WAR INJURY PENSION TO WORLD WAR II RETIREES DISABLED IN WWII – Not Accepted

War Injury Pension

DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE (DESW)

STATUS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE OF RAKSHA MANTRl’s COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS CONCERNING DESW 

Recommendation

2.2.8 WAR INJURY PENSION TO WORLD WAR II RETIREES DISABLED IN WW II:

The Committee notes with concern such discrimination and that too with a class of pensioners/family pensioners who stood against all odds for a war against humanity and that too at a time when fighting in foreign lands was taboo and who are now numerically placed on a sharp diminishing scale, It is hence strongly recommended that immediate measures be initiated to release _war injury pension and liberalized family pension with financial effect from 01-01- 1996 respectively to all those disabled retirees of WWII who are in receipt of disability pension and widows of personnel deceased in WWII who are in receipt of family pension.

Status:

Not Accepted :

The following facts with regard to the issues for grant of War Injury Pension to World War-II disabled veteran, involved merits considerations:-

(i} World War-II took place 70 years back, during 1939-1945. The number of live pensioners may be very very rare. The retention period of relevant record of the individuals which will require ascertaining the disability assessed during WW-II may be over. There may be a rare chance of retrieving the required information/data for decision of policy,

(ii} The concept of War Injury Pay has been introduced in 1972 for Defence Forces Personnel. War Injury Pay is known as War Injury Pension from 4th CPC.

(iii) Opening of the case for examination the proposal is just like opening a Pandora’s box which will lead to open WW-I and other earlier cases which have no merit and factual documentary proof/data.

The comments of CGDA office were also received on the proposal which are reproduced as under:

“(a) GoI, MoD vide letter No. 200847/ Pen­ C/71 dated 24th Feb, 1972, introduced liberalized pensionary awards for war widows and war disabled servicemen. These provisions were made available for disablement of personnel on account of injuries sustained or personnel killed in action in operations against Pakistan commencing form 3rd Dec, 1971 besides a few more categories mentioned in the letter.

(b) It may be seen that casualties of WW-II not covered in the above Government letter. Further, pension documents of Armed Forces pensioners were migrated to PCDA (P) Allahabad from CMA (P), Lahore during the year 1947-48. This office is not in a position to identify’ the cases related to World War–II.

In a reply to Parliament Question, it was replied that no separate database has been maintained for WW-II veterans. Hence it would be difficult to work out any pension for them in absence of data. 

However, taking into the fact that the number of such veterans will be very small, some other assistance (financial) in addition to the existing one was considered for needy veterans to lead a decent life which . they deserve. Accordingly, RSBs/ZSBs were requested to ascertain the same in their area. Once the details are known, further action can be planned. 

KSB vide their letter dated 24.11.2017 has provided the details of disabled pensioners/ family pensioners retirees from Defence military budget in respect of WW-II veterans as received from various States/ UTs. It has been observed that many States/UTs have not responded and KSB have stated that reminders being made to non­ responsive States to forward the detail and same would be forwarded on receipt. However, the details from the non-responsive States/ UTs have not been provided by KSB sofar. Further, KSB vide their letter dated 5.2.2018 have intimated that the data/details of WW-I/ is not maintained/ available with them.

DS(Res.11) informed that the WW-II veterans/ widows are provided financial assistance by States / UTs. After the direction of the Standing Committee on Defence (16th Lok Sabha), all the States/UTs were requested by the then Secretary (ESW) in March 2015 and Sept 2016 to enhance the amount of financial assistance given to WW-II veterans.

World War-ll veterans are eligible for disability pension/mustering out pension as per the Pension Rules applicable during the period. The concept of War Injury Pay was introduced in 1972. The recommendation for grant of War Injury Pension was examined in consultation with CGDA and not found feasible for implementation. Majority of States/UTs have responded positively.