Ex-servicemen flag hurdles in ECHS benefits at general body meet in Ambala Cantt
They were forced to file unnecessary cases in the courts to get their rights
The annual general body meeting of the National Ex-Servicemen (Army Postal Service) Welfare Association was held on Sunday in Ambala Cantonment. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Ex-Subedar Major Des Raj Sharma, in which nearly 100 members of the association from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh participated.
General secretary of the association, Ex-Subedar Atma Singh, said various issues related to the welfare of the members and the progress made in the last one year in the cases pending in courts against the Central Government were discussed at the meeting. He said the government did not provide the benefits without filing cases in the courts. Thus, the ex-servicemen were forced to file unnecessary cases in the courts to get their rights.
The general secretary said the widows of the soldiers of the Army Postal Service (APS) were neither being issued smart cards for purchasing goods from Army Canteens (CSD Canteens), nor were they being given facilities for getting treatment from ECHS (Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme). He said the ex-servicemen of the APS were also facing troubles in getting benefits of the ECHS. For this, the argument was being given that the ex-servicemen of APS were getting pension from civil estimates; therefore, these facilities could not be provided even though the ex-servicemen of APS got full status of ex-servicemen.
Singh said, “The government should fulfil all demands and the ex-servicemen should be given all due benefits. It has been decided to pursue the cases pending in courts and ensure that all ex-servicemen get all benefits.”
