Most veterans including the disabled soldiers do NOT understand what is Disability Pension. I therefore decided to share whatever little I know of Disability pension.
Disability Pension. It is as on today sanctioned to those soldiers who suffer disability due to military service. Disability could be injuries or diseases. The medical board recommend the percentage (ranging from 20 to 100%) and the competent authority approves the same. Such disabled soldiers get Disability Pension.
Broad Banding. As on today, the Govt of India, Min of Def gives broad banding benefit only to those who are invalided. Superannuated and PMR soldiers are to get judgment form AFTs and then only they will get broad banding benefit as per Govt notification. The bands are:-
(a) Disability Percentage upto 49% = 50%
(b) Between 50 and 75% = 75%
(c) Above 76% = 100%
Components of Disability Pension. Disability Pension comprises of two Elements known as Service Element and Disability Element. PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad issues two PPOs to such disabled soldiers. One for Service Element and another for Disability Element.
Service Element. The service element is for the length of service rendered. As on today amount of Service Element it is given in Circular 555 in OROP in various tables. For Officer it is Table 1 and for JCOs & OR it is Table 7. For example for a Brigadier with 32 years qualifying service (including OR or previous Govt service) is Rs 37,280 pm + DR.
Disability Element (DE). If a Brig above is given say 30% Disability Element then one has to see what his Disability Element is. Table 70 of Circular 555 gives Disability
Element for 100% Disability for the rank of Brig with service of 32 years is Rs 22,368 for 100% disability. Since he has been given 30%, his disability element comes to Rs 22368 x 0.3 = Rs 6,710. He gets DR @ 125% on it. Therefore DE comes to Rs 6710 x 2.25 = Rs 15,098.
Disability Pension. This Brig with 32 years’ service gets total Disability Pension as on today in OROP with DR @ 125% as under:-
(a) Service Element (SE) = Rs 37280 x 2.25 = Rs 83,880
(b) Disability Element (DE) = Rs 6710 x 2.25 = Rs 15,098
(c) Disability Pension (DP) = Rs 98,978 per month
Categories of Disabled Personnel.
There are three types of Disabled Soldiers as under:-
(a) Normal Disabled Soldiers.
(b) War Injured & Discharged.
(c) War Injured & Invalided.
War Injured & Discharged. These disabled soldiers sustain injuries in war or war like operations. The Unit has to certify that the individual sustained injuries by including his name and act in which he sustained injuries in the daily report submitted to the Formation HQ. The Unit also publishes DO Part II showing the injuries sustained in the operations. The injured soldier then reports to nearest medical establishment which on completion of treatment assesses his disability percentage by a duly constituted medical board. The board proceedings are forwarded to the Service HQ. The Unit decides whether to retain him or invalid based on the medical board proceedings. If it is decided to retain him then he is kept in the unit till he completes his terms of engagement. Then he is discharged from military service. At the time of retirement a Disability PPO is issued on the recommendation Release Medical Board. A number of officers who sustained injuries in war or war like operations rose to the rank of Vice Chief of Army Staff, Army Cdrs & Corps Cdrs and then retired. Such war injured personnel are known as War Injured & Discharged. The Disability Element is 60% of Last Pay Drawn for 100% disability.
War Injured & Invalided. As the name suggests if the medical board is of the opinion that the injuries sustained are so severe the individual is found by them to be unfit to perform military duties, such war injured personnel are invalided (known colloquially as Boarded out) Disability Element is 100 % of Last Pay Drawn for 100% Disability.
Constant Attendant Allowance. All 100% Disabled soldiers are entitled for Constant Attendant Allowance which is Rs 3,000 pm as on today.
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