Retired short-service commission officers won’t get medical benefits: Defence Ministry

After going back on the ‘One Rank-One Pension’ promise made to Army veterans by Narendra Modi before 2014 elections, the Central government seems to be backing out of its promise to provide short-service commission officers with post-retirement medical benefits. According to a report in the Economic Times. The defence ministry stated that it could not provide the post retirement benefits due to “stressed” resources.

According to a letter from the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, which falls under the defence ministry, it was made very clear that the Central government would not help the SSC officers with any medical facilities, according to the ET report.

The letter, dated November 14, stated that because short service officers were not pensioners they were not eligible for such schemes. If any changes were made then it would allow other non-pensioners to demand Employees Contributory Health Services (ECHS).

The department told an association of ex-servicemen that if any changes were made to the number of individual who fall under such a scheme would put pressure on the already “stressed” resources of the ECHS.

The previous UPA-government had stated that it would provide medical benefits to SSC officers post-retirement but a rollback seems to have taken place.

Typically SSC officers serve a limited tenure of up till 14 years and this is done to cover the shortage gap that the services face. These officers fulfil these tenures at a young age in order to take on duties that require intense activities.

The problem that the services face in recruiting people for such a role is the uncertainty of job prospects after their service and the obvious lack of benefits that most full-term officers get.

It does appear that that Modi government is set to weaken every institution in the country.