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Post-surgical strikes, govt cuts soldiers’ disability grant
NEW DELHI: Amid the persisting political debate over the September 29 surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), the government has decided to reduce the
NEW DELHI: Amid the persisting political debate over the September 29 surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), the government has decided to reduce the disability pension of defence force personnel.
Soldiers invalidated out of service after being crippled with “100% disability” will now get a monthly “war injury pay” of Rs 27,200 against the earlier sum of Rs 45,200, the September 30 notification of the ministry of defence states.
For officers in the rank of Majors with 10 years experience, who have suffered “100% disabilities”, the allowance has been slashed by over Rs 70,000 a month. Junior Commissioned Officers in the rank of Naib Subedars with 26 years of service will now find their disability pensions sliced by as much as Rs 40,000.
“Such notifications are meaningless, given that the three service chiefs have not issued special orders to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission until the anomalies are addressed. The notification will be challenged in the court,” Lt. Gen Vijay Oberoi, injured in the 1965 war, said.
A soldier of five years of service with 100% disability was earlier entitled to a disability allowance matching his monthly salary of Rs 30,400 a month. Now, he will get a flat rate of Rs 12,000 a month.
Similarly, a Major with 10 years of service with similar disabilities was earlier entitled to an allowance matching his monthly pay of Rs 98,300. Following the changes now brought into effect, he will be entitled to a disability allowance of just Rs 27,000 a month.
“The latest government notification defies logic. It will certainly be challenged ”, Col. R PD hank ar (Retd) said. The notification annuls the system instituted by the 6th Pay Commission in 2006, which had provided for calculations of the disability pay on a“percentage basis” related to the last pay drawn.
Official sources, however, claimed disability pension amount for defence personnel would actually increase substantially after the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission. The disability pension for war related cases has not been touched, while for the non-battle cases, these have increased by almost 90%, they said.
