A Guide for Retired IAF Personnel by AFRO

In light of the implementation of the recommendations of the 6th CPC, the Air Force Records Office (AFRO) has brought out a  booklet which provides basic information about benefits available to released / discharged / retired Air Force personnel.
Though the guide is not technically perfect at places, it definitely provides a good insight into various entitlements.
Besides pensionary and other retirement benefits after the 6th CPC, the said handbook contains information on ECHS, Placement nodes and other welfare related subjects. It also serves as a guide for filling up of pension related forms.
An e-version of the handbook can be accessed and downloaded by clicking here.

So what is ‘Annexure-IV’ ? (Attention : Pre 01-01-2006 Pensioners)

In a welcome move, a joint public notice by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance was published yesterday in many newspapers.
The said notice called upon banks to provide ‘Annexure-IV’ to pre-01-01-2006 pensioners so that the correctness of pension and arrears could be ascertained.
So what is ‘Annexure-IV’ ?
‘Annexure-IV’ is a form which was annexed with Govt of India letter dated 11 Nov 2008 dealing with the revision of pension of pre-2006 pensioners. This annexure was supposed to be filled up and returned by the Pension Disbursing Agencies (PDAs), that is, banks, DPDOs etc to the office of PCDA(P) with a copy to the pensioner concerned. The said Annexure contains all details as to how pension has been calculated and the arrears thereon.
The public notice was necessitated by the situation that banks have not calculated pension of pre-06 pensioners correctly in many cases and neither have they returned Annexure-IV duly filled to the pensioners or the office of PCDA(P).
All pensioners have a right to demand a copy of Annexure-IV from their PDAs. Please exercise it.
For those who are still hazy about the said Annexure may download it by clicking here.

News Courtesy: Major Navdeep Singh

Parity between pre and post 2006 retirees : Story not over yet !!?!!

The government had officially closed the chapter for grant of any additional benefit to pre-2006 retirees or any improvement in the modified parity already implemented (2.26 of old basic pension OR 50% of minimum of new pay band + Grade Pay + MSP when applicable, whichever is higher). Similarly, the government had also officially closed the chapter for grant of full pension to retirees who had been released between 01-01-2006 and 02-09-2008 after putting in 20 years of service. As we know, the government has already relented on the latter aspect and even issued the letter granting the benefit. Now it seems that there is going to be a re-think on improving the modified parity granted to pre-2006 pensioners.
In a meeting between the National Anomalies Committee on the 6th CPC Chaired by the Secretary Personnel, Govt of India, and the Confederation of Central Govt Employees and Workers, the government has decided to consider the issue once again. It would be worthwhile to state that almost all pensionary modalities made applicable to civil employees are extended to defence personnel also.
More details on the meeting can be accessed by clicking here.

News courtesy: Major Navdeep Singh

15 years enrolled service is equated with Graduation, and the riders thereon…

The Govt of India, in the year 1986, had notified a very important stipulation for defence personnel. If a solider, sailor or air-warrior serves for 15 years in the forces, he is equated with a graduate on the civil side vide this notification of the Govt of India, provided he is a matriculate or holds the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education (or the naval or air force equivalent).
This equation however comes with some riders, which, as persistent queries on the subject show, are not particularly well known amongst the veteran community.
Firstly, 15 years of service in the forces shall be considered equivalent to Graduation only for the purposes of vacancies in ‘Group – C’ appointments. Secondly, this stipulation shall only be applicable to vacancies which do not involve technical expertise and if such vacancies involve work of technical nature, then the competent authority can still recruit such veterans if satisfied that the veteran concerned shall be able to perform such duties after a course of a short duration. Thirdly, an appointing authority may consider the Indian Army Class-I Examination equivalent to Matriculation at his/her discretion.
Another very important stipulation in the ibid notification is that the competent authority can lower the general standards of recruitment for veterans if sufficient number of veterans are not available.