STATUS OF ACTION POINTS - NF AGM OCT 2011

GENERAL ISSUES

Item I Availability of Naval Facilities(Chennai/ Kerala Charter)

1. Accommodation should always be provided when available (with sufficient notice) to veterans in all the messes. Those who would like to avail the bar facilities should not be denied this facility as long as the transactions are on cash cards.

2. Kindly intimate the naval policy on availability of naval facilities such as swimming pool, Gym etc for use by retired officers.

3. Status. NOM membership/ Accommodation will be provided by the respective Station Commanders based on the capacity available. A letter has been written to Commands and Station Commanders requesting them to accommodate the requests of veterans to use the facilities like swimming pool, Gym, bar etc as far as possible. 72 cabins for officers have been commissioned in Varuna, New Delhi. This is likely to ease out the requirement of officers transiting through Delhi.

Item II Veteran's Kit (Chennai Charter)

4. Apparently, officers on retirement were being given a tie, cuff links, tie pin and a cap. However, not all the members have received the same. It would be a good idea to ensure that the standard kit is provided to all veterans which would give them an identity of a naval veteran.

5. Status. Only a Silver Salver is being given by DNPF to the retiring officer. No tie, cuff links, tie pin , cap etc has ever been issued to the retiring officers. Presenting of Tie, cuff links , tie pin and cap to retiring officers along with the silver salver has been examined by PDNPF and the same is not feasible. As of now, the present trend of presenting silver salver to retiring officer is to be continued.

Item III NRS(Chennai Charter)

6. NRS. Honestly we need a briefing on the present status by DESA as most of the members are not clear about the objectives and how it is proposed to achieve these objectives.

7. Status. The presentation on NRS was made during the AGM. NRS has been given wider publicity during the ‘Year of the Ex-Servicemen’. Information on NRS has been hosted on DESA Blog, VSF website and IRFC website. In addition, 2

NRS information is also being published in the regional/ local newspapers by ZSBs/ RSBs during the visit of CRSO in their regions. NRS pamphlets in various local languages have been printed and are being distributed during melas etc. All available forums are being utilised to disseminate information regarding NRS.

Item IV Issue of Ration Card and Voters Card (Chennai Charter)

8. Some of the officers have found it difficult to get a ration card and also a voter’s card on retirement due to cumbersome processes. It is recommended that on retirement, based on a request by NHQ the concerned State governments could simplify and issue the necessary documents on arrival of the officers to his place of settlement without any hassles. This may have to be tied up through the MoH so that processing is done even while the officer is in service.

9. Status. Issue of ration cards is a state subject. Hon’ble RM has written to Chief Ministers requesting them to provide working level assistance to ESM in all respects. Any specific case of non-issue can be taken up by DESA/ IHQ MoD(N).

Item V Funding for Senior Citizens’ Home (SCH) (Kerala Charter)

10. In the current proposal NF Kerala charter has requested for financial funding support from Navy/ Govt for procuring eight to ten dwelling units in the SCH which it had proposed earlier. The dwelling units of the SCH are proposed to be owned by the charter and used as a hostel for officer’s widows who are unable to invest in the project of SCH. It is also mentioned that the facility would be only for widows of Officers and the Navy would need to create a separate hostel for sailor’s widows.

11. Status. As the NPF is meant for the welfare of officers and sailors alike and as the proposed scheme was only for officers there was a constraint in funding by the NPF. For the benefit of widows, IN has acquired half acre of land in Vasant Kunj , New Delhi for construction of widows hostel and that the construction of the same will commence shortly.

Item VI Membership of Navy Foundation (Kerala Charter)

12. (a) Presently it is up to the officers retiring to take the initiative of joining a Navy Foundation Charter. There are many officers who are not aware that such an organization exists or are not able to get them self to become a member for various frivolous reasons.

(b) It is proposed that the action for taking membership of Navy Foundation be made a part of the retirement formality like becoming ECHS member. They 3

could opt for a particular charter of their choice at that time itself or later after settling down.

13. Status. NF membership was purely voluntary. NF membership forms are incorporated in the booklet “Navy for Life & Beyond” by DESA and this booklet is given to officers prior retirement by DOP along with release letter. The contact information of the retiring officers is being compiled and is being passed to all the charters. Information on NF charters and contact details being hosted in DESA Blog And IRFC website.

Item VII Retired Officers Identity Card (Kerala Charter)

14. The new Identity card being issued has been found to be of very poor quality as the photo and written part are getting erased with use. The quality of card printing needs improvement.

15. Status. INS Kunjali has been directed to issue laminated I Cards and the same is adhered to.

PENSION ISSUES

Item VIII Pending Pay/ Pension Issues (Kerala Charter).

