Ex-short service commission officers demand pension, medical facilities

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 4

Former short service commission (SSC) officers today reiterated their demand for grant of pro-rata pension as well as facilities of medical treatment on similar lines as are being given to regular officers.

Speaking to mediapersons here, several released SSC officers said they had met the Defence Minister as well as the Chief of Army Staff several times in this regard, but even after several years their efforts have gone in vain.

Capt Jaspal Singh, a 72-year veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War, said after serving in the Army for five or 10 years and having participated in wars and other operations, they had been left to fend for themselves in their old age without any benefits. While the Central and state governments have schemes for the benefit of civilians in various categories, there was no such policy for the SSC or emergency commissioned officers.

The SSC officers said the provision of medical treatment at military hospitals was arbitrarily withdrawn in 2009. Though the Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal directed the Ministry of Defence in 2010 to restore the facilities, the order was challenged before the Supreme Court where it is still pending.

Demanding that the status of ex-servicemen be given to released SSC officers, the officers said they also lose out on other benefits like reservation for their wards in admission to educational institutes and resettlement schemes.