Minutes of the Virtual/ Physical Meeting of the TSEWA National Executive Committee held at 1000 Hrs on 21 Jan 23
Attendance
The meeting was attended by the following:-
- Cmde Sudheer Parakala President, in Chair
- Brig CS Vidyasagar Chief Mentor
- Lt Col G Parvathesam General Secretary
- Col Venkatesh Mahadevan Treasurer
- Hony Capt MN Reddy Joint Secretary
- Maj Gen SN Mukherjee President TSEWA, East Zone
- Col Ajit Singh Rana President TSEWA, North Zone
- Maj Gen SN Mukherjee President TSEWA, East Zone
- Cmde KS Sandhu President TSEWA, West Zone
- Col Srikantha Seshadri President TSEWA, Karnataka
- Cmde Ashok Kota President TSEWA, South Zone
- Brig Suresh Nair President TSEWA, Kerala
- WO Thiruchelvam President TSEWA, Tamil Nadu
- Hony Capt GJ Manohar President TSEWA, AP (Rayala Seema)
- Hony Capt B Joseph Member
- Maj Dr. B Bhikshapathy Member
- Lt Col VRRS Reddy Member
- The President welcomed all present in the meeting and informed that the General Secretary was not able to attend the meeting today as his wife was not well. On behalf of TSEWA NEC, he expressed his best wishes to Mrs Parvathesam for speedy recovery.
- Item No. 1. Minutes of the Last NEC Meeting: The President read out minutes of the last NEC Meeting and explained the progress on each point.
- Item No. 2. Awareness Camp at Kolkata: The President informed that the Awareness Camp was a great success due to untiring efforts of Maj Gen SN Mukherjee, in spite of change in the venue at the last minute. About 308 members attended the meeting which was much more than the expected strength. 75 members joined TSEWA as new members and also received donations of Rs 18,680/- during the meet. The President informed that the total expenditure had gone up to Rs. 87,000/- due to hundred more veterans who attended than expected. The AFEOA of Kolkata donated Rs.20,000/- and hence sought approval of the NEC to reimburse Rs. 12,000/- over and above Rs. 55,000/- granted earlier for the awareness camp. This was unanimously approved.
- Maj Gen SN Mukherjee informed that the cancellation of the arrangements at the last minute in 15 Bihar earlier approved by the Sub Area could be due to unsubstantiated rumour of Blacklisting of TSEWA. The NEC discussed the issue at length and was of the opinion that there may have been a lot of negativity built up in the Government circles due to very harsh language used in the emails by our Helpline Warriors whilst trying to redress the grievances of the Veterans. The President suggested that the Zonal and State President may kindly caution our Helpline warriors to tone down their language which otherwise may hurt the prospects of TSEWA in getting recognition.
- Col Ajit Singh Rana informed that he too heard a few negative remarks about TSEWA during ESM rally at Delhi. This could be because a few ESM organizations are jealous of TSEWA and its achievements within a short span and its raising popularity in the Veteran circles.
- Action: The President requested Maj Gen SN Mukherjee and Col Ajit Singh Rana to find out if there was any truth in the rumours being floated about blacklisting of TSEWA.
- Item No. 3. AFT Cases of TSEWA: The President informed that subsequent to appointment of judges to AFTs, our long pending cases started progressing and hoped that within the next few months, some of our cases may come to final judgement stage. Further, he informed that a Veteran Officer Cdr Ilangoan has won a case for grant of Pension of Captain (Navy) in Kerala High Court but the Govt of India has filed an appeal for a stay Order. This case is similar to TSEWA cases of AFT 6 and AFT 14. A proposal for granting financial assistance to Cdr Ilangoan to fight the case in HSC was therefore discussed but it was dropped since Lt Col OP Choudhary who is representing the case has declined the offer for any financial assistance. The proposal was therefore dropped.
- The President also informed that our case AFT-19 for getting pension of Majors to all pre 16 Dec 2004 Capts who put in six years’ service, is coming up for final hearing on 18 May 2023. Similarly, AFT-20, regarding recovery due to non-submission of option clause to come under VI CPC would also be coming up for final hearing on 18 May 2023.
Action: Nil.
