Minutes of the TSEWA Core Committee Meeting Held at 0900 hrs on 11 Mar 2020 at 143, Vayupuri, Secunderabad- 500 094
The following members attended:
- Brig CS Vidyasagar President in Chair
- Cmde Sudheer Parakala Vice President
- Lt Col G Parvathesam Treasurer
- Hony Capt MN Reddy President, TSEWA, Telangana
- Col MJ Ganapathy Member
- Lt Col Vijai Salins Member
- Maj B Bhikshapathy Member
- Smt Rekha Sekhri Administrator, TSEWA Blog
- Lt Col RR Sekhri In attendance
The President welcomed all present and thanked them for their efforts to attend the meeting.
The President then requested Vice President to commence the proceedings by giving out his points.
Item No I. Points from General Secretary
Vice President informed that the General Secretary was unable to attend the Core Committee meeting today and he handed over a list of points, requesting the Vice – President to communicate the same to the Core Committee.
(a) TDS on Disability Pension. Govt of India, Min of Finance, CBDT Division issued a circular on Aug 2019 by which exemption of disability pension from income tax would henceforth be disallowed. This has caused lot of anguish among disabled and war injured soldiers who superannuated or got PMR. This issue needs to be resolved at the earliest.
(b) Cdr Prem Prakash’s Donation. Cdr Prem Prakash, a very senior veteran of JSW – 5 Course and a resident of Norway has expressed his desire to send a donation of Rs 1,01,000 to TSEWA. He wanted to know whether the money could be remitted in foreign currency.
Cmde Sudheer Parakala, Vice President informed that unless the receiving organisation has got FCRA (Foreign Currency Regulation Act) exemption from Min of Home Affairs, donation in foreign currency cannot be accepted.
Decision of the Core Committee. Cdr Prem Prakash to be informed to send the donation in Indian currency.
(c) Mail from Col Ajit Singh Rana. Col Ajit Singh Rana, President, TSEWA, North Zone, States of Delhi NCR and Haryana, has suggested that TSEWA should file a case in Hon’ble Supreme Court challenging the legal sanctity of Circular issued by Min of Fin which now wants all Disabled & War Injured soldiers who superannuated or sought premature retirement after putting in pensionable service to pay income tax on their disability pension. He further informed that he got an appointment with a reputed advocate in Hon’ble Supreme Court on or after 14 Mar 2020. He will send the gist of discussion once he meets the advocate.
Decision of the Core Committee. The Core Committee decided that this issue can be discussed in Emergency Core Committee meeting after Col Ajit Singh Rana submits his report on his discussion with advocate of Hon’ble Supreme Court. Thereafter a decision can be taken by majority view of the Core Committee.
(e) Discussion of Subjects unrelated to TSEWA activities by Members in TSEWA Yahoo Mail Group. It is seen that members of TSEWA are discussing political issues. Since TSEWA is an apolitical organisation, concerned only with grievances and welfare of veteran community, it is not permissible for such mails to be posted on the group.
Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary volunteered to advise such members to desist from putting up mails on political issues, religious issues and issues not concerned with welfare of veterans.
Decision of the Core Committee. Core Committee authorised Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary to issue such as required.
(f) National Executive Committee Meeting. The General Secretary informed that next National Executive Committee (NEC) will be held on Sunday, 29 Mar 2020 at 143, Vayupuri, Secunderabad. Agenda for the same shall be sent to all members of NEC in the next few days. The Executive Committee members located in Secunderabad and Hyderabad are requested to attend a preliminary meeting at 143, Vayupuri, Secunderabad at 1000 hrs on 28 Mar 2020.
Decision of the Core Committee. The Core Committee requested Executive Committee members of TSEWA to attend the preliminary meeting on 28 Mar and NEC meeting on 29 Mar 2020.
(g) Recognition by Min of Def (ESW). General Secretary informed that in a written reply to a member of Hon’ble Parliament, the Hon’ble RRM informed that irrespective of the number of members, if an ESM Association receives donations, it is not eligible for recognition.
Since TSEWA receives donations which are utilised for running TSEWA office, incurring expenditure on Awareness programmes and carrying out Charitable activities, we should not waste our time to seek recognition from Min of Def (ESW).
Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary informed that Min of Personnel, Pensions and Public Grievances (PPP & G) has a provision to accord recognition to any Central Govt pensioners’ organisation. The only requirement is to submit audited statement of accounts for three years and a copy of registration certificate. TSEWA can then attend SCOVA meetings held periodically in the chambers of Min of PPP & G. Even representatives of Min of Def (ESW) have to give replies to queries raised by ESM organisations which have been recognised by Min of PPP & G.
Decision of the Core Committee. Core Committee directed General Secretary to take immediate action to get recognition from Min of PPP & G. Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary is requested to assist General Secretary in documentation.
Item No II. Points from Vice President
(j) Educational Assistance to children of 5 ESMs from Kerala. Cmde Sudheer Parakala, Vice President and President of Charity Division regretted that in spite his reminding the organisation from Kerala many a time in the past to send their latest mark sheets of 5 children of ESMs of Kerala, nothing has come from them so far. Since the funds of charity are subject to audit by Income Tax department, it is not possible to make any financial assistance unless there is proper documentation. We have kept aside Rs 25,000 for financial assistance and this can only remitted once documents are received.
Decision of Core Committee. The Core Committee ruled one more opportunity be given to the General Secretary of the ESM Organisation in Kerala to send the latest mark sheet of the five children of ESMs. In case they fail to do so, no financial assistance be given.
(k) Awareness Programme at Jal Vayu Vihar, Kukatpally, Hyderabad.Vice President informed that the General Secretary of Jal Vayu Vihar, Kukatpally requested to brief them on TSEWA at 1830 hrs on 15 Mar 2020. Cmde Sudheeer Parakala, Lt Col N Ravi Choudhary and Hony Capt B Joseph will conduct the Awareness programme and explain what all activities TSEWA undertakes for welfare of veteran community.
Decision of Core Committee. The Core Committee approved conduct of Awareness programme at Jal Vayu Vihar on 15 Mar 2020.
Item No 3: Points from Smt Rekha Sekhri, Administrator of TSEWA Blog.
(l) Smt Rekha Sekhri lamented that very little input is coming to her to be put up in TSEWA Blog. Lot of work is being done on ground by Presidents at various levels, yet this is not being disseminated to general public. She requested all active Presidents of TSEWA at various levels to kindly submit any activity undertaken by them.
For example Col Raghbir Singh, President, TSEWA, Punjab and HFO A V Reddy, Vice – President, TSEWA and Hony Sub Maj KV Subba Rao, President, North Coastal Andhra Pradesh among others have been doing commendable welfare work for veterans, but the same is not being sent to her to upload to the Blog.
She confirmed that only Hav Harish Asthana, President, TSEWA, UP and Hav Janendra Sahoo of Kolkata send to her quarterly progress report of their resolving problems of ESMs and family pensioners.
She requested that reports along with photos of activities undertaken on behalf of TSEWA be sent to her to enable her to post such news on the blog.
Decision of Core Committee. Presidents of TSEWA at various levels are requested to send a write up on their activities with photos to Smt Rekha Sekhri so that the same can be uploaded onto TSEWA Blog.
There being no further points, the meeting was closed at 11.00 am. The next meeting will be held after Col Ajit Singh Rana sends his report of his meeting with the Advocate in Hon’ble Supreme Court to enable the Core Committee to take an appropriate decision.
Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd)
President, TSEWA