3rd March 2015
Dear
Shri Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister,
At
the very outset, I apologise for my manner of addressing you without the
honorifics. I have taken heart from the orders of the President of India and
Supreme Commander.
In
pursuit of trying to improve my knowledge of how the MoD takes decisions, I
have been applying for information. One such request (Please see attachment
61820 MODEF Request Cab Sec Report Details) was for a copy of the Cabinet
Secretary Committee Report on Pay, Allowances and Pension anomalies of Defence
Forces (hereinafter referred to as Report) submitted to then PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
I
received a reply denying me the Report on the grounds that MoF's Deptt of
Expenditure was the servicing department and it has denied access as the Report
is SECRET. (Please see attachment 61820 Reply & Addl Payment and Appeal).
I
also applied to MoF, Deptt of Expenditure for a copy of the Report. (Please see
attachment 60517 MoF DoE Request). I was denied information on the grounds that
MoD is the administrative Ministry and it has to decide on downgrading the
Report.
When
I was denied the information, I filed a First Appeal, first with the MoD and
then with the MoF, DoE. I received orders making me understand the Govt's
paradigm of how a denial of information should be made by passing the onus to
the other. (Please see attachment FAA Orders MoD and MoF).
I
pointed out the contradictions in the averments of Director level officers of
the MoD and MoF (Please see attachment titled Replies to First Appeals by MoD
and MoF).
Lately,
i.e. 13th February 2015, MoD vide its letter No. 35(1)/2013/D (Pay/Services)
and MoF have gone one better - both Ministries have referred the matter to
Deptt of Pensioners and Pensioners Welfare (DP&PW) on 21.1.2015 for
DP&PW's comments for downgrading the report and so far the said Deptt has
not replied to the MoD and to MoF.
May
I seek your intervention in the matter for orders to provide me the Cabinet
Secretary Committee Report on Pay, Allowances and Pension anomalies?
With
Best Wishes
Air Marshal S Y Savur PVSM
AVSM (retd)
Cell: - +91 9449676278
5 Attachments
Preview
attachment 61820 Reply & Addl Payment & Appeal.doc
Preview
attachment Replies to First Appeals by MoD and MoF for blog.doc
It is very long time to hear from your side sir since 13 to 25 March.To check your blog spot every day twice and not seeing any news of any kind, really dis -heart and feel sad. Are your good self health/ medically OK. May GOD bless you with health, wealth and energy to fight the evil spirit in MOD. Thanking you.Yours faithfully, NS Gill.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your concern. I am alive and fighting fit.
ReplyDeleteMost of the information posted led to favourable decisions by the Apex Court (CA No. 8875 of 2011 for instance) and a rejoinder has been filed in the Rank Pay case (Contempt Petition No. 328 of 2013), the hearing for which is 10 Apr 2015. Hopefully, even that would be resolved.
That leaves two issues - disclosure of the Joint Service Memorandum and Cabinet Secretary Report - for both of which 2nd Appeals have been filed but wheels of the CIC grind very slowly!
On OROP there is more than adequate information/disinformation and I do not want to add to cacophony.
With Best Wishes
Dear Sir,
DeleteI sincerely hope that wheels of CIC grind with enough speed to beat 7th CPC report!!!
Otherwise JSM would be of just an academic interest.
Profound regards,
- Harry
Sir, Very much thanks for hearing from your self.
ReplyDeleteSir, in one of post, it was mentioned that there is good news for both serving and retired defence persons. OROP may be one . however there is no news for the serving defence persons.
ReplyDeleteIn another 3-5 months, the 7th CPC will submit its Report & Recommendations. Serving Defence personnel will see the good news then, unless something drastically goes wrong!
Deleteit is indeed heartening to read your post. I too echo the sentiments expressed above. Do keep the flag flying. The babudom needs to be nudged to deliver and not take us for granted. All the best
ReplyDeleteSir, information such as this like a soothing balm for veterans suffering from pangs of angst caused by uncertainty.
ReplyDeleteTill you put us all wise, most readers were under the impression the Contempt Petition hearing was fixed on 30 April 2015.
Sir, one observation. Why any statement on OROP is not without its financial implication?? Like brought out in your post, for NFU there is no mention of its financial implication when it was accepted and thereafter.
ReplyDeleteWhile we are winning many cases ,going forward we have to deal with the same agencies like DESW & CDA
ReplyDeleteI do feel that now we have enough evidence to present before the courts to declare these two agencies as persona non grata wrt dealing with the Armed Forces, so that in future (with a new agency to handle the functions of these two agencies) the relation between the govt & armed forces would be cordial, in the ultimate interest of all concerned & most important THE NATION
While the election are conducted every 5 years the armed forces have no such luxury of changing the rogues (DESW & CDA) & there is no impeachment of agencies.
I have also no doubt that big back lash will be unleashed on the armed forces by these two agencies & they are just licking their wounds now & waiting for an opportune moment (7th PC ?)
Since Services can not do any thing to them ,only a court case will declare them as rogues ,so that the govt is forced to take drastic steps to eleminate the rogues in the system
While the RM has publicly stated about DRDO & Def ministry he has not said any thing about the CDA & neither has said nothing about any drastic over haul
A court judgement would also help the politicians to clean up the system since in a normal course they are totally dependent on the system & on their own can/will never initiate any drastic steps
@Venkatesh VT: "...declare these two agencies as persona non grata wrt dealing with the Armed Forces.."
DeleteIf not actually "non grata" they could be declared far from "grata". :-|
That should lighten the mood somewhat, one feels.