The Hon’ble Defence Minister
Government of India,
New Delhi
Sub:An appeal to rectify the currently existing
injustice in the matter of eligibility to Enhanced Family Pension to the widows
of Armed Forces Pensioners who retire at an early age.
Respected
sir,
The
current NDA government, under the able leadership of Shri. NarendraModiji, had
done quite a lot for the welfare of defence personnel including the
Ex-servicemen and widows. The notable benefit was the grant of OROP which was a
long pending demand of the Ex-servicemen community. While we are extremely
grateful for all benefits extended to us, we would like to submit the following
anomaly in the matter of eligibility for Enhanced Family Pension to the widows
of early retired defence pensioners, for your kind consideration and favourable
action.
As per existing Family Pension Rules,
the Enhanced Family Pension (EFP) is payable, in the event of death of a
pensioner, for a period up to seven
years from the date of retirement (or) till the pensioner has attained 67
years of age, had he/she been alive, whichever is earlier. The
enhanced family pension payable is equivalent to 50% of the Last Pay Drawn
(LPD) by the pensioner at the time of retirement (or) the amount
of pension sanctioned before commutation, whichever is less.
Thereafter
the widow will be entitled to normal family pension at the rate of 30% of last
pay drawn, whichis 20% less than the Enhanced Family Pension. The
above provisions of the Rule apply uniformly to the widows of both the
civilian central government pensioners and the armed forces pensioners.
On careful examination of
the above provisions, it will be seen that it is discriminatory and unfair
to the widows of ex-servicemen who are made to retire at a young age as a
national necessity, in order to keep the Armed Forces young and fighting
fit all the time. It may kindly be noted that 88% of the soldiers retire
at the age of 33-37 years.
The following illustration will
demonstrate the above point clearly.
1. If a central government employee who
retired on superannuation at the age of 60 years, dies shortly after his
retirement, the widow will be eligible for Enhanced Family Pension at the rate
of 50% of Last Pay Drawn by the pensioner at the time of retirement, almost for
7 years or till 67 years of age of the pensioner, had he been alive,
whichever is earlier.
2. Whereas
the widow of a defence pensioner/ex-serviceman who got discharged at the age of
33 years on completion of his initial term of engagement becomes INELIGIBLE for
Enhanced Family Pension, immediately after seven years of his discharge when his
age is only 40 years, had he been alive. The age of the widow at that time,
will naturally be less than 40, possibly 34 or 35 years,
when her responsibilities are full and to the brim with her
children in the critical stage of studies in school or college and the
necessity of her continuous presence at home, possibly to take care of both her
aged and ailing parents and in-laws, who need constant physical, emotional and
even financial support.
Unfortunately, at that
critical time of her life, she gets a reduced pension of only
30% of her husband's Last Pay Drawn, just because of the reason that her
husband had died immediately after a lapse of seven years of his
discharge. This is a double whammy to the young and hapless
widow.
Sir, while her counterpart in the
civil will be eligible for the benefit of enhanced family pension at the
rate of 50% the last pay drawn by her husband
until 67 years of his age,
she will be unfairly deprived of the benefit when the age of her husband is
only 40. This is a grave injustice, especially in
view of the fact that he retired early as the country needs a young armed
force.
In order to mitigate this hardship and
to rectify the above anomaly,
it is suggested that the existing condition
of death should have occurred before 7 years of retirement to be
entitled to the Enhanced Family Pension, may
be amended to the effect that the
Enhanced Family Pension may be paid uniformly to all widows for a period of seven
years after the pensioner’s death irrespective of his age of retirement (or) up
to 67 years of age, had the pensioner been alive, whichever is earlier.
The financial implication of such an
amended provision will be negligible as the
statistics show that majority
of pensioners including those from armed forces,
normally die at an old age of above 60 years and therefore, there
may hardly be a few cases of death at
an earlier age. Considering the selfless service that these small number
of defence pensioners haverendered while they were in uniform in defending
our great nation, the proposed amendment to the Rule, will
not only be a great tribute to their memory, but
also isof greatfinancial help to the young widows in the critical time of their
life.
In view of the foregoing, I earnestly
appeal to your good self to get the above matter examined in the light of the
submissions made, for issue of appropriate orders in this regard, for which act
of kindness the entire ex-serviceman community of this country shall remain
grateful to you and remember you forever. The benefit may also be kindly
extended to all the existing family pensioners of this category.
Yours Faithfully,
M. Prabhakaran, Air Veteran,
Member, Karnataka RajyaSainik Board,
Flat no. 15A&B, Krishnanagar Apartments,
Bangalore - 560017
(M)
9880016240
