CGDA launches monthly pension statement through email / SMS

CGDA has launched a system of providing monthly pension statements to pensioners drawing their pensions from Defence Pension Disbursing Offices (DPDOs).
Pensioners have to provide minimal details to their DPDOs for receiving their monthly statements through email or SMS.
The format for availing the facility can be accessed by clicking here.

A good step, but what is needed at the earliest is a change in the attitude of those manning these offices. DPDOs remain one of the most user-unfriendly offices mired in complex red-tapism resulting in extreme agony to our pensioners, especially disabled personnel and widows. Even complaints against DPDOs are not promptly attended by their controlling agencies.

A must read : Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Off-topic, but this my friends is a must-read piece by Mr Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
For the uninitiated, Mr Gandhi served in the IAS before taking up diplomatic appointments which included the Ambassadorship of Norway and Iceland. Of course, he was the Governor of West Bengal too from 2004 – 2009.
Thought provoking indeed !

Sad Sign of the Times!

Things have come to a dangerous pass.
Appalling already was the scheme of events in our nation, with veterans and the government in a logjam and protests related to pensionary anomalies reaching the streets.
As most of us know, the Supreme Court had recently recalled its orders related to the constitution of the Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission. What follows is this official press release by the Ministry of Defence almost celebrating the recalling of the orders, commemorating the victory of the Ministry of Defence over veterans and stating that the poor widow in the case had ‘incorrectly represented’ facts before the Court, while actually there was no such observation of ‘incorrect representation’ by the Hon’ble Apex Court itself in its orders.
Does an official press release such as this behove a government agency ? Is the recalling of a judicial order official-news material, if that be so, then all departments should regularly issue press releases every single day on the hundreds of cases decided daily involving them, this way or that way.
While on the surface, this press release may seem to be innocuous, but lying beneath is a thought process that is thoroughly and distastefully disgusting – the thought process that defence veterans are adversaries of the MoD. It is an MoD Vs Veterans state of mind. Otherwise, why would there be a celebratory official PIB press release on the recalling of an order that was so dear to the hearts of the defence community ? Can this be expected in any developed democracy ? Can we imagine the Department of Defence of the US or the Ministry of Defence of the UK issuing a press release celebrating the recalling of a Court order favouring veterans ?
This simply shows that the Department of Ex-Servicemen (sic) welfare (sic again) is on an auto-pilot mode with no control of the political executive. A celebration like this shows the sick minds working overtime deriving sadistic pleasure every time a veteran suffers. Though not in favour of the commission from the outset, the Defence Minister would never have allowed a press release like this, even the Secretary Ms Neelam Nath would not allow this – but in all probability they do not know what is happening under their noses since running the roost are lower level officials who continue to be jealous of the Re 1/- discount availed by defence personnel on each Hamam Sabun ki tikki from the CSD. And these are the people who remain faceless but dangerously venomous scuttling each and every move made for the welfare of serving and retired personnel – including ones initiated and approved in principle by the top brass of the Ministry.
Once again, Hail the note maker. Hail the reverse pay commission.

US Army officially appoints its first Indian religious teacher

The US Army has officially appointed its first Hindu religious teacher (Chaplain) – Capt Pratima Dharm.
Chaplains in the US Army are of commissioned rank unlike the Indian Army where they are JCOs. There are currently about 1000 hindus serving the US Army.
More can be read about the development by clicking here.

Improved Scales for JCOs and OR notified in March 2010 : More amendments, deletions, additions notified by the MoD

This is with regard to the new scales notified in consequence to the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries in March 2010.
The MoD has carried out changes in the said master letter issued on 08 March 2010.
The new letter issued on 15 April 2011 alongwith the PCDA(P) Circular dated 11 May 2011 can be accessed and downloaded by clicking here.

Notably, the MoD has cancelled and deleted Table No 133 which dealt with pensionary entitlements of Viceroy Commissioned Officers (VCOs) granted Honorary Commissions. The enhanced pension rates notified for VCOs granted Honorary Commissions now stand relegated to regular rates as applicable to other Hony Officers.
Most other substantive amendments relate to Warrant Ranks of the Indian Air Force.