Panel expresses concern over 'large' number of Army officers retiring with disability pension, seeks remedial measures

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, February 9

Expressing concern over the “large” number of armed forces officers retiring with disability pension, a key parliamentary panel has asked the Ministry of Defence to analyse the root cause of the situation and initiate remedial measures.

“Forty per cent officers retiring with disability pension and one-fifth of these being on the grounds of lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc does not speak well for the armed forces where physical fitness is a mandatory requirement,” a report on Disability Pension in the Indian Army tabled by the Public Accounts Committee on February 8 stated.

The committee desired to be apprised of the percentage of prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in Army personnel and remedial measures suggested by the Army Medical Corps for checking these diseases in order to bring them to the minimum.

The committee noted that the officers retiring with disability to the total retirees ranged between 36-40 per cent, whereas disability in the case of personnel below officer rank (PBOR) ranged between 15-18 per cent during the same period.

Further analysis of disability data furnished by the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) revealed that 21.69 per cent and 13 per cent disability out of all disability pensions were granted to officers and PBOR respectively, exclusively for lifestyle diseases.

The committee noted from the reply of the ministry that as per the Fifth National Family Health Survey, the prevalence of hypertension in India is 28.1 per cent and that of diabetes mellitus is 16.1 per cent. However, prevalence of hypertension and diabetes is 3.35 per cent and 3.14 per cent, respectively, in the Navy, and 5 per cent and 3.38 per cent in the Air Force.

On the higher number of officers vis-à-vis PBOR, the committee noted the ministry’s reply that the average retirement age of officers is 54 years while that of PBOR is 35 years. “Most of the disabilities encountered during retirement have their onset in later years of life, including hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, etc, as these are constitutional disorders which occur with increasing age,” the report observed.

As a mode to detect them early, an elaborate system called periodic medical examination is conducted only after 35 years of age for all ranks. Since most soldiers retire around this age, the detection of medical ailments in 40s and 50s is higher in officers.

The Committee also noted that the Entitlement Rules 2023 have strengthened the process of award of disability compensation, thereby facilitating seamless processing of entitlements while preventing any misuse, misinterpretation and dilution of disability compensation polices and framework.

The new rules, which had redefined the eligibility, process and procedure for grant of disability pension, had generated considerable debate in the service community.

“These rules aim to encourage personnel to remain physically and medically fit and at the same time ensure that all genuine disability cases are suitably compensated as per government regulations. Further, the new rules do not impact any widows or war wounded personnel and veterans in any manner,” the committee observed.

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