GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-663
ANSWERED ON-11.12.2013
Special compensation for families of defence martyrs
663 .SHRIMATI AMBIKA SONI
(a) the cadre-wise and year-wise number of defence personnel who lost their lives during various operations during the last three years;
No. 1 (11)/2012-D(Pen/Policy)
Government of India
Ministry of Defence,
Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
New Delhi, Dated 17th January 2013.
To
The Chief of the Army Staff
The Chief of the Naval Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff
SUBJECT: Implementation of the Government decision on the recommendations of Committee on the issues related to Defence Service Personnel and Ex-Servicemen, 2012 - Minimum guaranteed pension to pre-2006 Commissioned Officers pensioners/family pensioners.
Sir,
The under signed is directed to refer to this Ministry’s letter No. 17(4)/2008 (1)/D(Pen/Policy) dated 11.11.2008 as amended, issued for implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Sixth CPC for revision of pension/family pension in respect of pre-2006 Armed Forces pensioners/family pensioners. As per provisions contained in Para 5 therein, with effect from 1.1.2006 revised pension and revised ordinary family pension of all pre-2006 Armed Forces pensioners/family pensioners determined in terms of fitment formula laid down in Para 4.1 of above said letter dated 11.11.2008, shall in no case be lower than fifty percent and thirty percentage respectively, of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the Grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired/discharged/invalided out/died including Military Service Pay and ‘X Group pay, where applicable. Accordingly, rates of minimum guaranteed pension/ordinary family pension for Commissioned Officers were notified under Annexure-II (for pensioners of Regular Commission), Annexure-IIA (for pensioners of Military Nursing Services), Annexure-IIB (for pensioners of Territorial Army) and Annexure-IIC (Post-1996 Emergency/Short Service Commission pensioners) of this Ministry’s letter No 17(3)/2010/D(Pen/Policy) dated 15.11.2010 and No 17(4)/2008(1)/D(Pen/Policy)-Vol. VI dated 18.1.2011. The minimum guaranteed pension / family pension in respect of pre1996 Emergency/Short Service Commission pensioners has, however, been notified vide this Ministry’s letter No 1(1)/2007-D(Pen/Policy) dated 3.9.2009.
Ex-Servicemen with service less than 15 years are not entitled to pension, as it is a mandatory requirement for a Personnel Below Officer Rank to render 15 years and for Commissioned Officers 20 years qualifying service to earn pension. Minimum qualifying service is an essential criterion for pension in the Government.
The Short Service Commissioned Officers who are not pensioners are eligible for certain schemes of DGR like Training, Security Agencies and other self-employment schemes. Ex Defence personnel with more than 5 years of service are entitled to CSD canteen facilities available in units / establishment apart from being employed as Security Guards. Some grants out of RakshaMantri Discretionary Funds are also provided to non-pensioners upto the rank ofHavaldar.
There has been no undue delay in notifying pension by the Pension Sanctioning Authorities and no abnormal delays have been reported in payment of pension by the Pension Disbursing Agencies i.e. Banks, Treasuries and Defence Pension Disbursing Offices.
If the payment / pension has not been disbursed by the Bank on receipt of PPO, then as per the guidelines of Reserve Bank of India, interest @2% per month has to be disbursed on the amount due to the pensioners by the paying Bank, wherever delay occurred
Allegation of Non-Payment of Pensionary Benefits to Nk Surender Singh not Correct
In a press conference today, retired Nk Surender Singh of 2 GRENADIERS and an ex NSG Commando expressed some grievances against the government. These pertained to alleged lack of adequate compensation and financial benefits to those who were killed/injured in the 26/11, Operation Black Tornado in Mumbai. Response with respect to the issues raised is enumerated in succeeding paragraphs.
In the 26/11 Mumbai operations, one Officer and one Non Commissioned Officer were martyred and 17 Officers and Other Ranks were injured. Both martyrs Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajender Singh were awarded the Ashok Chakra (Posthumous). The NOK of Major Unnikrishnan got a financial compensation of approximately Rs.1.3 Crores and a flat. Similarly, the wife of Havildar Gajender Singh received approximately Rs.1.27 Crore, a petrol pump and a flat. His mother too received Rs.15 Lakhs approximately. Both these personnel also received enhanced pension benefits as applicable in the Army.
The Union Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary for benefits to ex-servicemen on four issues. The financial implications of the improvements made as per the Cabinet decision on the four items are broadly estimated at Rs.2300 crore per annum. The details are as follows:
I. One Rank One Pension:
On One Rank One Pension, the demand of the Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen Associations is that uniform pension be paid to the Defence Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.
The difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel in that rank. There is also a difference between the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 retirees belonging to a particular rank. The UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the gap between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to the ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks.
