Women personnel in the Armed Forces are not being deployed for combat operations and on naval warships. Induction of women in combat duties has not been recommended by the studies carried out by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) in 2006 and High Level Tri-Services Committee in 2011.
In the Armed Forces, Women are inducted as Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) alongwith men SSCOs with a tenure of upto 14 years. All officers including SSCOs, irrespective of gender, are eligible to hold substantive rank of Lieutenant Colonel after completion of 13 years of reckonable commissioned service. Further, Women SSCOs are eligible for grant of Permanent Commission in specific branches in the three Services viz. Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps of Army and their corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force; Naval constructor in Navy and Accounts, Technical, Administration, Logistic and Meteorology branches in Air Force in terms of extant Government Policy.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Dr Bhola Singh and others in LokSabha today.
From time to time Defence Civilian employees have been raising the demands that they should be granted Field Area allowance and Modified Field Area allowance as applicable to the service Personnel and for providing other allowances like Aeronautical Technical Allowance, Airworthiness Certificate Allowance, Flight Charge Certificate Allowance etc. at par with technical defence personnel.
It has not been found feasible to accept these demands as the job requirements and service conditions of Service Personnel and Defence Civilian employees are totally different.
Complaints relating to alleged irregularities / malpractices in recruitment of soldiers have been received from time to time. In cases of complaints of involvement of touts, FIRs, where applicable, have been lodged. During the last three years (2012 to till date), three cases of involvement of Service Personnel were found. Court of Inquiry has been instituted in one case; preliminary investigation has been ordered in another case and in third, the CBI has registered a case.
Proactive measures have been taken on a continuous basis to streamline the recruitment process. These include deployment of vigilance teams, involving police and Government intelligence sources, introducing additional checks and balances in documentation procedure, online verification of documents where feasible, conducting awareness campaigns against falling prey to touts, in-house printing of Question Papers to obviate leakage.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri P Karunakaran in Lok Sabha today.
On 13th Mar 2015 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and HDFC Bank on the Defence Salary Package.
The signing in ceremony was chaired by Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma, Adjutant General of Indian Army and attended by top dignitaries of HDFC Bank headed by Mr Rajender Sehgal, Group Head (Govt Business).
The first MoU between HDFC Bank and the Indian Army was signed in 2011 and was valid for a period of three years.
The revised MoU is tailor made to suit the requirements of serving soldiers, pensioners and families. Number of additional facilities have been incorporated in the revised MoU after concerted efforts.
Army is hoping that this MoU will benefit a large number of serving and retired Army personnel who are having their accounts with HDFC and provide them an opportunity to access modern banking facilities.
The basic features of the MoU are free drafts, free cheque books, free funds transfers to any bank in India through RTGS / NEFT and free ATM cards.
Some features which have been improved from before are enhancement of Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) cover and its applicability both on Account and Debit Card, Air Accident Insurance of Rs 25 Lakhs, Interest concession on auto loan and 50 % waiver on processing fees for auto and house loan.
Two major additions have been applicability of the and overdraft facility to pensioners.
The MoU also has a provision for yearly review of specific features and requests.
As per the existing policy, the Central Government Administrative Offices observe up to 17 holidays in a year on specified occasions which consist of 3 National Holidays (on 26th January, 15th August and 2nd October) and 14 other holidays to celebrate festivals of different regions/religion in a diverse country like India.
At present there is no proposal under consideration of the Government to curtail the public holidays for government employees.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri S. Thangavelu in the Rajya Sabha today.
No. 13026/3/2012-Estt(L)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
****
Old JNU Campus, New Delhi 110 067
Dated: 09.03.2015
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Classification of posts in the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 — Clarification Reg.
******
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s Notification No.21/2/75-Estt.(D) dated 11.11.1975 reclassifying the posts under the Central Government as Group ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ & . ‘D’ in place of Class ‘I’, ‘II’, ‘III’ & ‘IV’ and to state that wherever the old nomenclature of Class ‘I, ‘II’, ‘III’ & ‘IV’ are mentioned in the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972, the same may be read as Group ‘A, ‘B’, ‘C’ & ‘D’,-respectively.
The Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is implementing a web based mission mode project on pensions namely Pensioner’s Portal under the National e-Governance Plan. The Department has also started initiative called SANKALP for channelizing the experience and skill of Pensioners towards meaningful social activities.
The Department is proposing to conduct the next such Awareness Programme for Pensioners at Assam Rifles Garrison, Near D.C. Office, Kohima (Nagaland) on 25.03.2015. The meeting will be chaired by Secretary (P,AR&PG).
The basic objective of the project is to facilitate redressal of Pensioners’ Grievances as also to provide information and guidance to pensioners on various pension and retirement related matters. User Ministries/Departments, Pensioners, Banks, Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), Post Offices etc. are the stakeholders in this venture aimed at welfare of the Pensioners.
With a view to providing know how about the operational aspects of this Portal and the Grievances Redressal Mechanism in particular, the Department of Pensions is conducting Awareness Programmes at different locations in the country.
