New Delhi: A note by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), headed by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, on a proposed new retirement and pension policy has caused serious heartburn in the military with indications that the three services are not on board.
The note, which is doing the rounds on social media, is dated 29 October and seeks for a draft Government Sanction Letter for changes in retirement profile and pension entitlements.
The proposed rules will be applicable to all equivalent ranks across the three services.
As proposed in the note, the retirement age of colonels (other than that of the Army Medical Corps and Military Nursing Service) will be increased to 57 years from the current 54.
The retirement age of brigadiers is proposed to be increased to 58 years from the current 56 years and that of the major generals to 59 from the current 58. No change has been proposed for the lieutenant general rank, which will continue to be 60 years.
The retirement of the Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Other Ranks (ORs) in the services (Logistics, Technical and Medical Branch, including EME, ASC and AOC) has been proposed to be 57 years. ORs currently retire after 17 years of service.
Also read: Is India’s rising defence pension bill affecting modernisation of military? 5 myths busted
Tweaking of pensions for those seeking premature release
The main cause of heartburn, however, has been the changes proposed for pension entitlements of those seeking Premature Release (PMR).
In the services, an officer can seek PMR after having served the pensionable age, which is 20 years of service. If cleared, the officer gets a pension which is 50 per cent of his/her last drawn salary.
But according to the new changes proposed, those taking PMR with 20-25 years of service will now be entitled to only 50 per cent of the pension.
“What this means is that, let us say an officer gets Rs 1 lakh as salary right now. If he takes PMR, his pension would be Rs 50,000. However, under new rules, if he has served only 20-25 years, then he will get a pension of only Rs 25,000,” a source in the defence establishment said.
Those with 26-30 years of service will get 60 per cent of the pension and those with 31-35 years of service will get 75 per cent of the pension. Only those with above 35 years of service will get full pension if they take PMR, according to the proposed changes.
While both serving and retired officers expressed anguish over the proposal, sources in the security establishment said the move is aimed at cutting down the pension cost.
Also read: Make short service lucrative, raise retirement age: CDS plan to reduce defence pensions
‘Pensions are sacred’
Serving officers said the changes have been proposed by the DMA and the services still have the opportunity to express their views against it.
“India is currently involved in a military confrontation with China. There would be many officers who would have completed their 20 years of service and might not have made it to the next rank. Also, (for) many officers who would be completing 20 years and knowing well they won’t make it to the next rank due to the pyramidal promotion structure that we have, this letter brings down morale,” the first source said.
A serving officer explained that such an order, if and when implemented, will have an impact on recruitments too.
“The whole idea is to keep the force young. With this, the average age of the force increases. Also, there is a huge stagnation of career in the armed forces, especially in the Army. Can’t understand why anyone would want to keep disgruntled elements within the force against their own will,” he said.
A retired officer, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint: “The pensions are sacred and are governed by a lot of rules and intrinsically linked to the civilian pension also.”
“No one can tinker with them at their own whims. It is not a ‘Tughlaqi farmaan’,” he added.
Veterans, meanwhile, strongly opposed the proposal on social media.
It’s legally unsound It amounts to violation of right to equality Change is proposed by CDS Is this in his purview? The judicial pronouncements make it clear that pension is 50% of last pay so the proposal is false Timing is best #HarmFaujBrigade at work BiRa better than China?
— Wg Cdr M Mujeeb (@GandhianJumlas) November 4, 2020
Plenty of angst among serving & retired mil personnel over proposed changes to retirement ages & pension qualification criteria by Secy DMA, as mentioned in a photo of a letter from the CDS’ secretariat. Question that troubles me is how and why was a photo of this proposal taken?
— Birender Dhanoa (@bsdhanoa) November 4, 2020
‘Proposed changes has benefits’
On why such a move is being planned, a second source said the aim is to bring down the pension cost.
“The pension cost is just too high and overshadows the defence budget,” said the source.
“The idea is to cut down costs by increasing the retirement age so that better productivity happens and the pension cost is down. Right now, many officers take PMR after attaining 20 years of service, which is actually a loss for the services,” the source explained.
A third source ThePrint spoke to said that almost all colonels and most brigadiers seek re-employment after retirement, and so the proposal to increase the retirement age is beneficial to all parties.
“On grant of re-employment, highly qualified officers and experts in particular domains are employed in appointments held by the level of Captains and Majors. This adversely impacts both the organisation and the officer himself, whose job satisfaction takes a hit,” the source explained.
The source added that with regard to JCOs/ORs and their equivalents in the three services, the proposal affects only personnel from services and not the combat arms.
“The organisation invests time and resources in training technicians to make them capable of undertaking specialised tasks. However, due to the current terms of engagement, they come up for retirement while their professional skill is at its peak. Post-retirement, almost all of them seek employment in civil establishments. Effort is to retain expertise while giving benefits to the individual,” the source said.
The source also argued that life expectancy and health infrastructure have improved over time. “This gives the opportunity to retain trained manpower over an extended period. Individuals who complete their pensionable age as per terms of engagement are not affected,” the source added.
