Addressing concerns on SPARSH and the role of TCS and DPDOs 1

Indian Military Veterans

Addressing concerns on SPARSH and the role of TCS and 

DPDOs 1.

TESWA

Dear Members,

*Message from Lt Gen Vinod Vashisht (Retd) of SBI*

[Lt Gen Vinod Vashisht Addl MS: 

Sir 

theek kaise hoga ... 

our Establishments  also have hands tied....

but as you say Sir... let's  wait.....AGs Branch has no real answers.. they have done well to set up Station Veteran Cells .....deploy some soldiers in PCDA.... but  answers are what you have been suggesting all along

*My Response to Lt Gen Vinod Vashisht*

[8:20 pm, 25/05/2024] Brig CS Vidyasagar: 

Dear Gen Vinod Vashisht Sir,

Thank you very much for your immediate response.

I do appreciate your frustration about SPARSH.

As Principal Defence Banking Advisor of SBI, I can see your job has become tougher and more difficult with SPARSH.

Banks were doing an excellent job of not only pension disbursal but redressing all types of grievances of defence pensioners.

You know better than me how the CGDA and his subordinates make the Min of Def happy by giving them all false information of so called savings of crores of Govt money by denying the entitlements to serving and retired personnel.

95% of cases filed by Ex-Servicemen in courts of law from AFTs to Hon'ble Supreme Court go against Min of Def. Min of Def is instructed to pay hefty arrears which were deliberately denied to them. Now Min of Def has to pay interest of 8 to 10% if arrears are not remitted within a specified period after the judgment is delivered which is generally three months. Now where is the saving to Govt of India?

I am also frustrated with our retired officer cadre who do not take trouble to file RTI queries and also file legal cases by getting few Ex-Servicemen as petitioners who do not get their legitimate entitlements.

I wish one dedicated retired officer under RTI Act 2005 ask Min of Def (ESW) how much money has been remitted to Ex-Servicemen as arrears which were initially denied by CGDA and his staff. This will reveal the truth that so called savings to the Govt of India is not real savings but denial of legitimate dues to the Ex-Servicemen and widows.

I am told PCDA (O) Pune put up a proposal that they saved thousands of crores to Govt of India and want a new building as the present one is inadequate. They will get sanction for new building costing crores.

The so called six Ex- Servicemen Associations who are recognised by Min of Def like IESM, DIWAVE, Akhila Bhartiya Poorva Sainik Sewa Parishad, War Widows Association, Air Force Association etc do not question the Min of Def why SPARSH is a total failure by showing huge number of  grievances collected from its members. 

I am sure CGDA does not have monthly or quarterly state of grievances raised, grievances sorted, grievances at various stages of redressal, grievances rejected like we do have in the Army.

Lt Col Ranjan Kumar, the OiC, DPCC in the office of PCDA(Pensions) Prayagraj submits at periodical intervals the above return to MP-5. If he can do for huge number of Army pensioners, why cannot PCDA(Pensions) Prayagraj also do the same submission of quarterly returns on grievances? 

The Min of Def does NOT show mirror to CGDA and tell him why he needs additional manpower to man the call centre in PCDA(Pensions) Prayagraj when initially seeking sanction for SPARSH they in writing mentioned that they do not need manpower. Then why CGDA is asking Min of Def (ESW) at frequent intervals for additional funds? If you see the amount of money CGDA splurged on SPARSH already, my guess estimate is about Rs 600 crores to 700 crores has gone down the drain. As time goes by the expenditure is going to go up. Then what saving has SPARSH achieved? I hope one dedicated retired officer files a RTI Query on Min of Def (ESW) asking how much money has been spent once Min of Def gave approval to raise SPARSH.

The only recourse is for T SEWA to file PIL in Hon'ble Supreme Court by Aug 2025 on state of non-functionality of SPARSH. I have postponed due to request of Adjt Gen who feels within one year SPARSH will gallop. I do hope his faith in CGDA may improve the functioning of SPARSH.

In the mean time, I will request all members of T SEWA to give me their grievances. Though my work load will go up manifold there is no alternative. This is to send it to Secretary Min of Def (ESW) and Secy Min of Def to tell them what kind of service SPARSH is providing to its customers (Ex-Service and widow pensioners).

My gut feeling is SPARSH will take another five years to stabilise.

Every year 60,000 become Ex-Servicemen and 30,000 become widows.

Therefore the number of Ex-Servicemen and widows will only go up every year. 

Is SPARSH ready to take on this extra load every year?

It is easy to raise audit objections and observations by these employees of Def Accts Dept.

I find our officer cadre retired do not take any interest in matter of pensioners.

Why cannot one dedicated officer drag SPARSH to Consumer Court as this organisation is also a service provider?

As per RBI guidelines of Mar 2023 if any payment is delayed by 30 days, the CPPC of bank is to remit 8% penal interest

Then why cannot a retired officer who does not get OROP arrears for years not sue the SPARSH and demand 8% penal interest?

*But we the officer cadre believe in the Punjabi Saying Sannu Ki Fark Painda!*

If RBI has guidelines to the CPPCs of banks, then SPARSH which has become one huge CPPC for 33 lakh defence pensioners also must be bound by RBI guidelines.

*But which retired officer has time, energy and passion to pursue such cases? They are good at cribbing if their pension is less by Rs 10*.

Now that you gave me an idea, let me ask members of T SEWA to join a legal case to sue SPARSH for non-payment of 8% penal interest.

Before that, I have to make a legal brief and get the legal opinion from fauji advocates practicing in AFTs and Hon'ble High Court.

Is our demand for 8% penal interest from SPARSH for delayed payments is tenable is what I need to find out from our advocates.

You also try to find out from advocates known to you.

Then we will drag SPARSH to the courts of law.

warm regards & respects, 

Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd), 

WA Mob No: 75695 13350, 

brigvidya.tsewa@gmail.com