Saturday 27 July 2019
Friday 26 July 2019
Tiger Hill Vir Chakra now directs traffic in a small Punjab town
Kargil Vijay Diwas: "May be I made a
wrong decision. I did not get any weightage for my Vir Chakra. Sports
persons winning medals are also given higher ranks... I killed a man who
was awarded Pakistan’s highest gallantry award. Anyway, God is kind. He
kept me alive," Satpal Singh said.
Twenty years ago, Satpal Singh was a Sepoy, battling Pakistan Army’s
counter-attacks on Tiger Hill in which he killed Captain Karnal Sher
Khan of the Northern Light Infantry and three others — Sher Khan was
later conferred the Nishan-e-Haider, Pakistan’s highest gallantry award,
on the recommendation of the Indian brigade commander who vouched for
his bravery on the icy heights.
He was part of the 8 Sikh team of two officers, four JCOs and 46 ORs
(other ranks), tasked to help the 19 Grenadiers capture Tiger Hill.
Eighteen personnel, including three JCOs, died while beating back
Pakistani attacks on Helmet and India Gate positions on Tiger Hill. Most
who survived the battle were wounded, including the two officers Major
Ravindra Parmar and Lt R K Sehrawat.
At a road intersection in Bhawanigarh, a small town in Sangrur
district of Punjab, Head Constable Satpal Singh is busy directing
traffic. But a close look at his uniform tells you he is no ordinary
traffic policeman. On his shirt, he wears four rows of medal ribands,
including one that’s half blue-half orange. The Vir Chakra.
“We had reached out position by the evening of July 5, 1999. It was
bitterly cold and all we had with us were the clothes we were wearing.
Either we could carry extra woollens or extra arms and ammunition. The
choice was obvious,” recalls Satpal, now 46.
The first Pakistani counter attack came early July 7, pushing back
Indian troops. “The attacks came one after another. We would beat one
and then there would be another. The Pakistanis had a good officer
leading them.” With the officers and JCOs wounded, Subedar Nirmal Singh, among the injured, retained command and remained in touch with the brigade commander, Brig M P S Bajwa, on the wireless.
“Before he was killed with a direct hit to the head, Subedar saab told
us to shout our jaikara ‘Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal’, rush the enemy and
the officer leading them. I took four bullets as I fired my LMG (light
machine gun). There was hand-to-hand combat. I pounced on this tall,
well-built man dressed in a tracksuit. He was leading the Pakistani
troops. There was chaos all around, both sides hurling abuses at each
other as they fought. I managed to kill him,” he said.
He did not know then that the man he had killed was Capt Karnal Sher
Khan. “I killed four of them — the officer, his radio operator and two
jawans providing him close cover.” The death of the officer left the
Pakistanis in disarray. “We could see him (Sher Khan) leading his
troops, using the fire-and-cover method to attack us again and again. He
fought well,” he said.
Brigadier Bajwa, Satpal’s former brigade commander, said: “I
recommended Satpal’s n
name for Param Vir Chakra given his exceptional
bravery on Tiger Hill. He was awarded Vir Chakra.”
After completing his service in the Army, Satpal was discharged in
2009. He joined Punjab Police the following year. “May be I made a wrong
decision. I did not get any weightage for my Vir Chakra. I joined under
the ex-servicemen quota. I am a Head Constable now.”
However, on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced that
Satpal was promoted from Head Constable to Assistant Sub Inspector.
Many Many thanks to Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh.
JAI HIND JAI SATPAL SINGHJI
Thursday 25 July 2019
Wednesday 24 July 2019
Tuesday 23 July 2019
MoD Clarification on Dual Family Pension i.e. Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) from Military Side, Special Family Pension (SFP)/ Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed Military service
No. PC -2(6)/2013/D(Pen/Pol)
Government of India/Bharat Sarkar
Ministry of Defence
Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
D(Pension/Policy)
Dated 8th July, 2019
To
The Chief of the Army Staff
The Chief of the Naval Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff
Subject: Clarification regarding grant of Dual Family Pension i.e. Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) from Military Side as well as Special Family Pension (SFP)/ Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed Military service - reg.
Sir,
The undersigned is directed to state that references have been received
seeking clarification as to whether Special Family Pension
(SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) is admissible on death of a
military pensioner re-employed in military service, and his death is
attributable to military service.
2. Prior to 17.01.2013, the NOKs of Armed Force Pensioner who got
re-employed in Civil Department/PSUs/Autonomous bodies/Local Fund of
Central/State Governments after getting retired from military service
were authorized to draw Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) either from
military side or from civil side whichever was beneficial to them in
terms of Gol, MoD letter No. 10(6)/92/D(Pens/Sers) dated 28.09.1992 and
regulation 78 of Pension Regulation Part-I, 2008. Subsequently, vide
GoI, MoD letter No. 01(05)/2010-D(Pen/Policy) dated 17.01.2013, two
family pensions were allowed w.e.f. 24.09.2012 in the event of death of a
re-employed military pensioner.
3. It was further clarified that dual family pension is admissible
irrespective of the fact whether the re-employment was in civil or
military department vide GoI, MoD letter No. 10(17)/2012-D(Pen/Pol)
dated 21.03.2013. Hence, the family pensioners of military personnel
re-employed in military e.g. Territorial Army/Defence Security Corps
(TA/DSC) are also covered in the ambit of the Gol, MoD letter No.
01(05)/2010-D(Pen/Policy) dated 17.01.2013 for grant of dual family
pension w.e.f. 24.09.2012. However, the admissibility of dual family
pension was restricted to ordinary family pension (OFP).
4. Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare vide their OM No.
1/3/2016-P&PW(F) dated 24.01.2019 has clarified that the provisions
of two family pensions, one in respect of military/civil service and the
other for civil service after re-employment, as available in terms of
CCS(Pension) Rules, is also applicable under CCS(EOP) Rules.
5. The matter regarding extending the admissibility of Special Family
Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) in cases of death
attributable to military service in terms of Gol, MoD letter No.
1(2)/97/D(Pen-C) dated 31.01.2001 in the case a of dual family pension
has been examined. It has been decided that Department of Pension and
Pensioners’ Welfare OM No. 1/3/2016-P&PW(F) dated 24.01.2019 would
apply mutatis-mutandis to military/civil pensioners re-employed in
military service and it is clarified that the provision of two family
pensions, one in respect of military/civil service and Special Family
Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed military
service is also applicable. Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised
Family Pension (LFP) if any, would be admissible in terms of GoI,
MoD letter No. 1(2)/97/D(Pen-C) dated 31.01.2001 on death of a pensioner
who was re-employed in military service and if his death is
attributable to military service, in addition to Ordinary Family Pension
in respect of the previous military/civil service.
6. Where, however, on death of the re-employed ex-serviceman if the
family is eligible for Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family
Pension (LFP) for first service, family pension for second spell of
service would be Ordinary Family Pension.
7. Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) shall
be granted only in respect of one service and in no case, Special Family
Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) will be granted for both
the services.
8. The financial benefits in the past cases will accrue with effect from 24.09.2012.
9. Pension Regulation of the three Services shall be amended in due course.
10. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Division of this
Ministry vide their ID No. 10(02)/2017/FIN/PEN dated 21.06.2019.
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