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.

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Are we doing enough at the LoC? and, does the country know the real situation?

By Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain

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.

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 25

A pall of gloom descended on Gadasu village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand as the mortal remains of martyr Naik Jagdish Purohit reached his native village. Martyr’s wife Usha Devi was in a state of shock as the entire village gathered to pay their tributes to the martyr.Before the martyr’s dead body reached Gadasu village, it was brought to Gopeshwar in Chamoli district of the state from Jammu in a helicopter. At Gopeshwar, martyr’s body was kept at the local stadium for the general public, who had gathered in big numbers to pay their homage to the martyr. Chamoli District Magistrate Ashish Joshi also turned up to pay tributes. The last rites of the martyr will be performed on Friday. Naik Jagdish Purohit from Mahar Regiment was injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan a few days back succumbed to his injuries in military hospital in Jammu on Wednesday morning.

“Today, there is no important institution or activity which is not insecure. It has, thus, become extremely essential to safeguard almost every arena. — NN Vohra, J&K Governor

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 21

Advocating a new approach in managing the ever-increasing challenges to national security, Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra today suggested a three-pronged strategy — a National Security Policy, creation of a National Security Administrative Service and a Ministry of National Security Affairs.“Today, there is no important institution or activity which is not insecure. It has, thus, become extremely essential to safeguard almost every arena and to particularly secure arrangements relating to food, water, energy, nuclear power, science and technology, environment, ecology, finance, business, commerce, banking, cyber space and other important quarters,” Governor Vohra said delivering the 12th RN Kao Memorial Lecture instituted by the Research and Analysis Wing, in honour of the founder of the country’s external intelligence agency.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Drawing upon his vast administrative experience, he identified some of the structural deficiencies in the existing national security management systems and offered ways to address some of these, including the UK model of parliamentary oversight that examines the expenditure, administration and policies of intelligence services.On the Centre-state equation, he said it is not easy to explain the Government of India’s approach, particularly in the context of the constitutional prescription that “it shall be the Union’s duty to protect the states against internal disturbances”.Over the years, he said, tendency of the Centre was to avoid any confrontation with states, while rarely questioning the states about the root causes of disturbances even after extending assistance in the form of forces to restore normalcy.Referring to the question on Centre’s constitutional responsibility after warning to the state in the Babri Masjid demolition case or concerns on actual capability of the Centre to deal with events like the Mumbai terror attack, he said it leads to imperative of having a well-considered National Security Policy (NSP), that is “founded in unambiguous Union-states understandings to work together for collectively safeguarding the country’s unity and territorial integrity”.The draft NSP, he said, could be discussed at the Inter-State Council chaired by the Prime Minister and once states accept their responsibility to maintain internal security, there would be no reason why they should not become progressively capable of effectively dealing on their own with any arising internal disturbance.Barring Jammu and Kashmir, where India is fighting Pakistan’s proxy war, Governor Vohra said the recurring deployment of the Army in other parts for dealing with local insurgencies and internal disturbances in states “has the rather worrying potential of blunting the Army’s operational efficiencies….”Governor Vohra also said for effective maintenance of internal security, it is also essential to implement reforms and improvements in the entire framework of the criminal justice system, and clean up the system since there is also subsisting question mark on the integrity of the subordinate judicial services.He also touched upon the need for comprehensive laws with pan-India jurisdictions to deal with terrorism, cyber crimes and economic offences and to tackle growing criminality by organised crime, drug trafficking and mafia groups many of which have close connections with terrorist organisations, both in the light of experience of the National Investigation Agency and the proposed National Counter-Terrorism Centre.

General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff, interacts with Army jawans and officers during his visit to Jalandhar Cantonment on Saturday. Tribune Photograph

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 20

General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff, visited the Jalandhar Cantonment today. He reviewed the security situation and the operational preparedness of the formations guarding the Western Theatre in the state of Punjab.The Chief of Army Staff was received by Lt Gen Surinder Singh, Army Commander of Western Command and Lt Gen Dushyant Singh, Corps Commander of the Vajra Corps.Lt Gen Dushyant Singh briefed the Army Chief on the operational preparedness as also the security issues including ways to counter the proxy threat.The matter of Punjab continuing to contribute a large number of youth for enrolment in the Armed Forces also came up for discussions on the occasion. In the past wars and the ongoing counter insurgency operations in J&K and elsewhere, a number of service personnel from Punjab have laid down their lives in the line of duty, it was said.“There are also a large numbers of veterans in the region who continue to be a part of the larger family of the Armed Forces,” it was shared on the occasion.Lt Gen Dushyant Singh also briefed the Army Chief on outreach programmes for veterans including settling of pension issues, resettlement avenues, helplines introduced for medical support in the twilight years of ex-Army personnel and other welfare measures.General Bipan Rawat also interacted with the officers, Junior Commissioned Officers, other ranks and veterans during their visit.

