Monthly Archives: August 2018

Army jawans carry the coffin of martyr Havildar Zorawar Singh at his native Rail village in Kangra district on Friday. Kamaljeet

Ashok Raina

Kangra, March 23

Locals in large numbers paid floral tributes to Zorawar Singh, who was killed in a fierce gunfight on the frontier of Kupwara district on Wednesday, at his native village Rait in Shahpur.The mortal remains of Havildar Jorabar Singh, 43, were brought here on Thursday. The martyr is survived by his wife Sanjna Devi, parents and three children — two daughters and eight-year-old son Ashu. A large number of people joined the funeral procession and raised slogans ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Zorawar Singh Amar Rahey’.Subedar Rai Singh (retd), braveheart’s father, said he was blessed to have a son like Zorawar Singh.Urban Development Minister Sarveen Chaudhary, who represents the Shahpur constituency, laid the wreath at the Chambi cremation ground. Shahpur SDM Jagan Thakur, SDPO, Jawali, Army officers and Congress leader Kewal Singh Pathania also paid tributes.Sarveen Chaudhary said the state government would provide all possible help to the family of the martyr.The last rites were performed with the state honours. Elder brother of the martyr was killed in a road accident a decade ago and his younger brother is mentally challenged. Now, the family’s responsibility is on the father.Pathania said in Kashmir, the situation was going from bad to worse. He blamed the Modi government for losing soldiers in such gunfights.

We, 18.5 lakh pre-2016 Armed Forces pensioners and family pensioners will have to wait because of the apathy in the matter of revision of Pensions and issue of E-PPOs consequent to the Cabinet decision of 3.5.2017 to be fixed on the notional pay drawn on date of retirement/death as applicable. On the other hand, 1.5 lakh revised PPOs have been issued by PCDA (P) to Defence Civilian pensioners and family pensioners.

For All Government Pensioners

2. After the Cabinet’s approval dated 3.5.2017, the Department of Expenditure (DoE), MoF, through OM No. 1(13)/EV/2017 dated 23.5.2017, clarified that

“3. Central Pension Accounting Offices….Controller General of Defence Accounts under the  Ministry of Defence…..

4. (c) Pension Accounting Authorities….(i) CPAO in case of civil pensioners and similar pension accounting offices in the Ministry of Defence…….shall pass on relevant data of live pensioners to the concerned PAOs by 31.5.2017…..In cases where data is not available the same will be obtained by the pension accounting offices from the disbursing banks and shall be passed on to the concerned PAOs. This action will be taken up simultaneously and completed within four weeks.

For Government’s Civilian Pensioners

3. DoP&PW has clarified on the Concordance Tables prepared by DoE as follows in OM No. 38/37/2016- P & PW (A) dated 6.7.2017 as follows: –

“4.       These concordance tables have been prepared to facilitate revision of pension of pre-2016 pensioners/family pensioners by the concerned Pension Sanctioning Authorities. Due care has been taken to prepare these concordance tables based on fitment tables for fixation of pay from 4^th to 5^th , 5^th to 6^th and 6^th to 7^th Pay Commission. 

                        xxxx                                                     xxxx                                                     xxxx

5. It is requested that the pension of pre-2016 pensioners/family pensioners may be revised w.e.f. 01.01.2016 in accordance with instructions contained in this Department’s OM of even number dated 12.5.2107 using the concordance tables enclosed herewith.”

4. The Concordance tables, and periodic amendments, are being circulated by DoP&PW vide OM No. 38/37/2016-P & PW (A) dated 12.7.2017, 18.7.2017, and 13.9.2017 respectively. Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) has issued more than 29000 e-PPOs as per RTI reply dated 1.3.2018.

Defence Civilian Pensioners

5. PCDA (P) issued Circular C-164 stating at  Paragraph 18 that PCDA (P) would provide lists of living pensioners and family pensioners from e-scrolls held by PCDA (P) to Heads of Offices (HOO) with a caveat that the list may not be exhaustive, and Circular C-164 at Paragraph 2 statingthat the Concordance Tables provided by DoE and mentioned in the DOP&PW letter(s) be utilised by HOO to prepare the LPC-Data Sheets required by PCDA (P) (emphasis added). Based on DoE’s Concordance tables, HOOs if Defence Civilian departments have been able to prepare and dispatch LPC-Data Sheets to PCDA (P), who in turn issued revision Pension Payment Orders to 1.59 lakh (25%) out of 5.58 lakh Civilian Defence Pensioners & Family pensioners as on 20.3.2018. The information is provided on the PCDA (P), Allahabad website http://www.pensionersportal.gov.in/PPOStatus.asp. There is no information related to the Defence Forces pensioners and family pensioners on the PCDA (P), PCDA (N) or CDA (AF) pages.

