In a decision that could invite the anger of ex-servicemen, the Ministry of Defence slashed the amount of pension it pays to soldiers who are left handicapped in the line of duty.
In a notification that was put up of the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare on September 30, the Ministry of Defence has said that the new pensions will be effective retrospectively from January 1 for all servicemen receiving pensions for disability.
So, as per the new notification the monthly disability pension soldiers will receive as per rank is:
Ajai Shukla writing in the Business Standard says that before the notification, soldiers who had suffered complete disability (100 percent disability) in the line of duty were entitled to a disability pension that was equal to their last salary drawn.
In addition, they were paid a ‘service component’ of the pension which was 50 percent of the salary drawn.
So, as Shukla explains it, this is the stark difference in the monthly pension received by a soldier disabled in the line of duty:
However, the notification also says that the one-time payment for soldiers handicapped in the line of duty is to be raised from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
Given the decision came around the same time that the news of the surgical strikes by the Indian Army emerged, many are questioning the rationale behind it:
DISABILITY pension for an Addl Secy Rs70,000;for a Lt Gen Rs27,000/.Wt does an Addl Secy hv to do to get disabled?Fall out of his car?BJP?
— Rajiv Kunwar Bajaj (@rkbnow) October 8, 2016
They risk their lives for us, every day! Let’s prove our respect for their courage & sacrifice! Every Indian must support our soldiers now! pic.twitter.com/uGGnv1qdix
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) October 9, 2016
Government of India cut pension of Army men who became disabled while protecting this country where is the outrage of right wing & media ?
— Pam (@pamela_pam123) October 10, 2016
The monthly pension of a jawan who becomes disabled in a #SurgicalStrike has been reduced by PM #Modi: Randeep Surjewala
— Firstpost (@firstpost) October 10, 2016
Is this how govt shows respect to soldiers? pic.twitter.com/JKXXSkuPQM
— Aditya Menon (@AdityaMenon22) October 10, 2016
Having worked among disabled n having known their hardship to make living cutting down soldiers pension comes as shock, insult to our Army https://t.co/OVJylUKma6
— rajennair (@rajennair) October 10, 2016