CHIEF COMES CALLING

On 19 July 1919, there was a large Victory Parade through the streets of London to mark the end of the First World War. Around 15,000 troops led by the Allied commanders marched to the cheers of thousands of spectators. Bands played in London’s parks, and a memorial to those killed and wounded was unveiled in Whitehall.

The Indian Army had been invited to send a representative contingent to take part in the parade, but problems with shipping and an outbreak of influenza, prevented the contingent from arriving in time. Instead, it was decided that the Indian contingent would have its own Victory March through London as an acknowledgement of the vital role the Indian Armed Forces had played during the War.

The India Office Records has a number of files on the arrangements for the Peace Contingent’s visit to England, which make fascinating reading. The Contingent consisted of a British detachment of 11 officers and 270 men, an Indian Army detachment of 27 British officers, 465 Indian officers and 985 Indian other ranks, and 34 Imperial Service troops of the Indian Native States. The Contingent arrived in the camp at Hampton Court on 26 July.

The procession on August 2 started at Waterloo Station, continued across Westminster Bridge, along Whitehall, and up the Mall to Buckingham Palace. The King inspected the Contingent on the East lawn of the Palace, and presented some awards, including the Victoria Cross to Naik Karanbahadur Rana of the 2nd/3rd Gurkha Rifles. The King then gave a speech thanking the men for their service during the War, which was repeated in Urdu by General Sir Frederick Campbell. The troops were then given tea before returning to their camp.

After the King’s inspection the British troops were demobilised, but the Indian troops stayed for several weeks camped at Hampton Court. The troops were entertained with outdoor games and sports and in the evenings lectures were given, and a cinema was established by the Young Men’s Christian Association. Groups of officers and men were taken on day trips to London and other parts of Britain.

These trips included a bombing display by the Royal Air Force, the steel works of Vickers Ltd in Sheffield, the shipyards of John Brown and the Fairfield Engineering Works on the Clyde and Portsmouth Dockyard. In London trips were organised to the Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Kew Gardens, St Paul’s Cathedral, and also to some schools. There were also regular shopping trips to the West End.

The Peace Contingent left for India in the middle of September 1919, and the India Office marked the occasion by issuing a souvenir book, beautifully illustrated by the artist W Luker Jnr.

This article first appeared on the British Library’s Asian and African Studies blog.

Islamabad, January 16

Pakistan is examining a proposal for a DGMO-level meeting with India after a gap of four years to reduce tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary through fresh confidence-building measures, a media report said on Tuesday.The report comes a day after Pakistan said four of its soldiers died and five others injured in cross-border firing by Indian troops across the Line of Control. The Indian Army, however, said seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in its retaliatory firing.At a meeting, a Pakistan defence ministry official yesterday told the Senate defence committee that a “fresh proposal of DGMOs’ (Director Generals of Military Operations) meeting is being considered,” the Dawn reported. The official also briefed the senators about the latest trend in Indian ceasefire violations, it said.In November, a telephonic conversation between the two Director Generals of Military Operations took place following a request by the Pakistani side.According to the report, one of the confidence-building measures being considered for the planned meeting of Director Generals of Military Operations is “calibre reduction” of the arms being used at the Line of Control.Pakistan-India Director Generals of Military Operations have a frequent hotline contact, but they last met face-to-face four years ago at Wagah, a village which serves as a transit terminal between Lahore and Amritsar. The December 24, 2013, Wagah meeting had taken place after a break of 14 years. That meeting too was held to discuss ways to ensure peace along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.Meanwhile, a resolution adopted by the Senate committee condemned Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s statement about “calling nuclear bluff of Pakistan” as “stupidity and provocative”. They termed it a “war-like” proclamation, the report said. — PTIMove after 4 Yrs 

• Pakistan is examining such a proposal after a gap of four years to reduce tension along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary through fresh confidence-building measures
• At a meeting, a Pakistan defence ministry official on Monday told the Senate defence committee that a ‘fresh proposal of Director Generals of Military Operations meeting was being considered’
• The official also briefed the senators about the latest trend in Indian ceasefire violations