I am attaching a letter we received about a Jalandhari defence pensioner's views on VIth pay commission report. Please share your views in comments section.
OPEN LETTER TO 13 HONOURBLE MEMBES OF PARLIAMENT OF PUNJB
ONKAR SINGH RIAR
Stretcher-waiting
75 Years old Defence Services Civilian Pensioner
Home Phone: (0181) 2481829; Work Phone: (01824) 263357
Email: onkarsinghriar@yahoo.com
786 Urban Estate, Phase-1, Jalandhar-144022, Punjab
Honourable Members of Parliament
State of Punjab
Date: 09 May 2008
AAP KEE RAH MEIN MITTI KE GHAR NAHIN ATTE
Honourable Members of Parliament,
1. Central Government Pensioners settled in the State of Punjab are without any medical cover for indoor treatment. Central Government Health Scheme started in 1954 for employees and pensioners has not so far covered the State of Punjab. Serving employees are covered by CS (MA) Rules 1944 whereas pensioners have no medical cover.
2. In the ‘DILI KEE DANEDAR REPORT’; VIth Pay Commission has ruled out the entitlement of reimbursement under CS (MA) Rules 1944 for pensioners living in areas not covered by CGHS. Their analysis is as under:
“The Commission is not in favour of extending CS (MA) Rules 1944 to the Pensioners as not only it will prove to be very costly but will also suffer from problems relating to submission of bill.”
3. During the Budget session of 2008-09 Defence Services Civilian Pensioners from Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur had submitted a Memorandum to all the 13 MPs from Punjab for the extension of Central Government Health Scheme (popularly known as CGHS) to the neglected State of Punjab so that all Central Government Pensioners settled in Punjab State could get medical cover. But no MP raised the issue during the Budget session. Also no MP has acknowledged the receipt of the Memorandum.
4. Our present Honourable Speaker of the Lok Sabha also was upset over the conduct of certain MPs for wasting the time of Lok Sabha instead of raising valuable issues.
5. With due respect to some eminent Authors and borrowing their writings I am trying to project the agony of the forgotten pensioners and apathy of the Government towards their just and fair cause.
6. Our planet is running out of many essential consumable resources including fresh water and oil. Now other crucial shortages are occurring in the non-consumable virtues. The original generation of honest people is fading and very few honest people like Lal Bahaudar Shastri are coming to replace them. Soon, the honest man as we know it may become extinct.
7. Government bodies are composed of all types of human organs like legs, eyes and ears. ‘Conscience’ is the motive force which ensures that the Government body works positively for the welfare of the people. Unfortunately ‘Conscience is missing in the Government body. Constitution of India is composed of Preamble, Directive Principles, Fundamental Rights, and duties. ’Conscience’ is also glaringly missing from its composition as well.
8. In such a scenario what types of people occupy the ‘Center of Power’? Kiran Bedi the renowned DGP states that:
“I spotted some faces, thanks to the TV converges. Nothing complimentary I must disclose. I recalled they were reported in the ‘Center of Power’ by deceit, violence, thuggery, strife and falsehood. And for them all kinds of movements were suspended with traffic thrown out of gear. xxxxxxxxx.
I, therefore, wanted to ask the ‘Men in Center’ if they know that ‘We the people’ were giving ‘Them’ the right of way not for adding to our sufferings I wanted to walk up them to ask them, who they really were. And what we thought for them and expected of them? And how they (not all thankfully) were letting us down? And what harm they were causing to our generations?
And what makes them forget that they are not forever? And what they are leaving behind will be a part of their kith and kin as well. But then the roads will all blocked by people like us.”
Honourable Members of Parliament,
9. “Subhah tak Zulamaton se larta raha; ek jugnoo ka jigar dekhiay”
(Translation: Look at the fortitude of a glow worm who kept on fighting till morning; the cruelties of whole night).
10. In 1982 three glow worms (Jugnoo) of pensioners’ Samaj knew the suffering of the pensioners all these decades. They also knew that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India was aware of the ‘Men in Center’ and that the system was deficient of ‘Conscience’. The Apex Court had been working hard and burning mid-night oil in injecting ‘Conscience’ into the system. The glow worms knew that the Apex Court was designing the road map for ‘Conscience’ so that the ‘Men in center’ could understand its importance. Thus these glow worms chose the freedom of thought instead of freedom speech and clinched a historic Judgement on 17 Dec 1982.
11. We sent a Memorandum to all the 13 MPs from Punjab so that they could use freedom of speech and get Central Government Health Scheme extended to State of: Punjab for ending this monumental neglect. We were in search of a glow worm (Jugnoo) in the Members of Parliament. But it proved to be infructuous.
Honourable Members of Parliament,
12. Now using a couplet from a Hindi Poet BASIM BRAELVI we are self permitted to say that:
“TUMAHRI RAH MEIN MITT KE GHAR NAHIN ATTE;
ISI LIYA TO TUMHAIN PENSIONERS (HUM) NAZZAR NAHIN ATTE”
(Translation: Clay houses do not fall in your ways. That is why Pensioners are not visible to you.)
Yours sincerely
ONKAR SINGH RIAR
Stretcher-waiting
75 Years old, Defence services Civilian Pensioner
Copy to:
1. Shri Shyam Sunder General Secretary
Bharat Pensioners’ Samaj New Delhi
2. Shri Arjan Dev Choudhary
Zonal President
Defence Services Civilian Pensioners, welfare association
Jalandhar Cantt
3. Shri V.S.Jolly, General Secretary
All India Central Government Pensioners’ association
Jalandhar city
4. Press .