- Item No. 4. Charity Works of TSEWA: The President informed that TSEWA has granted a further financial assistance of Rs 20,000/- to Ms Sharmila Sarkar to complete her post-graduation and the cheque was presented during the awareness camp at Kolkata.
Action: Nil.
- Item No. 5. Next General Body Meeting of TSEWA: The President informed that generally the GBM is conducted on last Sunday of June, which will fall on 25 June 2023. It is proposed to have the GBM in Mumbai this time. Cmde KS Sandhu has informed that he has started working on the GBM and hoped that all arrangements will be made in time.
Action: Cmde KS Sandhu is requested to do the needful.
- Item No. 6. Donations distributed by TSEWA: Col Ajit Singh Rana informed that on behalf of TSEWA Col Raghbir Singh, President, TSEWA Punjab, had arranged distribution of Rs 13 lacs to 15 ESM families, which was donated by Veteran Officer Col Tiwatia living in the USA.
Action: Nil.
- Item No. 7. ECHS Empaneled Hospitals: Maj Gen SN Mukherjee informed that there were very few empaneled hospitals in Kolkata as compared to other Metropolitan Cities and almost no hospitals in the District HQs. This point also came up for discussion during the awareness camp at Kolkata on 08 Jan 2023. Col Srikantha Seshadri informed that this was the general trend everywhere due to very less rates of treatment which is inhibiting the reputable hospitals to empanel themselves for ECHS. He suggested that the Regional Centres of ECHS should motivate the corporate hospitals in the Metros/ Districts and also help them in completing the formalities. He also stated that some of the empaneled hospitals are de-empaneling themselves due to the delays in payment of their dues running into crores.
Action: Col Srikantha Seshadri was requested to take up the issue with the ECHS Hq.
- Item No. 8. Analyses of OROP-II Tables Published by the Government: The President suggested to have a special NEC meeting to discuss various matters on the subject. He requested Brig CS Vidyasagar to study the tables and prepare a PPT highlighting the High and Low points of OROP-II. Brig Vidyasagar agreed to have a presentation to the NEC on 04 Feb 2023.
Action: Brig CS Vidyasagar is requested to do the needful.
- Item No. 9. Financial Statements: The President requested Col Venkatesh Mahadevan, Treasurer of TSEWA to make a brief presentation every month giving details of Income and Expenditure as part of transparency practiced by TSEWA.
Action: Col Mahadevan may kindly do the needful.
- Item No. 10. TSEWA Welfare Activity Report: Maj Dr B Bhikshapathy informed that so far he has received the Activity Report only from Hav Harish Asthana and a communication from Cmde KS Sandhu that he is working on the subject. He requested all Help Line Warriors to spare some time and send their reports on monthly basis as per the mail by the President, TSEWA.
Action: All Frontline Warriors are requested to send their reports accordingly.
- Item No. 11. SPARSH Problems: Brig CS Vidyasagar informed that he has received number of requests from ESM about non-receipt of User Id & Password from SPARSH. He informed that many of the Banks and DPDOs have the facility to help the veterans to complete the Log-in formalities and generation of Digital Life Certificate using Jeevan Pramaan and uploading to SPARSH. He suggested that the Veterans should use this facility.
Action: All Zonal/State Presidents are requested to educate the ESM approaching them with such problems.
- Item No. 12. TSEWA Recognition by DGR: The President enquired from Col Ajit Rana about the progress on Recognition of TSEWA by DGR. Col Rana informed that he met the DGR but there was no progress on the subject. The DGR informed him that the file would be looked at after 26 Jan 2023 if the conditions for recognition are met.
Action: Col Ajit Singh Rana was requested to pursue the case with DGR.
- Item No. 13. Linking of Membership to Helpline: The President informed that TSEWA is being recognized by the environment for its selfless services to the ESM and their families. It should not be mandatory to be a TSEWA member to attend to their grievances. The ESM should be educated and motivated to become the members of TSEWA instead of refusing help.
Action: All the Helpline Warriors are requested not to insist on membership of TSEWA to attend to the problems of ESM and their families but motivate them to take Membership.
There being no further points, the meeting was closed at 12:45 PM and decided to hold the next NEC Meeting on 04 February 23 for presentation on OROP-II.