Is it partial-closure for the agony of civilian and defence pensioners?

By: Major Navdeep Singh

As many would know, the Delhi High Court had directed that the arrears of the rectification of pensionary anomalies of the 6th Central Pay Commission would flow from 01st January 2006 and not from 24th September 2012 as had been granted by the Government.

The same emanated from the controversy involving the interpretation whether pension would be based on the minimum of pay within the pay-band or the minimum of pay of the pay-band itself for various grades and ranks.

The Govt had challenged the decision of the Delhi High Court by way of an SLP before the Supreme Court and it is learnt that the Hon’ble Apex Court was pleased to dismiss the SLP today thereby crystallizing the payment of the arrears of revised pension from 01-01-2006 rather than 24-09-2012.

The above would be confirmed beyond doubt only after perusing the order passed today by the Supreme Court. 

Heavy credit goes to Mr V Natarajan, President Pensioner’ Forum, Chennai, for continuing the fight for civilian pensioners.

Indian Air Force at war with Hindustan Aeronautics; wants to import, not build, a trainer

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has assailed Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), which builds most of the fighter aircraft the IAF flies. Writing directly to Defence Minister A K Antony in the first week of July, Browne has savaged HAL's proposal to design and build a basic trainer aircraft (BTA) for rookie IAF pilots. Rejecting the proposal, Browne has urged Antony to import 106 PC-7 Mark II trainers from Swiss company Pilatus. These will be over and above the 75 trainers already contracted for $640 million (Rs 3,780 crore).

 

 

Business Standard has a copy of Browne's five-page letter to Antony. Contacted for comments, the IAF and HAL have both chosen to remain silent on the issue. At stake is an estimated $800 million (Rs 4,750 crore) for Pilatus, if Antony accepts Browne's recommendation to give the Swiss company, rather than HAL, the 106-aircraft order.

 

 

On September 29, 2009, the ministry of defence (MoD) had cleared the acquisition of 181 BTAs for the IAF. Seventy-five were to be procured internationally, a contract that Pilatus controversially won. Meanwhile, HAL was to design and develop 106 BTA in India.

 

Source: Business Standard

Fauj can wait but others don’t have to…..

By: Major Navdeep Singh

 

Since about 2008, the Chief of Staffs Committee (COSC) and also the Services HQ independently have been pressing upon the govt to resolve the anomalies afflicting various cadres of the defence services.

Principal amongst the demands have been the restoration of the lost status of military ranks as well as grant of the Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU).

But as innocent faujis wait to grab the NFU carrot and at times also score self-goals, others are stealing a march in a rather majorly functional manner, stealthily and silently while the poor fauji sleeps.

A recent example is the cadre restructuring of the Income Tax Department.

 

Well, here is a sample of what the Cabinet has approved for officers of the Income Tax Department, and full credit goes to the Finance Minister for forcefully fighting for them and standing behind them.

The Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) has a cadre strength of less than 3400 and look at the number of vacancies created for them at the highest levels:-

Apex Grade (Rs 80,000 fixed) : 26 vacancies (Equivalent in pay to Army Commanders / Vice Chiefs / Secretary to Govt of India)

 

Higher Administrative Grade+ (Rs 75500-80000) : 91 vacancies (Equivalent in pay to top 33% Lt Gens who are in HAG+ / Higher in pay than Additional Secretary to Govt of India)

Higher Administrative Grade (Rs 67000-79000) : 300 vacancies (Equivalent in pay to Additional Secretary to Govt of India / Lt Gen)

Senior Administrative Grade (Pay Band-4 + Grade Pay Rs 10000) : 635 vacancies (Equivalent in pay to Joint Secretary to Govt of India / Maj Gen)

Well, what can I say but…..enjoy!!!

Indian Air Force denies ending association with Sachin Tendulkar

Now in the latest u-turn, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has denied the reports that the force has ended its association with Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.

