases, which points to weak prosecution. Now his case is being handled by junior-level ED officials. It is hard to believe that drug business could have flourished in Punjab without the knowledge of the police. The fragile law and order situation, the unsolved high-profile murders, the rise of gangsters, the pathetic condition of jails and an abysmal rate of conviction in cases involving politicians do no credit to the Punjab Police and urgently call for its overhaul and depoliticisation.When Capt Amarinder Singh swore with his hand on a holy book to remove the drug affliction from the state within a month of coming to power, people believed him. The expectation was, regardless of the offenders’ position or political colour, none would be spared. Even though three months have passed and impatient opposition parties have started protests, all that the government has to show up by way of result is a litany of promises and an expression of resolve. Low-key submissions have replaced pre-poll thunderous declarations. The Captain’s well-wishers are willing to give him more time but there is a limit to patience.

Army personnel carry the mortal remains of martyr Tara Bahadur, who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir, in Subathu in Solan on Saturday. PTI

• Rifleman Tara Bahadur Roka was cremated with full state honours at the 14 Gorkha Training Centre at Subathu in the presence of senior Army and civil officers from the district administration
• Roka was martyred while countering an infiltration bid in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowgam sector on Thursday. His body was brought to Kasauli yesterday and was brought to Subathu on Saturday
• The cremation took place after the arrival of his family from Nepal. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed as the family members paid their last respect to him
• Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar was also present on the occasion. Solan, TNS

Army organises summer camp

Palampur: The military authorities organised a summer adventure camp for children of Army Schools and wards of Army personnel and civil defence staff of the Northern Command under the aegis of DAH Division from June 5 to 10. In the one-week camp, the children will undergo a flurry of activities. OC

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 3

The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has enhanced the pension of Majors who retired before 1996. They will get pension as applicable to the higher rank of Lieutenant Colonel with effect from January 2006, bringing them on a par with similarly placed officers who retired after 1996.In 1997, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had issued a letter granting pay of Lieutenant Colonel to those Majors who had completed 21 years of service. Such officers were also released the pension of a Lieutenant Colonel since pension is based upon last pay drawn. Though the new dispensation did not make much financial difference initially, it resulted in heavy disparity after the Sixth Pay Commission.In 2013, the MoD issued fresh orders for releasing the pension to Majors with more than 21 years commissioned service on a par with Lieutenant Colonels with effect from January 2006, but only those officers who had retired between 1996 and 2006 were covered. This resulted in pre-2006 retirees of the same rank breaking into two groups. While Majors with 21 years of service who retired between 1996 and 2006 were getting a pension of Rs 26,265 per month, others who retired prior to 1996 but had same length of service were getting Rs 18,206.Based on earlier Supreme Court judgements, the AFT Bench comprising Justice Bansi Lal Bhat and Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra has held that it would be discriminatory to make such a division among pre-2006 retirees based upon a cut-off date. The Bench has directed that a pension applicable to Lieutenant Colonels, as is being given Majors with 21 years of service who retired between 1996 and 2006, be extended to pre-1996 cases also with financial effect from January 2006.The AFT has also directed the MoD to extend the benefit to all affected officers without forcing them into litigation.

Anomaly addressed 

• In 2013, Majors with over 21 years of service were allowed pension on a par with Lt Cols
• But the MoD order only benefitted those who had retired between 1996 and 2006
• As such, pre-2006 retirees with 21 years of service were divided into two categories
• Those who retired between 1996 and 2006 were getting a pension of Rs 26,265 per month
• Others who superannuated prior to 1996 but with same length of job were getting Rs 18,206