DEFENCE PENSION SCHEMES : A DETAILED OVERVIEW

DEFENCE PENSION SCHEMES : A DETAILED OVERVIEW

Defence Pensioners

The Indian Armed Forces are one of the largest and most respected institutions in the Country. They provide security and Defence to the nation and its citizens. The personnel of the Armed Forces dedicate their lives to the service of the nation and face various challenges and risks in the line of duty. To Honour their sacrifices and contributions, the Government of India grants them Pensionary benefits after their retirement or death. Pension is a regular income that is paid to retired personnel of the Indian Armed Forces and their families. It is a way of expressing gratitude and recognition to the veterans and their dependents for their service to the nation. In this article, we will discuss the different types of Pension schemes available for the Indian Armed Forces, the eligibility criteria, the revision process, and the challenges and issues faced by pensioners.

Service Pension :



This is a type of Pension that is granted to the personnel of the Indian Armed Forces who have completed the minimum qualifying service of 20 years for commissioned officers and 15 years for other ranks. The Service Pen amount is calculated at 50% of the last drawn or average emoluments during the last 10 months, whichever is more beneficial to the pensioners, subject to a minimum of Rs. 9,000 per month. The emoluments include Basic pay, Grade pay, Military Service Pay, Class Pay, and Dearness allowance. Service Pen is revised periodically by the government to account for inflation and other factors. The service pensioners can also avail of various benefits such as Medical Facilities, Canteen Facilities, Travel Concessions, etc.

Family Pension :



This is a type of Pension that is granted to the eligible family members of the individual who died naturally after retirement. The family members include the widow or widower, dependent children, and dependent parents. The amount of Family Pen is calculated at 30% of the last drawn emoluments, subject to a minimum of Rs. 9,000 per month. Family Pen is also revised periodically by the government. The family pensioners can also avail the same benefits as the service pensioners, except for the canteen facilities. It is payable for life to the widow or widower, until remarriage or death. It is also payable to the dependent children until they attain the age of 25 years or start earning their income, whichever is earlier. Family Pen is also payable to the dependent parents, if there is no eligible widow or widower or child, until their death.

Special Family Pension :



This is a type of Pension that is granted to the families of personnel who died due to disability or injury Attributable to or Aggravated by Military Service. The disability or injury can be caused by enemy action, terrorist attack, natural calamity, accident, disease, etc. The amount of Special Family Pen is calculated at 60% of the last drawn emoluments, with no minimum limit. The special family pen is also revised periodically by the government. The Special Family Pensioners can also avail the same benefits as the service pensioners, except for the canteen facilities. The Special Family Pen is payable for life to the widow or widower, until remarriage or death. It is also payable to the dependent children until they attain the age of 25 years or start earning their income, whichever is earlier. It is also payable to the dependent parents, if there is no eligible widow or widower or child, until their death. In case of remarriage of the widow or widower, the Special Family Pen is transferred to the dependent children or parents, as the case may be.

Liberalized Family Pension:



This is a type of Pension that is granted to the families of personnel who were killed in war or war-like operations, counter-insurgency operations, encounters with terrorists, etc. The amount of Liberalized Family Pen is equal to the last drawn emoluments, with no minimum limit. Liberalized Family Pen is also revised periodically by the government. The liberalized family pensioners can also avail the same benefits as the service pensioners, except for the canteen facilities. It is payable for life to the widow or widower, until remarriage or death. It is also payable to the dependent children until they attain the age of 25 years or start earning their income, whichever is earlier. The Liberalized Family Pen is also payable to the dependent parents, if there is no eligible widow or widower or child, until their death. In case of remarriage of the widow or widower, the Liberalized Family Pen is continued to be paid to him or her along with the dependent children or parents, as the case may be.

Disability Pension:



This is a type of Pension that is granted to those who were invalided out or disabled due to causes attributable to or aggravated by military service. The disability can be caused by enemy action, terrorist attack, natural calamity, accident, disease, etc. It is comprised two components: the service element and the disability element. The service element is equal to the Retiring Pen, which is 50% of the last drawn or average emoluments, subject to a minimum of Rs. 9,000 per month. The disability element is 30% of the last drawn emoluments for 100% disability, reduced proportionally for a lesser percentage of disability. No disability element is payable for disability less than 20%. The Disability Pen is also revised periodically by the Government. The disability pensioners can also avail the same benefits as the service pensioners, except for the canteen facilities.

War Injury Pension:

This is a pension for those who are wounded or disabled in war or war-like operations, such as fighting with terrorists or insurgents. The amount of War Injury Pen depends on the rank and the degree of disability of the individual. If the individual is invalided out of service, meaning he or she cannot continue to serve due to the injury, then the War Injury Pen is equal to the last salary or emoluments that the individual received. If the individual is discharged from service, meaning he or she can still serve in some capacity, then the pension is 60% of the last salary or emoluments. If the disability is less than 100%, then the War Injury Pen is reduced proportionally. For example, if a person has 50% disability, then the Liberalized Family Pen is half of the full amount.

Invalid Pension:



This is a pension for those who are invalided out of service due to any disability or infirmity that is not caused or worsened by military service. This is also known as Neither Attributable Nor Aggravated (NANA) pension. Earlier, the individual had to serve for at least 10 years to be eligible for Invalid Pen, but this requirement has been removed since July 2020. Now, anyone who is invalided out of service on or after January 2019 due to NANA disability or infirmity can get Invalid Pen. The amount of Invalid Pen is 50% of the last salary or emoluments that the individual received.

Reservist Pension:



This is a pension for those who have completed the required period of service in both the regular and the reserve forces. The reserve forces are those who are not on active duty but can be called upon in times of emergency or war; the reservist forces of India are the part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army, also known as the Territorial Army (TA). The individual has to serve for at least 15 years in total, including both the regular and the reserve forces, to be eligible for this pension. The amount of Reservist Pen is 2/3rd of the minimum Pension that a Sepoy, the lowest rank in the army, can get.

Conclusion:



The Indian armed forces personnel and their families get a valuable benefit in the form of regular income after their service. It gives them financial security and dignity. The government of India has different income schemes for different needs and situations of the armed forces personnel. The schemes are updated regularly to keep up with inflation and other factors. However, some problems and challenges remain that affect the timely and adequate payment of income. These include the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP), the balance between serving and retired personnel, the employment of ex-servicemen in civil government organizations, and the ease of income administration and grievance redressal. The government of India, the armed forces, and the associations of retired personnel should cooperate to solve these problems and improve the income system for the Indian armed forces.