Minutes of Meeting of Core Committee of TSEWA Held at 0900 hrs on 08 Nov 2018 at 143, Vayupuri, Secunderabad
The following attended the meeting: –
- Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd) President in Chair
- Cmde Sudheer Parakala (Retd) Vice President
- Col Dr GB Sethi (Retd) General Secretary
- Cdr Chandra Shekhar Member
- Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary Special Invitee
The President seeing thin attendance expressed his concern and exhorted all members to make it convenient to attend the weekly Core Committee meeting. Unless they take more interest in projecting grievances they receive from members and non – members, TSEWA is unlikely to grow. He also said the tenure of the present management committee will expire by Jun 2021. There is therefore a need for all Core Committee members to attend the weekly meetings as most of them are to be elected as Office bearers of TSEWA w.e.f Jun 2018.
Points from General Secretary
Assistance to Younger Son of (late) Col MK Veeramani: Col Dr GB Sethi (Retd), General Secretary informed that TSEWA will render all possible assistance to ensure the younger son of (Late) Col MK Veeramani gets dependent pension as he is mentally retarded. (Late) Col MK Veeramani was not only a founder member of TSEWA but has been one of the most active members in the Corps Group. He as President, Charity Division helped many to get financial assistance. His absence can never be filled by anyone. He contributed many material items like Almirahs, book racks etc to TSEWA. He participated in the awareness programmes organized in Tamilnadu where he could explain the activities of TSEWA in Tamil, his mother tongue. All documents need to be checked after the death certificate is received. He entrusted the responsibility to Gp Capt CRR Sastry (Retd) and Lt Col G Parvathesam (Retd) who readily agreed to help.
Notional Pay Method: He informed that he sees lot of mails in the TSEWA Yahoo mail group from members about Notional pay method. He requested President to make a presentation on Notional Pay method so that our members are clear as to who benefits by Notional pay method. The President agreed to make MS Power Point presentation in the next weekly meeting.
Donation from Ladies forming Group People for People: Smt Nirmala Sibal from Dubai rang up the General Secretary, TSEWA to inform that they want to donate some money to our organisation for rendering financial assistance to ESMs and family pensioners who are in penury. Smt Nirmala Sibal, an office bearer of an Organization People for People came to know of the charitable work being done by TSEWA through YouTube and other sources. They are convinced TSEWA is one such genuine organization which helps the needy. General Secretary immediately sent the bank particulars of TSEWA into which the money will be remitted.
Cases Not Yet Filed in AFTs: The General Secretary expressed his anguish that legal cases sent to Delhi are not being filed in AFT Delhi. This causes lot of resentment from petitioners who submitted legal documents and also remitted the legal fees. We are not in a position to explain why delay as much as one year has taken after documents are sent to Delhi. After long deliberation, it was decided that due to many cases being filed in AFT Delhi, there is choc-a- block there. The President immediately spoke to few of his friends with a request to locate a suitable advocate in AFT Jaipur, Circuit bench in Jabalporeo of AFT Lucknow, AFT Mumbai and AFT Kokata. Once contact details are received, he will personally speak to the advocates and get their consent to take up cases still lying with HQ TSEWA. It was informed that we have 302 petitioners of 7 legal cases like AFT – 1C, HNS – 3, BB – 5 etc.
Points from Treasurer
Lt Col G Parvathesam (Retd), Treasurer informed that Shri P Sashidhar Reddy, our Chartered Accountant has already submitted an on – line request for an appointment with Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemptions) for Section 80(G) relief to donors to TSEWA. As soon as the appointment is fixed, he will inform us well in advance.
Points from President
Weekly Attendance The President again exhorted all members of Core Committee who contributed a lot to growth of TSEWA in the past must make it a point to attend the weekly meetings. The points projected in the meeting and detailed deliberations has helped us to take correct decisions on important issues. The same are sent to the Executive committee for their approval or otherwise. Based on the majority vote of Executive committee, the action is taken. Shri Anand Kumar, Office Assistant must make it a point to speak to all Core Committee members on every Tuesday of the holding of weekly Wednesday meeting.
Maj Gens to Get Enhanced Pension w.e.f. Jan 2016: Govt of India has issued a letter to enhance pension of all Pre – 2006 Maj Gens / R Adms / AVMs corresponding to their last pay drawn and not at minimum of pay in the fitment table of SAI 2 / S /2008 w.e.f. Jan 2006 to Jun 2014.
Earlier the Govt of India used to fix pension corresponding to the last pay drawn which deprived the benefit of increments earned by Pre – 2006 Maj Gens and equivalents. This was done deliberately to cut down the pension outgo. Whether one has drawn one increment before retirement or 8 increments all Pre – 2006 Maj Gens were fixed pension at Rs 30,350. With the Hon’ble Supreme Court dismissing the review petition against judgment of Hon’ble AFT Chandigarh of Maj Gen SPS Vains (Retd) Vs Union of India, the Govt of India has issued orders for re-fixation of pension w.e.f. Jan 2006 corresponding to their last pay drawn. PCDA (O) Pune has commenced the issue of Last Pay Certificate (LPC) and forward it to PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad for issue for Corr PPO. Few Maj Gens approached the President to work out their arrears after they received Corr PPO enhancing their pension. The same was done and Pre – 2006 Maj Gens / R Adms / AVMs were found to receive huge arrears running into few lakhs.
TSEWA filed legal case titled AFT – 34/2016 in AFT Delhi for revision of pension of Pre – 2006 Capts to Maj Gens to fix pension w.e.f. Jan 2006 corresponding to their last pay drawn and not at minimum of fitment table of SAI 2 / S /2008. This is exactly on the same lines as that of what has been given to Pre – 1996 Maj Gens and equivalents.
The President informed that the arguments in OA – 34/2016 are over and judgment is kept pending. This is being done as per the latest policy of AFT Delhi to go by seriatum. Whenever our turn comes, the judgment will be given out.
Life Certificate for Renewal of Pension in Nov 2018: The President informed that all fauji pensioners are required to submit life certificate to their banks. A form is required to be filled and handed over to the clerk who is dealing with pensions in their pension paying bank. The details are sent through Jeevan Praman app. Once the Aadhar Central Data base at Bengaluru confirms authenticity of finger prints of pensioner the receipt with phtoo of pensioner is generated for submission of life certificate. All pensioners are required to take their (a) bank pass book (b) copy of Aadhar Card and (c) Mobile when they go to submit life certificate. An OTP (one-time password) is generated and once it is received in the mobile, the same is entered in the software and receipt is generated. It takes just five minutes to get the receipt. It is advisable to go in the evenings between 1500 hrs to 1630 hrs when there is not much rush.
There being no other points, the President declared the meeting as closed.
Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd)
President, TSEWA