MEETING WITH HON'BLE RAKSHA MANTRI SH AK ANTONY
A delegation led by Lt Col Inderjit Singh, Chairman and comprising Brig
Bhagwan Singh Secy Gen and Air Cmdre Sushil Soni met the RM on 02 Feb at
his residence.
After the exchange of pleasantries we presented
him an invitation to come to Satara near Pune, for the third part of
our 30th Anniversary Celebrations in which the second of the ten
TAILORING CENTERs will be inaugurated. He expressed his inability to
attend but wished us all success.
To start with we thanked him
for all that he did for us in the recent
months and requested him to take up our problems, especially OROP, even
more strongly so
that these are resolved expeditiously. He assured that he would get us
to our final goal, but it will have to be done gradually so that we do
not raise others hackles. The letters about our problems were presented
to him one by one for consideration and his necessary action. All these
letters follow after the end of this preliminary note.
The
Meeting was free and frank in which we put up all our points with all
the force at our Command. He listened to our submissions very patiently
even when some serious fault was pointed out and after listening gave us
his opinion.
Talking about CSD takeover, he stated that URCs
are with Services and not with MoD: It meant that control
of central office of CSD at Mumbai had been taken over by MoD resulting
in management shifting to MoD from Army HQ, but user end
sales are with Services, why should there be any problems. When we
pointed out that due to complicated procedures and consequent inordinate
delay the goods are not getting to the URC on time, he promised to look
into the matter.
When we brought to his notice the mischief of
the bureaucrats in issuing the notification against the spirit of the
Judgement the Rank Pay case he seemed very disturbed. After explaining
we appealed to him that the notification be withdrawn and fresh desired
notification be issued. He promised to look into it.
We spoke
about the ECHS and apprised him about two groups that have emerged after
ten years of ECHS operations. One which is fully satisfied. Such people
are in miniscule minority but are influential veterans. The other group
is totally dis-satisfied with ECHS. This comprises 90 % of veterans. To
satisfy both the groups we have to think differently. The answer is
that without disturbing the present set up we give a try to the Medicare
Policy scheme in areas where we are setting up new 199 polyclinics.
Once we get a feed back then we can take a final call on what schemme
was suitable. He listened to all this and assured that he would look
into it.
When we submitted the matter about 33 years
conditionality removal ha stated that they were removing this problem
gradually. We then stated that was nothing but daylight robbery and must
be removed without delay, he said that he would look into it.
We submitted that all Notifications issued by the MOD are flawed. While
giving us something, the notifications invariably deprive us of
something even better. This is corroborated by the fact that there are
5,000.00 petitions in the AFT. Of these there are 3500 cases which are
being appealed by the MOD against the Judgements given in our favor. The
tragedy was that the MOD which should have been taking up our causes to
make our life better was opposing and appealing against our interest in
all those cases.
Then we narrated him the case in which our Secy
ESM Deptt in his desperation to scuttle another initiative for OROP
stated that Veterans were demanding annual increments in pensions, which
was making it difficult for them to concede this demand. We also told
him that if the MOD which should be taking up our issue and getting
these through was strongly opposing the same, how could we get anything
from the Govt.
We then told him that unless the basic
shortcomings in the functioning and structure of ESM Deptt are addressed
no amount of effort by him to put matters right are likely to work. The
bureaucracy will continue to mislead the leadership with their blatant
lies to ensure rejection of our submissions.
The points regarding renewal of licenses and reduction of age limits for allotment of security contracts was also taken up.
Before we parted he
promised to have these matters re examined and get back. He also
advised that we should brief the RRM as well so that he knows that we
are facing these problems.
Warm regards
Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Chairman
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