Ex-short service commission officers demand One Rank One Pension including medical facilities
CHANDIGARH: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.
Veterans pointed that there Presidents Commissioned One Rank has been discriminated from right and privilege of One Rank One Pension policy announced by the Govt with effect from 2014 . They feel it is unjustified as Selection process , Training for War & Oath taken was same as that of Regular Officers.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The SSC officers said the provision of medical treatment at military hospitals was arbitrarily withdrawn in 2009.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 equally , The officers said they also loose out on honour of one Rank & other benefits like reservation for their wards in admission to educational institutes and resettlement schemes. If this discrimination continues it may have serious impact on talented Youth getting attracted to Short Service Commission in Armed Forces which is need of the hour to fill large shortage of Officers in Armed Forces .
