Ex-servicemen demand more pay
Defence personnel held meet at Amloh A meeting to discuss the Sixth Central Pay Commission report with respect to defence personnel was held at Amloh under the aegis of the Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab and Chandigarh on Tuesday. A number of ex-servicemen and widows attended the meeting, presided over by Lt Col Mohinder Singh Sandhu (Retd) and decried the pay and allowances recommended by the pay commission, specifically the rate of Military Service Pay (MSP). Those assembled demanded that MSP, ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500 for sepoys to sub major (rank wise) and from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 for Lieutenants to Generals be given to compensate the hazardous conditions they face during the service. The league also demanded that additional quantum of pension and family pension be given from the age of 70 years and not 80 years as recommended by the pay commission. The ex-servicemen further demanded that re-employed defence officers should be given Daily Allowance (DA) with the defence pension. The same is already being paid to Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) with effect from July 1997. General secretary of the league, Prabhjot Singh, said the members condemned the treatment meted out to them by Defence Pension Disbursing Office, Patiala. The meeting ended with a proposal to unite all the different organisations of the retired defence personnel to redress their grievances.
| 
