Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:-

(a)        whether it is a fact that a number of retired Defence officers have returned their medals to the Hon’ble President, who is Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces;

(b)        if so, the status thereof; and

(c)        whether Government is considering persuading them to take their medals back with honour?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(M.M. PALLAM RAJU)

(a)        Yes, Sir.

(b)        They are with the Government.

(c)        Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary to look into the issue of One Rank One Pension and related issues has submitted its report recommending the following benefits to substantially improve the pension for the PBORs and Commissioned Officers, which have been accepted by the Government:-

(i)         Inclusion of Classification Allowance for PBOR from 1.1.2006.

(ii)        Removal of linkage of full pension with 33 years from 1.1.2006.

(iii)       Revision of Lt. General pension after carving out a separate pay scale for them.

(iv)       Bringing parity between pension of pre and post 10.10.1997 PBOR pensioners and

(v)        Further improving PBOR pensions based on award of GOM, 2006.

Since the issue on which they were agitating has been adequately addressed by the Committee, the Government expects them to honour their hard earned medals.