16. The current status on the various pay/ pension discrepancy cases such as the 4th Pay Commission anomaly and 6th Pay Commission pension anomaly may please be given for the benefit of the members. It is pertinent to mention that the information that comes through several sources is not authentic and reliable. Such information only leads to misunderstanding and confusion.

17. Status. Current status was given by DPA during the AGM. A booklet in soft copy on pension issues is also being sent to all charters for distribution.

Item IX Issue of Revised PPO/ Corrigendum to PPO (Hyderabad Charter).

18. Banks are not issuing Annexure 4 to the Pensioners who have retired prior to 01st January 2006. Banks are stating that the Annexure 4 vetted by the Controller of Defence Accounts have not been received back. Therefore, they are unable to issue the same to the Pensioners. At our level, it is difficult to ascertain this fact. Most of the Pensioners feel that the Controller of Defence Accounts (Navy), Mumbai can certainly issue the revised PPOs/ Corrigendum's as the number of Naval Pensioners are much lesser than that of Army/ Air Force. It is, therefore, suggested that the CDA (Navy) Mumbai may be requested to issue the revised PPOs/ Corrigendum in a phased manner. 4

19. Status. Issuance of corrigendum PPO has commenced. Nearly 88,000 pensioners exist in navy and all will be issued with corrigendum PPO in due course. ECHS ISSUES

Item X ECHS POINTS

20. Ophthalmologist & ENT Specialist at Polyclinic (Chennai Charter).

(a) ECHS Polyclinic is referring the eye cases to Ophthalmologist in MH (Chennai) only and not to an empanelled hospital.

(b) ENT and Eye OPDs at MH(Chennai) to see ECHS beneficiaries on all working days instead of on some specific days.

21. Status.

(a) As per the Govt. policy, all ECHS members are to first fully utilise the facilities of Armed Forces Medical Services(AFMS) Ophthalmologist/ ENT Specialist available in the station before being referred to empanelled facilities. Requirement of getting reference from the specialist before referring to empanelled hospitals a must to avoid unnecessary tests being done by the empanelled hospital resulting in large bills.

(b) ENT and Eye OPDs at MH(Chennai) now available on all working days except on OT days.

22. Shortage of Medicines at Polyclinic, Secunderabad (Hyderabad Charter).

(a) Shortage of medicines at ECHS Polyclinic.

(b) Supply of medicines for 30 days only.

23. Status. Shortage mainly due to short supply of medicines from AFMSD. Director DMDE has also been requested to raise the issue with GOC.

24. Empanelment of ECHS Hospitals.

(a) All CGHS empanelled hospital must automatically be empanelled for ECHS. Delay in empanelment of Global Hospital, Chennai. (Chennai Charter)

(b) COMBRAX and CABS be entrusted with the responsibility of empanelment of private hospitals in Mumbai as a special case instead of the 5

responsibility resting with the Regional Centre, Pune. Empanelment of Dental clinics and labs also required in Powai, Navi Mumbai and Western Suburbs for Veterans residing in these areas. (Mumbai Charter)

25. Status. In view of the competition amongst the corporate hospitals, the CGHS rates have been reduced. New procedure introduced by NABH which has reduced the time required for empanelment. Situation is likely to improve.

26. OPD at Empanelled Hospitals. (Mumbai Charter) Veterans staying away from Polyclinics be allowed for OPD at Empanelled Hospitals.

27. Status. OPD at empanelled hospitals was not feasible as per existing Govt regulations.

28. Establishment of ECHS Hospitals / Additional Polyclinics.

(a) A Polyclinic should be established at Tambaram at the earliest for Veterans residing at suburbs beyond Tambaram. (Chennai Charter)

(b) Current Status on establishment of the ECHS Specialty Hospitals and additional Polyclinics (Kerala Charter)

29. Status. Non–Military Type ‘D’ polyclinic at Tambaram planned with EDC as Dec 2013. Case of ECHS Specialty hospital has not been cleared by MoD.

30. Polyclinic and Patient Management (Mumbai Charter).

(a) Operationalisation of Polyclinic at CoD Kandivali and provision of medical cover to veterans at MI Room, INS Hamla till operationalisation of Polyclinic.

(b) Enhancement of salary structure of Polyclinic staff in Mumbai.

(c) Transfer of a patient from private empanelled hospital in 48 hrs after admission.

31. Status.

(a) Work in progress to operationalise Polyclinic at CoD Kandivali.. OPD being undertaken at Hamla in the interim.

(b) Enhancement of salary structure of Polyclinic staff awaiting Govt approval. 6

(c) The patient needs to be transferred only after the patient is stabilised. However, the parent polyclinic needs to be informed with 48 hrs of emergency hospitalisation at non empanelled hospitals.