Basic pension of ex-servicemen increased 2.57 times: Prez

Pokhara (Nepal): The basic pension of ex-servicemen of the Indian Army has increased by 2.57 times as compared to pension of December 31, 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee today said here while addressing ex-servicemen of the Gurkha regiments in the Indian Army.

President Pranab Mukherjee.

Mukherjee, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, lauded the valour and discipline of the Gurkha soldiers in guarding the borders of India.

Mukherjee, who is on a three-day state visit to Nepal, visited the Pension Office for Gurkha ex-servicemen here in the last segment as large number of these soldiers live here after retirement.

The scenic Pokhara Valley, nestled in the shadow of towering snowcapped peaks of Dhaulgiri, Machapuchare, and Annapurna is home to a large number of soldiers of the famed Gurkha regiments in the Indian Army.

The President received a warm welcome here with people dressed in traditional clothes carrying flags of India and Nepal had lined up the roads from airport to hotel where he stayed briefly and then from hotel to pension office of the Gurkha regiments ex-servicemen.

People stood there throughout the stay of the President who was in the city for nearly an hour playing drums, dancing and waving as his convoy passed through the streets of Pokhara city.

"According to the seventh Pay Commission the basic pension has increased 2.57 times under the One Rank One Pension scheme as compared to basic pension on December 31, 2015," Mukherjee said.

He said being the supreme commander of the Indian defence forces, it was a matter of great satisfaction and pride that all the welfare schemes of ex-servicemen are being implemented in Nepal on time.

The President said there are 32,000 Gurkha soldiers in Indian Army besides 1.26 lakh ex-servicemen from the community. Mukherjee said India will never hesitate to take all possible steps for the welfare of ex-servicemen.

"Every year about Nepalese Rs (NPR) 3,100 crore of pensions is being distributed in Nepal. In the current financial year, the target is to distribute about NPR 4,000 crore of pension as per One Rank One Pension and Seventh Pay Commission," he said.

PTI

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GST Panel fixes tax structure at 5, 12, 18 and 28 pct; 50 percent products to fall in consumer basket

New Delh: The most anticipated Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has finally zeroed on a four-rate tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a press conference here on Thursday.

GST Council has finally zeroed on a four-rate tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent, said FM Arun Jaitley at a press conference.

Jaitley said the government has kept about 50 percent of products in the consumer basket, such as foodgrains, as 'zero-rated'.

Also, he added that the cost empowerment issue will be taken up tomorrow.

The GST Council may finalize the entry-level of the Goods and Services Tax rate at five percent while the upper level will be fixed at 28 percent.

The standard rates for most items will be fixed at 12 and 18 percent as was earlier planned, say government officials.

The Centre had recommended tax rates of 5, 12, 18, 25 and 40 percent, but pressure from the industry to keep a higher upper limit at 28 percent and removing the cess over 26 percent has led to the change.

Also, states had asked the GST Council to revise the six percent lower level tax to five percent. The council may also fix the GST tax rate for tobacco at 40 percent plus an additional duty.

Announcing the GST rates, Jaitley said the five percent duty was on items of mass consumption or 'Aam Aadmi' products.

"Tobacco will fetch 28 percent sin tax, excluding cess. Aerated drinks will also fetch tax at the same rate. Most white goods to be taxed at 28 percent but with riders," announced Jaitley at the press conference.

The prices of certain consumer durables like televisions, air conditioners, fridges and washing machines may however become cheaper with decrease in taxes.

ANI

Will restart ‘andolan’ if OROP is not implemented: Anna Hazare

Ahmednagar (Maharashtra): Social Activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday said that the Centre's betrayal to the nations' ex-servicemen over the implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme resulted in the suicide of Ram Kishan Grewal, and threatened to restart his agitation on the implementation of the scheme.

"No harm in fighting for your own right and we are not begging in front of anybody," Anna Hazare said on launching a protest again.

"Earlier the government had promised that the OROP will be implemented and we trusted them, which is why we stopped our protest," Anna said.

Stating that it was unfortunate that an ex-serviceman committed suicide over the failure of the scheme's implementation, the activist stated that on one hand the government glorifies soldiers and on the other hand doesn't fulfill promises.

Speaking to ANI here, Anna further said that armed forces put themselves on the line of fire in testing conditions to protect the country, yet their very right has been denied to them.

"No harm in fighting for your own right and we are not begging in front of anybody," Hazare said on launching a protest again.

Earlier today, ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at Delhi's Jantar Mantar area, over the issue of One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP)

In his suicide note, he said that he is taking such an extreme step for the sake of the soldiers.

The Police said that he along with some other ex-servicemen were in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Defence Ministry over the issue of OROP.

Grewal was a resident of Bumla village in Bhiwani, Haryana.

Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government.

Earlier, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who was detained today after he tried to meet the kin of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal, lashed out at the Delhi Police for arresting the former jawan's family besides himself.

Rahul Gandhi was stopped close to the gates of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here when he went to meet the family of the victim Grewal.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was also 'forcibly removed' from the hospital premises after he went to meet the grieving family. He later tweeted, "I had gone to the hospital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman, not to launch a dharna. What mistake have I done?"

The police also detained Jaswant Grewal, the son of Subedar Grewal, after he joined AAP workers in impromptu protests outside the hospital. Gandhi called Jaswant's detention a "shame."

The Trinamool Congress also joined the beeline stating that its representative is on his way to the national capital to chime in the developments.

Subedar Grewal's family wants the government to fulfill the demands that he made in a petition that he planned to hand over to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar later on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has sought details of the incident.

ANI

“Bank miscalculation” responsible for delay in OROP for deceased veteran: Sources

New Delhi: The delay in ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal receiving the revised pension as per the One Rank One Pension (OROP) was due to problems in calculation at his bank's end and his case could have been resolved amicably if he had directly approached the government, sources said.

Ram Kishan Grewal was entitled to OROP and all the clearances had been made from the Centre's side but problems at the banks caused the delay.

Sources firmly state that the circumstances surrounding the suicide of Grewal, who took his life by consuming poison, called for thorough investigation, as a probe is also needed to figure out who was with him when he took the extreme step and also who provided the poison.

It also needs to be ascertained if anybody may have taken advantage of his "troubled mind to provoke him to take the extreme step".

Grewal was entitled to OROP and all the clearances had been made from the Centre's side but problems at the banks caused the delay.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has sought details of the incident from the department of ex-servicemen welfare.

"Saddened by the death of subedar Ram Kishen Grewal. I express my heartfelt condolences. I have asked officials to provide me with details," Parrikar tweeted.

Earlier today, Parrikar emphasised that the government was committed to the welfare of ex-servicemen and said a total of Rs 5,507.47 crore has been disbursed under the scheme.

Giving details of the OROP implementation, Parrikar said there were 20,63,763 beneficiaries before July 2014 and that 19,12,520 pensioners have been paid the first instalment and 1,50,313 cases are pending verification and authentication of beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, a massive political storm has broken out over Grewal's death as parties are joining forces to come down heavily on the Centre over the delay in the implementation of OROP.

ANI