Defence Forces Pensioners

6. On the other hand, Concordance tables for Defence Forces pensioners and Family pensioners have not been issued. Further, CGDA has not passed on data of live pensioners to the Pay & Accounting Offices (PAOs), even obtaining it from pension disbursing banks where necessary, all within 4 weeks. Therefore, Defence Forces’ Veterans Directorates are unable to prepare LPC and data sheets required for revision of pensions and issue of PPOs.

7. MoD OM No. 17 (01/2017/(02)/D (Pen/Pol) dated 5.9.2017 makes no mention of  Concordance tables that can be  applicable for Defence Forces pensioners and Family pensioners as Rank Pay (4^thand 5^th CPC dispensation) and MSP (6^th and 7^th CPC dispensations) have to be added to prepare the tables. PCDA (P) Circular No. 585 dated 21.9.2017 also does not mention Concordance tables because, replies to RTI reveal that DESW and D (Pay/Services), are in consultation with CGDA to prepare the Concordance tables for pre-2016 Defence Forces pensioners and Family pensioners.

8. The following chronology, obtained through the RTI disclosures from DESW (No. 237/RTI/2014/D (P/P) dated 16^thMarch 2018 and earlier from CGDA), reveals the acute state of indecision on the issue of Concordance tables for pre-2016 pensioners and family pensioners: –

(a)        13^th July 2017: – Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) forwards the DoP&PW letter and Concordance tables to O/o CGDA [PC to F No. 17(1)/2016-D (Pen/Pol) refers].

(b)        12^th September 2017: – Joint CGDA writes to JS (ESW) to issue Concordance Tables.

(c)        13^th September 2017: – US (Pen/Pol) writes to US (Pay/Services) about Concordance Tables.

(d)        14^th September 2017: – CGDA advises D (Pen/Pol) to approach D (Pay/Services) to furnish the Concordance tables.

(e)        4^th October 2017: – Jt CGDA writes to US (Pen/Pol) drawing attention to Para 18 of MoD letter dated 5^th September 2017 that notional pay is to be fixed by Record Offices and Naval Pay Office. The UO note is also repeated from O/o CGDA to US (Pen/Pol).

(f)        5^th October 2017: –     US (Pen/Pol) sends a reminder to US (Pay/Services) regarding the Concordance tables.

(g)        9^th October 2017: –     Jt CGDA writes to JS (ESW) seeking status of Concordance tables to be issued in consultation with D (Pay/services). JS (ESW) seeks status from US (Pen/Pol) on 10^th October 2017.

(h)        17^th October 2017: –   JS (ESW) writes to JS (E) for D (Pay/Services) to prepare the Concordance Tables.

(j)         25^th October 2017: –   JS (ESW) writes again to JS (E) to intervene personally and arrange to issue the Concordance tables.

(k)        27^th October 2017: – US D (Pay/Services) vide MoD ID No. 1(26)/2017/D (Pay/Services) dated 27^thOctober 2017 writes to CGDA to prepare the Concordance tables and send them directly to DESW (Pension Division) for further necessary action.

(l)         2^nd November 2017: –            Note 4 to US (Pen/Pol) that JS (ESW) has taken up the matter with JS (E) through a DO dated 25^th October 2017, however, requisite inputs from D (Pay/Services) is awaited. Note 4/n on F No. PC to 17 (1)/2016/D (Pen/Pol) refers.

(m)      13^th November 2017: – PCDA (P), Allahabad states that No PPOs have been issued to Defence Forces officers as on 13.11.2017 (No. AN/RTI/2969/SYS/2017).

(n)        1^st December 2017: – Jt CGDA, O/o CGDA UO No. 5700/AT-P/7^th CPC/Vol V writing an entreaty to JS (ESW) to issue the Concordance Tables as Pension Sanctioning Authorities are pressurising to enable them to issue the PPOs for pre-2016 Defence Forces Family pensioners and pensioners.