A proposal to provide Leave Travel Concession (LTC) to Government employees to visit some SAARC countries is in its initial stage of consideration. The details are yet to be finalized.
The purpose behind the proposal is to enhance people-to-people contact and bilateral ties in the SAARC region through increase in tourism in the region.
As per the Government’s order dated 26.09.2014, the Government has extended the facility of conversion of home town LTC to visit the states in the North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir and the UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands for a period of two years up to 25.09.2016. This facility was first introduced in the year 2008.
Presently, no other proposal is under consideration for including more places under the conversion of Home Town LTC to anywhere in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri M. Raja Mohan Reddy in the Lok Sabha today
F.No. 41017/2/2015-Estt.A
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
Establishment A-III Desk
*****
North Block New Delhi.
Dated: 9th March, 2015
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Implementation of Supreme Court’s judgement dated 31.10.2013 in WP(Civil) No. 82/2011 in the matter of Shri T.S.R.Subramanian & Others vs. UOI & Others — Parliament Assurance in Rajya Sabha Unstarred Q. No.988, answered on 17.07.2014, on ‘Amendment in Rule 3(3) of All India Service (Conduct) Rules’ — regarding.
The undersigned is directed to state that in reply to part (b) of the above Rajya Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 988 for 17/07/2014, the Parliament was, inter-alia, informed that ‘the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the PIL filed by Shri T.S.R. Subramanian and others were brought to the notice of the various Ministries / Departments who are the Cadre Controlling Authorities of the Central Civil Services for compliance’. This part of the reply has been treated as an Assurance.
2. It may please be recalled that, following the Supreme Court’s judgement dated 31.10.2013 in WP(Civil) No. 82/2011, the Ministries / Departments were requested to take steps for implementation of the judgement. In view of the above Parliament Assurance, all Ministries / Departments are requested to please send a line in confirmation of the implementation of the above judgement in respect of the Cadre(s) under their administrative control by 20.03.2015 so that the Assurance can be fulfilled. The Cadre(s) under the administrative control may also please be indicated for records.
3. The Ministries / Departments, which are not Cadre Controlling Authorities for any cadre, may also kindly send a communication in this regard for the records of this Department.
The Government is not considering to enhance the age limit for Employees Pension Scheme (EPS).The Pension implementation Committee (PIC) has recommended to increase the short service pension entitlement age from 50 years to 55 years. The proposal is under consideration of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT),Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).The proposal, if accepted is likely to decrease the reduction of pension due to short service.
This was stated by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State(IC) for Labour and Employment in response to a written question in Lok Sabha today.
No.38/77-A/09-P&PW(A)(Pt.)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare
Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi-110003
Dated the 5th March, 2015
Office Memorandum
Sub:- Revision of pension of pre-2006 pensioners – reg.
The orders for implementation of the decision taken by the Government on the recommendations of 6th CPC for revision for pension of past pensioners were issued vide Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare’s OM dated 1.9.2008. The provisions of Para 4.2 of this OM were clarified vide this Department’s letter dated 3.10.2008.
2. The Hon’ble Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi in its common order dated 1.11.2011 in four petitions [OA No.655/2010, 306/2010, 50712010 and 3079/2009] directed that the past pensioners may be granted, w.e.f. 1.1.2006, a minimum pension with reference to the fitment table applicable for revision of pay of serving employees.
3. A large number of representations from pre-2006 pensioners are being received by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare for extension of benefits similar to what had been allowed in case of OA No.655/2010 by CAT, Principal Bench, New Delhi.
4. In this context, it is informed that four Writ Petitions were filed in the High Court of Delhi challenging the order dated 1.11.2011 of Hon’ble CAT in four OAs. These petitions were dismissed on 29.4.2013. Subsequently, four SLPs were filed in the Hon’ble Supreme Court over a period of time against the said order of the Hon’ble High Court. Of the four SLPs, the one pertaining to Central Government SAG (S-29) Pensioners’ Association which was first in the series of said SLPs, has since been dismissed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 29.7.2013. As the Review Curative Petition against the said order dated 29.7.2013 also failed, the Government of India decided to comply with the order by extending the requisite benefits to the parties involved in the said SLP. As regards the other three SLPs (Nos.36148-50/2013), Hon’ble Supreme Court in its order dated 19.11.2013 issued notice and made the following observation: .
“Learned Counsel for the respondent submits that during the pendency of these petitions the respondent-writ petitioners shall not precipitate the matter by filing contempt proceedings either before the High Court or before the Tribunal. That statement is recorded. “
5. Thus the issue of revision of pension of pre-2006 pensioners w.e.f. 1.1.2006 as covered under SLP Nos. 36148-50/2013 in the Apex Court which have been tagged with Civil Appeal No.8875-76/2011 filed by Ministry of Defence in a similar matter is subjudice.
6. This is for information
7. The outcome of SLPs under reference in Para (4) would be brought to the notice of all Ministries/Departments.
(S.K.Makkar)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
