Ex-servicemen sore over Government's apathy

Sixth pay commission is a big blow to personnel

In a press release, Maj Gen (retd) C K Karumbaya has said that the sixth pay commission has given a big blow to the defence personnel. The status of the army personnel has been devalued and brought down by successive pay commissions. The Sixth Commission has also ignored the fact that promotion prospects, age of retirement and conditions of service of people in defence are far more adverse than their civilian counterparts.

On the flipside, the State Government had announced reserving 10 per cent jobs for ex-servicemen, who retire at the age of 35 onwards.

However, the Government has not given a single job in last few years.

The ex-servicemen in Mysore needed about 14 guntas of land next to Devaiah Bhavan for setting up a polyclinic and a canteen. These are central government schemes for which the funds are available.

Though, a small piece of land is available near the Devaiah Bhavan, the officials from Vidhana Soudha to the Deputy Commissioner’s office have remained callous and negligent to allot it for two years now.

“The local ESM has pleaded with the Government since  2004 but to no avail. The final recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner to allot the land is gathering dust in the corridors of power. “We the defence persons have found it easier to defend our borders risking our lives than dealing with these bureaucrats ruling the country,” Maj Gen Karumbaya says.

He added that if the country was retaining the land owned by both the Government and the private parties since independence, it is because of the jawans guarding the frontiers.

“Is it fair on the part of the Government of Karnataka to deny for so long a mere 14 guntas of land to the welfare of ex-servicemen,” he questioned.