According to an earlier report, the IAF on Tuesday dropped as its brand ambassador after two years of association.

Tendulkar was conferred the rank of Group Captain in September 2010 to honour his achievements in the sport.

Tendulkar had become the first sportsperson and the first personality with no aviation background to be given the honour.    

 

Source: cricketcountry.com

Indian Air Force drops Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador

After two years of what appeared to be a healthy association, the Indian Air Force(IAF) has dropped the legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador.

Sachin Tendulkar has been replaced with the basic trainer aircraft Pilatus after their association failed to yield the desired results. The IAF is using Pilatus' images to galvanise more personnel.

 

The IAF has entered into a deal for 75 Pilatus with Switzerland, wherein 14 Pilatus aircrafts have already reached India, and the pilots are being trained on them in Hyderabad.

The 'god of cricket' was conferred with the Indian Air Force's honorary rank of Group Captain to honour his achievements in the sport. He also became the first sportsperson to be conferred a rank by IAF and the first personality with no aviation background to receive the honour.

With the association, IAF had aimed to motivate the younger generation to take up a career in Air Force to serve the nation. But, the association fell short on the expectations leading to the cancellation.

 

Source: IndiaToday.in

Simplification of procedure for treatment and investigation of diabetes, hypertension, cardiac diseases, cancer and dialysis under the ECHS

Keeping in view the requirement of constant treatment and investigations for diabetes, hypertension, cardiac diseases, cancer and dialysis, the Ministry of Defence has decided to issue referral letters with a validity of six months rather than patients approaching the concerned authorities time and again for the same.

A very proactive step which would provide much needed relief to patients.

The letter has already been issued on 05 July 2013.

Though the same has been reported in most newspapers, those desirous of downloading the letter may do so by clicking here.

 

Courtesy: Major Navdeep Singh

From ECHS MD's desk

Reproduced below is the letter from Maj Gen J George, MD, ECHS

 

1. A lot of veterans come to Delhi from other cities/ towns for tertiary treatment and they invariably are forced to stay for some time in Delhi to go through the entire process of investigation and treatment. People who do not have acquaintances in Delhi or cannot manage accommodation in Guest Rooms/ Sainik Aramgarh find it extremely difficult to find some accommodation.

 2. The Palliative Care Centre, run under arrangements of Adjutant General's Branch and managed by Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt has some good Guest Rooms available at very affordable charges. Veterans who need the same can approach Base Hospital / Delhi Area. I Will be grateful if this can be given wide publicity.

Warm regards,
Maj Gen J George
MD ECHS

Rajasthan crash: The MiG 21 and its checkered past with the IAF

The crash of a MiG-21 Bison and the death of a pilot is yet another chapter in the troubled history of an aircraft that has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent times.

 

In today’s crash, the aircraft involved was the modified MiG 21 Bison which crashed while landing at the Uttarlai Airbase in western Rajasthan, killing the pilot.

 

By the Defence Minister’s own admission in March this year, there have been 29 fighter aircraft crashes over the last three years, of which 12 have been MiG 21s.

 

 

 

The MiG 21 Bison is an upgraded  version of the MiG 21, which was dubbed the ‘flying coffin’ after a spate of crashes that killed its pilots. However it forms a major part of the Indian Air Force’s fighter jet squadron.

 

A Times of India article documenting the history of the MiG-21 in the Indian Air Force speaks of how a price advantage coupled with the fighter aircraft’s agility was what prompted the entry of the MiG-21 into the Indian Air Force. There are now over 1,200 such craft in the Air force fleet.

 

The article also documents why despite glowing praises from pilots who have operated them, the aircraft is a subject of controversy. Since 1971-72, as many as 380 of the 872 MiG 21s inducted in the IAF have crashed – a number constituting 43 percent of the fleet.

 

However, despite the controversy surrounding the aircraft, the delay in the purchase of 126 Rafale fighters and the development of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft has meant that the upgraded version of the MiG 21 including the Bison, will remain operational till 2019, the Hindu had reported.

