Ex-servicemen to get timely pensions

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Wednesday took several decisions to ensure ex-servicemen get their pensions in time, stung by criticism over the huge delay in former NSG commando Surender Singh getting all his dues. Anti-graft crusader Arvind Kejriwal had raised the case of Singh, who was injured in the 26/11 terror attacks, last month, forcing the government to admit there had been a considerable delay since the soldier's retirement "paperwork'' had not been completed in time.

At a meeting chaired by defence minister A K Antony, it was decided that 50% of the pension of soldiers who are "invalidated out" or are "war casualties" should be disbursed immediately, pending the completion of retirement/medical board formalities. It was also decided the Army and Navy should follow the IAF's example of the which has established " e-tracking process" to ensure pensions are disbursed in time.

Antony also directed that orders for the recently announced Rs 2,300 crore pension package for ex-servicemen should be issued by this month-end. ``The minister said the disbursement of the enhanced pensions should begun by March 31,'' said an official.

Minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh will also hold a meeting with different banks this month to bring "uniformity'' in the disbursement of pensions. Antony also asked his officers to ensure "faster disposal'' of decisions taken by the Armed Forces Tribunal.

Ex-servicemen, however, still remain unhappy over the non-implementation of their long-standing demand for one rank, one pension mechanism, which has been promised by most political parties over the years but has never been implemented.

The defence community of 14 lakh serving and 23 lakh retired military personnel, after all, swells into a sizable - albeit diffused - votebank of around 1.5 crore people if family members are also taken into account.
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