Also read: Wide variation in disability pensions of jawans, officers creating ‘heartburn’: CDS Rawat
I think CDS Gen Rawat became polittician by making yhis fool idea for soldirrs beinf a soldier
Dear CDS
The pension new policy is not good and not to extend the service age upto 57 yrs. If this policy is best for you pl follow the advisory mentions below
(a) Eight hours duty should passed like FCI , Civil Labours etc (ie) 08 Am to 04 PM
(b) Home posting should be passed because for to educate their child and to take care of whole family
(c) dress should be changed from Army dress to Civil dress
(d) pension should be get after 20 Yrs if he wants get PMR otherwise 57 Yrs of age
You told that we are taking PMR why at the age of 35 Yrs and 40 yrs
Because to take care of aged parents who were completed their age above 60 Yrs then they should declare as a senior citizen by the government and childrens education
Going to dark
Boycott CDS Bipin Rawat
During selection individual knew that he will get survival pension after putting his precious life for country for present term os engagement.
Individual leaving service only after 20 years.
If it changes now, it is cheating to personal who was enrolled with this aspect.
If at all it so, may be start from new recruits, and then see how many come to serve the country. It is only game with people under open sky and at all adverse conditions by the people sitting in air-conditioning environment.
Mr CDS Sir hamara desh me fauji aadmi koi mar jaata hai tho jarur desh shouk manayega 2 din keliye wo 2 din ke baad me aap ne khud us marane wale fauji ke ghar me jake dekhiye taki aap ko samaj me aa jaayega. jo aap ne ye political khel ko jo aap khel rahe ho usko chodiye ye political leaders jo aap ko suggestion de raha hai us suggestion ko chodiye aur apna retired & serving officers suggestion’s le lijiye pls (BHALA KISI KA KAR NAA SAKAA THO BURA KISIKA MAT KARNA)
28%used in pension double of it used in salary how much money we have for modernisation in one hand you are saying you require modern weapon to compete with China on other hand you don’t want to give your personnel interested how can we proudly say you JAI JAWAN in 1857 rank jhansi have courage but not had weapon like britisher
CDS appears to have become an economic pawn of the Government. If he wants to save the government money then he must restrict transfers and posting under check. Crores of rupees are spent on transfers every year. About 1/3rd of the personnel are transferred every year having three years posting at a place. If it is done after 5 years, a lot of money will be saved in place of pension cut proposals.
All Ranks will be affected…especially JCOs/ORs would be affected most by the new proposed policy…
All Ranks will be affected…especially JCOs/ORs would be affected most by the new proposed policy…
Actually this all is being done by Govt. This was well planned. Mr Bira is a puppet in hands of Govt like Mr Imran khan in Pakistan. He has been selected and put up as CDS with enormous powers so that govt should not satisfy all three Chiefs individually. Now govt has to order only Mr Bira and he will sign and propose anything. Have a heart Mr Bira. U r looking at pension amount ,u r not looking at a soldier who has survived from Pak bullets in so many years, sacrificed his glorious 20 yrs in serving this motherland and away from his family. In Army we r taught,” kick on butts not on stomach”. But I think u have forgotten everything.GET WELL SOON.
Very2 wrong step by CDS.
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY REMOVE IT FROM POLICY FOLDER,
DON’T PLAY FROM SOLDIERS LIFE,
IF YOUR INTENTION TO SAVE MONEY & EXPERTISE THEN CHOOSE ANOTHER WAY BECAUSE THIS IS TOTALLY 101% WRONG & SHAMEFUL DECISION.
JAI HIND
Modi galat lKar Raha hai yeh you marega .. agar isne pension kata toh …fauji ehnu maran he
Yeah saala CDS Kya ban gaya ye bsdk sab kuchh benefits leke dusro logo ko problem kar raha h idea /proposal of cutting pension of armed forces, it will impact lot on morality of armed forces personnel specially those are about to retire sooner, why govt doesn’t cut their own expenditure on retired President’s,PMs, MPs Chief Minister’s, and MLAs they should be paid only 10k only every retired above said citizens keep on receiving pension above lacs n annual approx 100 million of rupes from govt exchequer, whereas the mostly have their own business, for further why govt do away with this problem of expenses, more over why can’t all minister be paid only for their parliament work and rest no payment like Belgium, where mp take their payment only for parliament session but rest time they don’t, can this be done, it’s not at all because they don’t wants to loose free luxury, but those are ready to sacrify for their life for protection of country being proposed to reduce their pay n pension,
This govt is totally failed in every espact, let it be economic, development or uplifting of societies , everything is being tinker, ppl will not be
Bahut dukhdai hai ye prastav….ye hone se ek fauji aur uske pariwar ka bhavisya andhkarmay ho jayga..CDS sab aur hamare Primeminister Sab se hath jod ke vinti hai ki aap aaisa anyay faujio ke sath naa kre.. Bhartiya Sena aur uska pariwar sadme me hai ….kripya is prasatv ko vapas le …ham bharat desh ke nagrik aapse ek behtar faisale aur fauj ke sunahre bhawisya ki kamna karte hai…..Mera Bharat Mahan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Jai Vigyan
Suppose if they implement this policy what percentage of money they are going to save. Its foolish ans un lawful decision. Its directly trying eat the 20yrs of jawan money. If you peep into the services most of the personnel who complered 20yrs of service including officers are suffering from life style diseases. Now if they extand the age of those people can they service up to their 58 yrs. Intead of retirement pension they have to give death cliams which really gets more burden to the service and other hand due to their old age they even do good during war situation.