After Surgical Strikes, Indian Govt Slashes Down Army’s Disability Pensions For Injured Soldiers

Government Slashes Down Army’s Disability Pensions

Right after Indian Army conducted surgical strikes at terror bases across LoC, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on September 30, issued a letter to slash the pensions for soldiers who are invalided out of the army affected by battle injuries or injuries directly attributable to hazardous military service. The new set of rules holds, a young soldier who had suffered “severe” injuries or “100 per cent disability” in medical terms, would see a 40 per cent cut in pension from Rs 45,200 to Rs 27,200. While senior army officers with severe injuries would see disability pension slashed by Rs 70,000 a month; naib subedars with over 26 years of service, would see a Rs 40,000 a month cut.

The reduction of disability pensions includes not just battle disability pensions, but also pensions for medical disabilities found to be attributable to, or aggravated by, military service. These include training accidents, including parachuting, respiratory ailments caused by long exposure to extreme altitudes, loss of digits/limbs due to frostbite, etc, reported Business Standards.

The new scheme does way with several provisions laid by the 6th Pay Commission in 2006, where these payouts were calculated based on the percentage of last salary drawn. The new rule sets flat payouts of Rs 27,000 for officers; Rs 17,000 for junior commissioned officers; and Rs 12,000 for other ranks. A soldier with five years of service earns Rs 30,400 a month; 100% disability pension would match that figure. In its place, he will now be entitled to a flat rate of Rs 12,000 a month. A major with 10 years of service earns Rs 98,300 a month. In place of that figure for 100% disability, he will get just Rs 27,000 a month.

According to the army headquarter’s calculations, the new “slab system” would cause a loss of Rs 2,040 a month to a senior sepoy with 100% disability, Rs 3,472 to a subedar and Rs 6,855 per month to a lieutenant colonel. To read more, click here

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