New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Saturday introduced new casualty pension and disability compensation awards to armed forces personnel. Titled ‘Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pension and Disability Compensation Awards to Armed Forces Personnel, 2023’, the new rules were issued on September 21.
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All other previous entitlements will cease to exist. “The Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pension & Disability Compensation Awards to Armed Forces Personnel (ER), which stipulates the conditions for the award of Death/ Disability Compensation to Armed Forces personnel have been revised & promulgated with effect from 21 Sep 23,” the Integrated Defence Staff said.
The new entitlement rules incorporate recommendations of a Study Group, which comprised members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare and MoD (Fin). The study group was mandated to update the ER by incorporating all relevant policy changes brought about since ER, 2008 was issued.
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Notably, no changes have been made either in the nature or the extent of death/ disability compensation that is awarded to entitled personnel. “This will have a prospective effect and takes care of the genuine interest of all our soldiers, veterans and widows,” the Integrated Defence Staff stated.
In the new rules, the term ‘disability element’ has been replaced by the term ‘impairment relief’ It will now include lifestyle diseases like hypertension and Type-2 diabetes. As per The Economic Times report, disability pension eligibility is applicable to armed forces personnel who contracted diseases or disabilities during duty.
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Notably, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report raised concerns regarding the high percentage of officers claiming disability pensions, after that an inter-services panel reviewed the existing rules.