(p)        15^th December 2017: – Deptt of ESW vide ID No. PC-17 (1)/2016/D (Pension/Policy) writes to O/o CGDA to take up with D (Pay/Services) for expeditious preparation of Concordance tables.

It appears that there is either no action taken by DESW or no information available with DESW after 15.12.2017.

9. RTI reply also indicate that PSAs have not provided data on live pensioners to PAO within 4 weeks of 23.5.2017 as specified by DoE. Therefore, Directorate of Air Veterans (DAV), vide Air HQ/99798/Misc/7^thCPC/O/RP/DAV dated 13^thOctober 2017 requested for data from pensioners and family pensioners. The DAV website https://www.iafpensioners.gov.in indicates that 4057 Officers pensioners, 348 Officers Family pensioners, and 35206 Other Ranks pensioners have provided the information required as on 23.2.2018. All this data appears to be held up in DAV awaiting the Concordance tables which appear to be held up in a tug-of-war between MoD and CGDA.

10. DoE must have been aware that all Pension Accounting Authorities viz. CGDA maintain data on live pensioners for it to have the procedure at para 3 of its letter dated 25.3.2017.  Even then, the statement by CGDA/PCDA (P) that it does not posses data and needs to be provided data appears perennial. This is in contradiction of the following instructions/training notes issued by CGDA: –

(a)        The Defence Pension Payment Instructions 2013 for Pension Disbursing Agencies Booklet on the sanction and payment of Pensionary Benefits to Defence Personnel (including Defence Civilians) issued by CGDA (http://www.cgda.nic.in/training/trgDPTI/psm.pdf) is very explicit on the maintenance of records of Pension related calculation i.e. pay drawn on date of retirement/death etc.

(b)        The CGDA booklet also states that every Pension Disbursing Authority (PDA) shall furnish a statement showing number of effective pensioners to the PCDA (P) on 1^st April and 1^st October every year viz. PBOR, Commissioned Officers, Family, Defence Civilians and Family pensioners.

11. O/o CGDA, has obtained data of live pensioners in 2012-14 to implement orders of the Supreme Court in IA No. 9 of 2010 in TP (C) No. 56 of 2007 also known as  the Rank Pay case from about 45000 beneficiaries as revealed through RTI reply No. CPIO/AT/2013/HQ/1/1108 and UO Note AT/1/1483-Army/PC/V both dated 14.6.2013.

12. Further, in 2015, this aspect of CGDA stating that Defence Forces officers’ data is not readily available is mentioned in MoD D.O. No. 12 (1)/2015-D (Pen/Pol) Part II dated 29.5. 2015 from then JS (ESW) to Addl CGDA, especially in the context of JS (PMO) requiring certain calculations in a similar manner of fixing notional pay furnished (by O/o CGDA) in Maj Gen SPS Vains (retd) & Others case [F No. 4 (140)/2010/D (Pen/Legal) Vol II].  Later, O/o CGDA, working out financial implications of OROP on notional pay as in the Maj Gen Vains case at Annexures A to D to CGDA UO No. 5699/AT-P/OROP/Vol V dated 11^thJune 2015, has quoted the following figures of pre-2013 and post 2013 retirees as on 1.4.2014 as (i) Officers: 44, 595, and (ii) JCO/OR & equivalent 12, 64,228.

13. Therefore, the CGDA should be able to provide the live data of all pre-2016 Defence Forces and Family pensioners to the Pay Accounting Offices and through them to the RO/NPO. However, the unresolved matter of Concordance tables for pre-2016 Armed Forces pensioners and Family pensioners that will the stumbling block that needs RM’s personal intervention.

Veterans Outreach programme was organised at Dharamshala Military Station #IndianArmy on 23 Mar 18 under the aegis of 33 Mountain Brigade by 3/11 Gorkha Rifles for welfare and interaction with veterans & veer naris. Plethora of facilities established for their benefit.

The Parliamentary Committee on Defence is reported to have recommended five years of compulsory military service for anyone who wants subsequent employment with the state or the central government. The committee apparently wants the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to prepare such a proposal and take this to the Centre.

On the face of it, the perception and recommendation of the Committee reflects the core feelings of most Indians that a dose of compulsory military training for ‘all citizens’ will only do good for the people and the nation. It is reflective of the deep reverence the nation has for its armed forces, their basic value system, discipline, training, sense of duty, and patriotism.

