All  retired defence  personnel await expectantly for their pension on the last day of the month . As the month is about to close a message from the CDA ( controller of defence accounts) is expected regarding crediting of pension, if delayed it sends a flutter in the community until credited . Delay of pension may not immediately affect pensioners financially but being left out or forgotten worries them most . Constant connectivity and reassurance is necessary.  The system is much organised and the electronic age has added efficiency, but the human touch is lost and negotiating the thick electronic  staff screen is exasperating.

However; in the olden days  the pension was collected in cash from the collectorate’s treasury . Retired personnel are still permitted to wear uniform when they go to meet the District Magistrate /District collector! I have been told by seniors that , It was a common sight to see a group  of retired pensioners near the treasury waiting for help in their paper work and mostly some retired JCO ( junior commissioned officer) would willingly  help them out. 

The pension system is the most potent and time tested instrument of social security in any society. If one traces the history of pension the first reference and example is in ‘Mahabharat’ ( Bhishma Parva ). As the battle of Kurukshetra is about to commence Yudhisthir the eldest of Pandavas approaches Bhishma Pitamah  for advise and blessings . Bhisma Pitamah is regretful for his support of Duryodhan and expresses his predicament and helplessness by stating that ‘ Man is  slave of ‘Artha’ ( finance, wealth) and ‘Artha’ is slave to no one’  and since he  was being paid sustenance ( pension) by Duryodhan he was obliged to serve him .  Such was the significance and power of pension ! Also, the insecurity of even the greatest! 

Since time immemorial soldiers have been given land grants as part of pension after leaving service in ancient India and Greece . Land grants are given because earlier land was the only means of revenue and still the revenue department in States looks after land . We know the story of the famous poet Mirza Ghalib as to how he had to travel all the way to Kolkata to seek audience of the British authorities for his family pension as Kolkata was the capital of India  till 1912.

He gets some assurance and on his return stays for some days in Varanasi where he composes a very nice Nazam on the ancient city. The Britishers also gave land grants as pension to the soldiers and in the second world war even after the defeat and surrender of British to Japanese in Singapore large number of India soldiers did not join INA ( India National Army ) and preferred to be Japanese POWs ( prisoner of war ) as they were afraid that their pension /land grant would be forfeited. 

  The Government of India has laid down a  policy letter , that on retirement an Armed forces personnel shall be allotted by the District Magistrate five acres of unirrigated land or two and half acres of irrigated land. However over the years the land area on account of various grants in rural areas was reduced and so the Court has halted it , but the policy exists and there are a large number of personnel who have benefited   from the scheme . The intention behind this policy was that after retirement a soldier should be able to maintain same standards as in service and since his pension was half of his pay the land earnings would compensate for the loss.  

How acute and important was  Pension I learnt from my experience as DSWO ( District sainik welfare officer) of Sagar district in MP . During my tour of one Tehsil I visited one ex serviceman family . The father was drawing the family pension as his youngest son an Army   Jawan who was a bachelor had died in action and mother too was no more . On meeting the family of five brothers when I saw their heads shaven I learnt  that the father had died a day earlier . On seeing me the entire family huddled close to me and after I had expressed my shock and condolence I learnt that their main worry and concern was the loss of pension . They pleaded with me to look for some rule where by the eldest brother could be granted the same but I expressed my helplessness and tried consoling them that I would look for some private job. They had land but the income was uncertain and the entire family depended on the meagre pension of their late  brother.  

In accordance with Government rules illegitimate  wife is not entitled for  pension but the illegitimate children are! I have dealt with a case where the family pension was divided between the first wife and the eldest illegitimate daughter.  When the daughter reached 25 years the first wife would have got back  full pension and there was some procedural delay which I attempted to resolve it. Such are the depths and complexities of the family pension world!   

The husband of my domestic help was drunken and unemployed . However her father- in – law was drawing pension having retired as a clerk from the local Army  office . Therefore he was a ‘Premium Member’ of the family and an extra dole of reverence was accorded to him being the single Government pension holder . There was a roster and understanding among his  sons  and he would visit them and stay for few months during which he would incur  all household expenses.  

 I have also handled two cases of retired service personnel who have remarried in old age after the death of their first wife . In such case their second wife would be entitled for family pension . Therefore, old widowers are wooed and  in demand for social security needs.  

There was one old gardener ‘Madu’ who lived with the landlord where my  grandfather was a tenant   in Dehradun in early sixties of last century . He had no family member . My father who was a lawyer was aware of Government policy under which a sum of Rs 100/- per month was granted as old age pension . He did his paper work , ran around and got him the pension . ‘Madu’ was ever grateful to him and died with dignity in his old age.   

My plea is that the scope of pension should be widened and even though meagre it should be accorded to the wider population . This measure should not be considered out dated and conservative or economically not viable. It is pertinent and relevant for all times as it is to ensure ‘Human Dignity’.     

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