Ex-servicemen meet president, demand pension parity
By IANSWednesday, March 11, 2009
NEW DELHI - Continuing their long-running fight for ‘one rank, one pension’, ex-soldiers have met President Pratibha Patil, the supreme commander of the armed forces, and reiterated their demand for pension parity.
A seven-member delegation of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) submitted a memorandum in this regard to Patil late Monday evening.
‘The president patiently listened to the delegation’s briefing on the demand and reasons behind it. We presented the memorandum requesting her intervention in the matter,’ Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, who is vice chairman of IESM, told IANS Tuesday.
Several soldiers earlier returned their gallantry and distinguished services medals to the president to register their protest against the government’s continued apathy to their demand.
IESM is demanding that irrespective of the date on which a soldier retires, he should get equal pension at each rank for the same length of service with the amount rising every time there is a wage revision.
The ex-servicemen are upset at the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, which did not address the ‘one rank, one pension’ issue.
The government continues to reject the demand on administrative and financial grounds.
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May 8, 2009: 6:37 am
We are fighting for one rank one pension which is an excellent ultimate aim,but the Government has not inplimented the recommendation of six cpc which was duly accepted by the Government. At paragraph 5.1.47 twice it is stated that modified parity introduced by the fifth cpc shall be maintained. This was further stated at summary of recommendation (para 11.33 and highlight of recommendation. |
AVTAR SINGH