However, on the outset it is necessary to explain that executing such a desire is impractical given the sheer size of our recruitable male and female population (gender equation being a compulsion too). Examples of nations such as Israel, Singapore, Switzerland or the Nordic states, which follow such a system, cannot be taken as a model. Their population bases and nature of threats are altogether different. However, giving the Parliamentary Committee its due, there is nothing such as conscription in the recommendations set out.

All that the committee has done is that it has sent a broad proposal concerning only aspirants for government service and that too for only gazetted ranks. Five years compulsory service in the armed forces will, as per its perception, achieve two things:

• First, it will instil in the civil services (aspirants) an inherent discipline that the men in uniform follow, along with their regimentation, ethics, morals and values.
• Second, it will help overcome the acute shortages that continue to persist, especially in officer ranks, the army in particular.

Also Read: Nagrota Attack: Anti-Terror Training Is the Chink in Army’s Armour

Advantages of the Proposal

Some more advantages can be perceived with a closer examination of the proposal. Among them is the likely progressive improvement in civil-military relations as more civil services officers having undergone military service reach higher ranks of bureaucracy or police services.

This is an aspect of functioning in India which has drawn much negativity. In future years, the bond of the uniform, the respect for camaraderie built in the ranks, essentials of regimental bonding and much more will come forward to overcome traditional rivalry.

No one is denying that rivalry may still exist but denting it will help the system.

There can be no doubt about the fact that the proposal will need many summers before it can be approved, and refinement will include experimentation and lessons, besides a full look at terms of service for each type of personnel.

But the issue it will impact in full is the shortage of officers; there is no need to address shortage of soldiers as that is self-corrective, being an issue of exit and entry statistics at a given time.

The armed forces are always accused of having a pyramidal system for the officer cadre where wastage is extremely high. This is because the majority joins the ‘main cadre,’ thus becoming aspirants for long service and higher rank. This makes competition intense. Existing alongside is a ‘support cadre’ – those in service for a shorter duration and not aspiring for long service and higher selection rank.

Also Read: Soldier Speak: How the Army Upholds Unity in Linguistic Diversity

Bolstering Support Cadres, Overcoming Deficiency

Ideally every service of the armed forces should have a large officer based ‘support cadre’ and a lean ‘main cadre’ so that the force remains young in profile with quicker promotions and less competition. In India, however, it’s the other way around. Any reversal of this cannot happen in isolation.

Those exiting also have to be taken care of, by side stepping them into other services that don’t require stringent standards of physical fitness. In India, no other service accepts them despite a Cabinet-approved proposal of 2004, on what is called the ‘peel factor’ (employing those peeling off from the cadre at different stages).

The induction of civil service aspirants will obviously be to the ‘support cadre’ to strengthen that and overcome the problem of deficiency of officers. Both men and women aspirants can join the support cadre through a short service commission for five years or so.

Stringent medical and physical fitness standards will need to be adopted and can be anticipated as one of the obstacles to the final clearance of this proposal.

In addition, there can be consideration for ante date seniority for those who do military service and then join the civil services; that is if the civil services cadre could have acceptance with a dual intake pattern, combination of those who serve the armed forces and those who come in directly. All these details will obviously be examined with a fine tooth comb, and the DoPT is adept at evolving cadres with varying terms and conditions.

Rafale deal is a defence agreement signed between India and France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition.

