Lt Gen Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) Chairman 262, Sector-17A, Gurgaon 122 001 Mobile: 09811228878

8 Email: rajkadyan@yahoo.com

MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY DEFENCE SERVICES WIDOWS TO THE HONBLE DEFENCE MINISTER

Dear Honble Defence Minister, There are a large number of Services widow pensioners as part of the overall Defence pensioners family. In 2009, the Government constituted a committee under the Cabinet Secretary to examine One Rank One Pension (OROP) for the defence pensioners. In its report, the Committee did not recommend OROP. However, going beyond its mandate, it recommended a general enhancement of pension in respect of all defence pensioners other than commissioned officers. When the Committees report was published, it came as a great shock to learn that the Defence Services widow pensioners were left out of this enhancement. Such discrimination against the neediest section of the defence society caused great consternation among the widows and defence veterans. The widows are as much defence pensioners as anyone else and leaving them out lacked both logic and sensitivity on the part of the government. Chairman IESM wrote to the Honble Prime Minister and the Honble Defence Minister pointing out this discriminatory treatment and seeking corrective action. The reply received from the Defence Ministry was family pension is computed with reference to pay scale, it can be improved only if the pay scales are enhanced. Enhancement of pay is not within the scope of govt letter dated 8.3.2010, hence it does not cover family pensioners. The government response makes strange reading. Even in cases where the pension has been enhanced, the revised pension is computed with reference to some notional pay scale and not actual one. The same yardstick could and should have been applied in the case of widows. The (mostly) illiterate and hapless widows cannot understand why, when a general enhancement of defence pensions has been effected, the same proportionate increase has not been implemented in their case? The government should have shown some compassion and grace in dealing with the widows. Instead, they have used some unconvincing technicality as a prop to deny a just demand. When two appeals to the government failed in seeking redress, the widows decided to meet (on 12 November 2011) Ms Sonia Gandhi in the hope that she would better relate to and empathize with their plight. Since she is still not fully recovered to receive delegations, Ms Sonia Gandhis office requested the widows to meet the Honble Defence Minister instead. In case the government still fails to respond positively by end of December 2011, the widows are determined to again knock on the doors of Ms Sonia Gandhi. With regards, Yours sincerely, On behalf of widows

14 November 2011 Copy to:

Mrs Sonia Gandhi