In a decision which will also bring benefits for thousands of Nepalis who served in the Indian army, the Manmohan Singh-led government finally approved a proposal earlier this week, fulfiling largely the ex-servicemen’s demand for ‘one rank-one pension’.

This scheme, which will cost the state coffers around 2,300 crores annually, is expected to end disparity in pensions among ex-servicemen retired from the same posts with the period of service but in different years.

For an instance, a major general with 35 years of service gets around IRs 50,000 per month if he retires today, while the one who retired before 2006 gets IRs 38,000, according to Mail Today. An official of the same rank who retired in 1970s is getting only IRs 8,000, reads the Indian daily.

Once implemented, the proposal will not only put an end to such disparity but also provide grant of family pension to differently-abled children of the ex-servicemen. The government proposal will allow the mentally and physically challenged children of the deceased ex-servicemen  to enjoy the pension facility throughout his/her life.

According to the statistics made available by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), more than 123,000 ex-servicemen, previously working with the seven Gorkha regiments of the Indian Army, are residing in Nepal.

There are also a few thousands residing in different parts of India who chose to leave their ancestral home back in Nepal after retirement from the Indian Army. As of 2010-11, pensions to the ex-servicemen residing in Nepal stood at 1,100 crores, says the MEA website.

Meanwhile, the ex-servicemen of Gorkha regiments have expressed happiness over the Indian government ’s recent decision.

“We are very happy that our long overdue demand has been addressed,” said Dehradun-based retired Brigadier NBS Bist—also the former president of Gorkhali Sudhar Samiti.

Another retired Brigadier of Gorkha regiment PS Gurung told the Post that the decision would bring more relief to the ex-servicemen of lower ranks.

“The disparity in pensions among the high-ranking officials had been much less than that among low-ranking personnel,” he said.

Published on: 26 September 2012 | The Kathmandu Post