19 years on, benefits elude ex-serviceman

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 3

An ex-serviceman who served the state government, Sukhminder Singh Bains (70), has been running from pillar to post for the past 19 years to get his due benefits.

Bains has been demanding that the state government award his notional promotion, re-fixation of pay as per already decided date of appointment and payment of arrears.

“I was appointed Public Relations Officer in January 1982 against a post reserved for an ex-serviceman. I had represented on several occasions and forums to grant my seniority, pay increments and other consequential benefits such as counting of military service towards pension and gratuity under policy directions of the state government,” he said.

“The state government granted me seniority benefit on the post and date of appointment as May 26, 1966, for pay fixation. Consequently, the Director, Information and Public Relations, in 2002 had re-fixed my pay with assumed date of appointment as May 26, 1966. But, I was denied notional promotion and accruable pay fixation and subsequent benefits, including increment on every promotion,” he added.

“I have written several letters and given representation on different forums, but I am yet to get my due benefits,” he said.

“I have been appreciated for my outstanding work by the secretary, public relations, but never expected that this kind of treatment would be meted out to me,” he added.