AFVOA Newletters of Year 2006

Page 57 of 77 • That the cry of “Ayo Gorkhali” may be stifled here forever, as in the UK, if the recent happenings in our neighbouring nation are an indication!; There is no denying the fact that besides building a fighting ethos, fostering sportsman’s spirit, nurturing espirit de corps , and developing a closer Officer-Man relationship, all of which are so essential for a unit’s Izzat, team games keep both officers and men so engrossed that there is no time for any acts of major indiscipline!! We should hope that the Services’ and the Nation’s interest in all team games (other than cricket which has been given undeserving attention!) gets rekindled soon with the Army Sports Institute, Pune, serving as the beacon light in training young blood for begetting greater glory for the Country in the next decade. Note:- AFVOA would welcome articles/snippets from members and their families for publication in the Newsletter. We request your cooperation. “A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.” - GK Chesterton Matters Financial Supreme Court Order on pre-1996 retirees – ECHS contribution. The Supreme Court has ordered that the Government should either waive the amount of contribution or to pay such amount on behalf those ex-servicemen who retired prior to January 1, 1996 and who intend to avail medical facilities and benefits under the said scheme by exercising option by becoming members of ECHS. In other words, it is open to ex-defence personnel, who retired prior to January 1, 1996 to become members of ECHS and to claim medical facilities and benefits under the said scheme without payment of contribution amount. They are, however, not entitled to claim medical allowance in future. Members may like to log on to the following web site for perusing the Supreme Court order in detail:- http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/qrydisp.asp?tfnm=27960 Observations if any may please be forwarded to the Secretary. Joint Account for Pension. In our Newsletter No.5 of 2005 we had published about the Joint Account for Pension. The same is reproduced below for all those who may not have seen/read it for taking necessary action:- “The Govt has cleared the proposal to have the spouse as the joint account holder for the pension account which was hither-to-fore only a single account in the name of the pensioner. All those who are interested may like to contact their respective Banks in this regard.” Hike in Dearness Relief. The Union Govt has announced a hike of 5% in the Dearness Relief to all pensioners with effect from 01 Jul 2006. “Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.” - Benjamin Franklin