New Delhi, March 13

A plea was on Tuesday filed in the Supreme Court seeking an independent probe into the Centre’s decision to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and disclosure of the cost involved in the deal before Parliament.The petition, which may come up for hearing during the week, alleged that it was the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to disclose the cost involved in the entire deal to Parliament and the citizens.”Direct the respondents (Centre and MoD) to disclose a consolidate transaction cost involved in procuring 36 Rafale fighter aircraft,” the plea, filed by Congress leader Tehseen S Poonawalla, said.It also sought issuance of a direction against the Centre as to why the Cabinet’s approval was not sought as part of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) before signing the procurement deal with France on September 23, 2016.The plea claimed that the defence deal of procuring 36 Rafale fighters from Dassault was announced during the prime minister’s state visit to France.”It was an attempt to put a sheen on Prime Minister’s visit to Paris. This pronouncement was a premature announcement of the deal without going through the usual practice, the formal process and procedure which is otherwise involved in similar international covenants,” it said.Rafale deal is a defence agreement signed between the governments of India and France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition as a part of upgrading process of Indian Air Force equipment.Rafale fighter aircraft is a twin-engine Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) is manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation.Indian Air Force had advanced a proposal to buy 126 fighter aircraft in August 2007 and floated a tender and an invitation was sent to various aviation companies to participate for the bidding process.The petition said in 2012, the deal for 126 Rafale fighter aircrafts was proposed, and out of the total of 126 number, 18 Rafale fighter aircrafts were to be delivered by Dassault Aviation company in fly-away condition, the rest 108 Rafale fighter aircrafts were to be manufactured in India at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence unit, under a transfer of technology agreement.That the deal was nearly finalised by 2014 by the then UPA government, it said.”In April 2015, Narendra Modi made a state visit to France and during a state event the Prime Minister in Paris made an announcement to purchase 36 Rafale fighter aircrafts in fly-away condition and immediately within few days after the big announcement of procuring of 36 Rafale aircrafts. On 13th April 2015, the then defence minister made an announcement that the Rafale deal is ‘effectively dead’ and that India officially withdrew the 126-aircraft MMECA tender on 30 July 2015,” it alleged.The plea said the MoD had withdrawn the 2007 tender which was for procurement of 126 Rafale fighter aircrafts, the deal announced for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft was all together a fresh procurement.The plea has also sought a direction to the Centre  put on record the agreement signed between India and France on September 23, 2016. – PTI

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the release of an additional instalment of dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) for Central Government employees and pensioners. The decision to hike the DA by 2 per cent was taken at a meeting chaired by PM Modi.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The employees will now get DA and DR at 7 per cent of the basic pay and pension. The same will be given with retrospective effect from January 1, 2018. The government said the DA and DR had been hiked to compensate for the price rise. The hike will benefit 48.41 lakh employees and 61.17 lakh pensioners. The impact on the exchequer would be Rs 6,077.72 cr per annum. TNS

India’s has managed to maintain its position in the top five military powers in the world on the Global Firepower List 2017 in comparison to Pakistan, which only managed to break in the top 15 last year. India was trailed by major military powers like France, the UK, Japan, Turkey, Germany and to complete the top 10.

India’s military is placed fourth on a global index that has ranked 133 countries on the basis of their global military prowess, trailing behind only the US, Russia and China in that order. India’s western neighbour Pakistan ranks 13 on the Global Firepower (GFP) list 2017.

India has managed to maintain its position among the top five military powers in the world on the GFP list while Pakistan could break in the top 15 only last year. Major military powers, France, the UK, Japan, Turkey and Germany, complete the top 10.

Meanwhile, China also crept up behind Russia and is poised to take the second place soon. It has more aircraft and naval ships than Russia but is hugely outnumbered in total tanks in service.

The rankings for the index are reached after judging the countries on 50 parameters, including military resources, natural resources, industry and geographical features and available manpower. India and China being placed higher on the index are helped to a great degree with the sizeable number of armed forces personnel with the respective countries.

According to GFP’s assessment, India leads China in terms of total armed personnel with India’s 4,207,250 personnel against China’s 3,712,500. China, however, leads in terms of active personnel with 2,260,000 troops compared to India’s 1,362,500. India’s reserve components were assessed to be 2,844,750 while China trailed with 1,452,500.

The index didn’t count nuclear stockpiles for the ranking but gave points for nuclear capability, whether recognised or suspected. Another aspect for consideration was the defence budget allocation with China allocating over three times the amount India set aside for its military.

When compared with Pakistan, India led the way on all aspects except the number of attack helicopters, self-propelled artillery and waterway coverage.

On their assessment methodology, Global Firepower said in a statement: “Our formula allows smaller, though more technologically-advanced, nations to compete with larger, lesser-developed ones. Modifiers (in the form of bonuses and penalties) are added to further refine the list.”

Islamabad: In a first, senior Indian military officials and diplomats posted here attended the military parade to mark the Pakistan Day, a report said on Friday. This was part of Pakistan Army chief’s initiative to send across a message of peace to New Delhi. Indian deputy high commissioner JP Singh and Defence and Military Adviser Brigadier Sanjay P Vishwasrao (in pic) were among those who attended the event. PT