VISIT  OF  TSEWA  TEAM  TO  VILLUPURAM  AND  CHENNAI  FROM  21 – 23 OCT  2017  

TSEWA team consisting of President Brig CS Vidyasagar, Vice President Cmde Sudheer Parakala and Head of Charity Division Col MK Veeramani, conducted awareness meetings at Villupuram and Chennai at the request of ESMs of Villupuram and Chennai. The awareness meeting at Villupuram was conducted on 22 Oct 2017 at 1000 hrs. Col Jayaraj Naidu OIC ECHS Villupuram, H/Capt Mark, President ESM Association Villupuram, made excellent arrangements. Around 150 ESMs and around 30 single ladies were present.

H/Capt Mark, the president of the ESM Association of Villupuram introduced the TSEWA team. The first speaker was Cmde Sudheer Parakala who made a powerpoint presentation about the various pensions entitled to ESMs and Single ladies. He explained in detail about OROP, how arrears are calculated and implications. He clarified about PPOs and emphasised that it was important to include name of spouse and date of birth in the PPOs to avoid later problems. He explained action to be taken to get the Family Pension PPO issued by the concerned CDAs. He gave a detailed description of all the activities of TSEWA and how it is helping the ESMs and their families. This included getting correct pension, getting arrears due and prompt issue of PPOs.  OROP arrears and 7 CPC arrears were worked out by TSEWA, and their representatives helped the banks to credit the correct arrears. The untiring work done by many of TSEWA members helped the ESMs to get their dues. Special mention has to be given to Maj Gen Neelakantappa,  Brig SKS Rana, Col Ajit Rana, Col Srikantha Seshadri, Lt Col latif Vadakayil, Sub Subba Rao, W/O Thiru Chelvam, MWO Milan Das, Hav Harish Asthana, and many more have done a commendable job. Cmde Parakala then explained that TSEWA has started to file cases at AFTs to get ESMs their correct dues. As on date there are about 35 cases filed/ being filed. He gave details of the two Broad Banding cases won by TSEWA and stated that the arrears of around Rs 4.9 crores were disbursed to the affected persons.

Brig Vidyasagar , President, TSEWA took the floor and explained in detail about 7 CPC with the help of slides. He said that notional pay method is not beneficial to Armed Forces persons. He explained that after OROP, it is deemed that all Armed Forces persons have  retired during 2013, irrespective of actual date of retirement. Notional pay method taking 3 CPC, 4 CPC, 5 CPC, 6 CPC & 7 CPC is not beneficial to Armed Forces persons. Hence he told that TSEWA is going to file two cases at AFT Delhi, one for officers AFT 29 and one for JCOs and ORs AFT 30, that all Armed Forces persons should be given the benefit of 7 CPC, only as per the Notional Pay method, taking the year of retirement as 2013, and not the actual date of retirement. He took examples of various ranks of X group and Y group of JCOs and ORs, and  showed that Notional Pay Method is beneficial, taking the year of retirement as 2013. He wanted all to join the case, so that all get the benefit. He said that by joining TSEWA they will be saving a lot of money, when compared to filing the case individually (directly).

Next, Col Veeramani, who is the Head of Charity Division of TSEWA, gave the back ground as to how TEWA was formed during 2015, to help ESMs with pension and other entitlements. At that time TSEWA was for the two Telugu speaking States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh only. Slowly on hearing about the good work being done by TSEWA, ESMs from other States also joined, thereby TSEWA had become pan India. Then as the good news spread, that TSEWA is sincerely interested in the actual welfare of ESMs, ESMs from many foreign countries  joined  TSEWA. Hence TSEWA has become a Global Organisation. The total membership has become 6903, as on date. He said that hearing of the good work being done by TSEWA, some members wanted to donate money for service activities. This money is deemed as income and income tax has to be paid by TSEWA on it. TSEWA requested Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemption) for exemption under Rule 12 A of Income Tax Act 1961. Bye Laws and objectives of TSEWA were changed/ modified and the exemption was granted, terming TSEWA as a charitable organisation.  Hence as per the rules 85% of the income of TSEWA should be spent on Charity work, not only to ESMs but to the public. So a Charity Division was formed with Col Veeramani as the Head, with Cmde  Sudheer  Parakala and Air Cmde GS Nijjar as members. A SOP was made giving the guidelines of the Charity work. He said that he has already sent a mail to all members explaining in detail the procedure to be followed to recommend the cases for Charity as well as an email and SMS to all Dist and State Presidents to spread this news and recommend as many cases as possible.

Col Veeramani then related the details of the first two cases. One was that of an extremely intelligent girl from a very poor family who did not have money to continue her intermediate studies. He along with Brig Vidyasagar visited her family and college at the village and after seeing their condition decided to support her to continue her education. The second case is of      another girl from a poor family got 99.2 % marks in her Engineering Entrance exam and got admission in a good Engineering College at Hyderabad. So she was also given financial help to join the Engineering College. He narrated a few more stories of how TSEWA has helped not only by giving financial assistance to needy persons but also by donating necessities to schools, orphanages and medicines to poor patients.

Col Veeramani explained the procedure to be followed while recommending cases deserving of help by TSEWA. This included videos and supporting documents which would be sent to the donors. He explained in detail about the financial powers of the charity division. He emphasised that both ESM and civilian cases may be recommended for assistance.

After lunch,  the individual problems were taken up and solutions were given/ suggested. All those who wanted to sort out their problems were advised correctly and after all the cases were over, the team closed for the day and the team left for Chennai on 22 Oct night

The second awareness meeting by the TSEWA team was held on 23 Oct at 0900 hrs, at the AWHO colony community hall Chennai. Here around 60 Officers and ladies were present. After the formal introduction Cmde Sudheer Parakala explained the whole activities as he had explained at Villpuram. Then Brig Vidyasagar spoke about 7 CPC as he had done at Villupuram. Col Veeramani explained the Charity work as he did at Villupuram.

After lunch the individual problems were discussed and solutions given. The team stayed there till the last person was given the correct needed advice/ action. All thanked the TSEWA team. The team returned to Secunderabad on 24 Oct morning.