Comprehensive National Defence Reforms

SAINIK SAMAJ PARTY : NATION WIDE CLASS ROOM

8.1. ENHANCE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES. The operational readiness of Indian Armed Forces will be enhanced. The Air-Land operational doctrine will be given top priority with Navy acquiring enhanced blue water capability. Indian Armed forces should be capable of taking up any assignment globally within 30 days of preparatory period. The defence budget will be enhanced substantially to meet the growing defence needs.

8.2. ASSURED SECOND CAREER TO ALL MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES. There is no meaningful employment to ex-servicemen. A sizeable strength is absorbed as security guards which is a major humiliation to a soldier. A soldier cannot be equated with a security guard of a private company on a contractual basis. Some corporations created for facilitating the employment of ex-servicemen have in fact indulged in exploitation of these personnel and earning huge profits. The Armed Forces personnel on superannuation will be seconded to the Social Security and Census Service.

8.3. RIGHT TO RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 60 YEARS. 99% of Armed Forces personnel retire at very young age when their family and social needs are maximum. Being the citizen of the country, they also have the right for just and fair treatment. The officers and men will be given a second assured career option and retire at the age of sixty, like any other citizen. They will be seconded to Social Security Service.

8.4. PROVIDE BETTER PAY, WORK CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING TO SERVING PERSONNEL. Since the members of Armed and security forces cannot form the associations which can represent them, it is the duty of their near and dear ones to represent their case for better treatment by the state. The members of Armed Forces and security forces who are our children, brothers, sisters, husbands, fathers and mothers are paid less as compared to their civil counter parts taking into consideration the degree of difficulty, restriction of their fundamental rights, and promotional avenues. More emphasis will be paid to their equipment, training, living conditions, and entertainment facilities.

8.5. ENHANCEMENT OF X-FACTOR PAY (MSP). Provision of X-Factor Pay at the rate of 50% of basic pays of trained X group soldier and Lieutenant to OR & JCOs, and to officers up to the rank of Colonel and equivalents in Navy and Air Force respectively.

8.6. RENAMING OF MILITARY RANKS. All three services will have the same Rank nomenclature with few exceptions as may be felt necessary by individual service. Brigadier and equivalents in Navy and Air Force will be redesignated as Brigadier Generals and grouped with General Officers for all purposes. If need be Army and Air Force will have same Rank nomenclature.

8.7. CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS TO ARMED FORCES. As on date, Armed Forces do not have any constitutional status. The word Armed Forces is written at three places whereas the word defence forces are written at one place. Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service have been created under Article 312 of the constitution. There is no article which states that the Armed Forces are supposed to have been created under that article. There should be Armed Forces Service Act, specifying the terms and conditions of military service and rights and welfare entitlements of service personnel supported by the service rules. The passing reference to Armed Forces in constitution is demoralising and indicates willful neglect. All service personnel take oath to defend the constitution to the peril of his/her life but the longest written constitution has failed to spare a single article for constitutional status of its defenders.

8.8. ASSURED CAREER FOR SHORT SERVICE COMMISSIONED OFFICER. State will ensure an assured career for Short Service Commissioned Officer who are not given permanent commission in the Army. These officers will be permanently absorbed into "Defence Estate and Cantonment Service". Short Service Commissioned officer loosing seniority to the extent of six months will be abolished as it has no locus-standi.

8.9. 100% AUTHORISED FAMILY ACCOMODATION. Although the authorisation of family accommodation in services has increased to 35% from 14%, there wasn't enough family accommodation for 14%. There is urgent need to provide authorised accommodation to all ranks in all peace military stations.

8.10. ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP). One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be paid to all retired persons of armed forces. This concept will be implemented to civil pensioners as well. This OROP or SGSP (Same Grade Same Pension) has become necessary because of government inability to rein in inflation and thus reducing the pension of its former employees to reduce its pension bill. Since the senior employees of the government already get OROP/SGSP, who have denied the benefit to the other employees.

8.11. FORMATION OF DEFENCE CHILDREN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOCIETY. Defence children public schools society will be formed under MoD for providing economical and quality education to the Army Children. The budget for running these schools will be paid out of Defence Services Estimate. The children of Para-military forces and CPFs will be eligible for education in these schools; however, pre-decided cost of education may be claimed or accounted towards Ministry of Home Affairs as the case may be. Currently the fees charged by Army Public Schools is much higher as compared to Kendriya Vidyalayas as Army schools pay their pay and allowances to teacher and other school expenditure out of fee charged from students/parents. Soldiers are made to pay more fees as compared to their other Union Govt employees.

8.12. IMPROVING THE REACH OF CSD CANTEENS AND ECHS FACILITIES. Majority of ex-servicemen live in rural areas. The CSD canteen facilities and ECHS services are inadequate. An all out effort will be made to improve and upgrade CSD Canteen facilities and ECHS services in rural areas throughout the length and breadth of country.

8.13. DEVELOPMENT OF CORPORATE DEFENCE SECTOR. There is an urgent need to develop corporate defence sector so that the dependence other countries is reduced for military hardware. No country can have an independent foreign policy without being self reliant in defence sector. Development of corporate sector in defence sector will not only make the nation more self reliant but will also help in bringing down inflation.

8.14. ENHANCED LIBRALISED PENSION PENSION TO THE DEPENDENTS OF MILITARY PERSONS WHO DIE IN LINE OF SERVICE. If service personnel die while in line of service, his/her dependent will be paid enhanced liberalized pension since the dependents cannot be given a job in lieu as in vogue in civil services. Enhanced liberalised pension to be suitably shared among all the dependents and securing the future of the spouse as well. Pensions in India cannot be the same as in western countries since the family structure in India is different.

Balbir Singh Parmar