 

Air Chief Marshal  NAK Browne was quoted as saying that of the 874 MiG-21s bought since 1964, 264 are still operational and with a new radar system and aiming-navigation system the aircraft was good enought for use till 2019.

 

The Bison variant of the MiG 21 will continue to form a major element of the Indian Air Force’s fighting force and despite the controversies will continue to play a major role in the years to come, until its replacements arrive.

 

Courtesy: FirstPost.India

Indian Air Force Recruitment Rally at Koppala

The Indian Air Force is organising a recruitment rally at the District Indoor Stadium (Badminton Court Hall), in Koppala on July 31, for unmarried male Indian citizens (belonging to the State) born between May 1, 1993 and November 30, 1996 for selection as airmen in Group X (Technical Trades).

“Candidates should be qualified with minimum Intermediate/10+2/equivalent exam with Mathematics, Physics and English with a minimum of 50 per cent marks in aggregate or a three-year Diploma in Engineering (Mechanical/Electrical/Electronics/Automobile/ Computer Science/ Instrumentation Technology/Information Technology from a government recognised polytechnic/ Institute with 50 per cent marks".

Courtesy: Deccan Herald

Indian Air Force sacks officer over affair with wife of senior colleague

An IAF pilot was dismissed from service after being indicted by a court of inquiry (CoI) for having an alleged affair with the wife of a fellow officer.

The woman, squadron leader Anandita Das , had allegedly committed suicide in her government flat in Jodhpur in November last year. She reportedly had a tiff with her husband, Squadron leader V. Nair, a Su-30 MKi pilot.

The IAF confirmed that flight lieutenant Ishant Saran was dismissed from service after he was indicted by the court of inquiry for " stealing affection of brother officer's wife", an offence under the military rules.

The officer's affair with the woman came to light during investigation of circumstances that drove her to suicide, allegedly after some argument with her husband.

The court of inquiry constituted by the IAF concluded that the young officer's conduct was not appropriate and recommended his dismissal.

The recommendation of CoI was recommended to the defence ministry which approved the dismissal. The IAF said the inquiry only dealt with the aspect of the young officer having an affair. The reasons for the suicide were being investigated though there was no indication if her husband was responsible. Anandita and Nair got married in 2008 after being commissioned in 2006.

 

Source: IndiaToday.in

Law on disabilities in service - Supreme Court holds the hand of the disabled soldier yet again in a landmark judgement

By: Major Navdeep Singh

 

In a landmark decision rendered yesterday which once again reiterates and restores the confidence of the soldier in our higher judiciary, the Supreme Court, in a much detailed judgement, has thrashed out law related to disability pension and attributability/aggravation of disabilities to service.

In what had been discussed umpteen number of times on this blog (See this, this and this), it is the pro-disabled Entitlement Rules promulgated by the govt which have to prevail while determining whether a disability is attributable to or aggravated by service or not, and not merely the opinion of the medical board. As would be discernible from this earlier blogpost, the same has also been reiterated in the past primarily by the Delhi and Punjab & Haryana High Courts and various Benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal, especially the Benches at Chandigarh, Delhi and Kochi.

While discussing the length and breadth of the Entitlement Rules and the law relating to disability pension, including judgements rendered in the past to the contrary, the Supreme Court in effect has come to the following conclusions:

That any disability occurring while in service shall be presumed to be in service unless reasons are recorded to the contrary.

The onus of proving attributability/aggravation of disability is not upon the soldier.

It is immaterial if the disability arises in field or in peace area.

There would be a presumption of a causal connection with service for disabilities which occur while in service.

I reiterate once again, if the men and women in uniform in India have to thank one entity for holding their hand, it is the higher judiciary.

The entire judgement of the SC can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Another (old) 116 page judgement of the Kochi Bench of the AFT on the same subject can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Jai Hind.