Defence Minister Manhohar Parrikar has agreed to expedite the disbursal of pension to widows and kin of martyred soldiers, said Rajeev Chandrasekar, an independent lawmaker in the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, on Saturday.
Observing that the salary of the soldier stops from the day of his death, the Bengaluru lawmaker had suggested in a letter to the Defence Minister that at least 50 per cent salary of the martyred soldier should be continued to be paid to the widow or immediate relatives for a duration of 2-3 months until the pension starts.
Chandrasekhar had asked, for cases that suffer delay due to completion of formalities, that the provision of Pending Enquiry Award under the Pension Regulations of Defence Services Regulations be authorised with immediate effect in all cases.
Replying to the letter, Parrikar said, "PEA can be granted by the Record Office at a monthly rate equal to the appropriate and applicable amount of the Ordinary Family Pension/Special Family Pension or Liberalised Family pension along with dearness allowance.
The Defence Minister further clarified that PEA is made with the effect from the date of death by the Record Office in all the cases of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO)/ORs. It is sanctioned immediately subsequent to death/martyrdom of the soldier in favour of NOK initially up to a period of six Months which can be further extended, if required.
"Our soldiers lay down their lives for the nation, and it is the moral obligation of the Government of India and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that the families of the martyrs are not financially inconvenienced," Chandrasekhar had said.
Chandrasekhar has been campaigning for the welfare of armed forces personnel for the past 10 years.
--IANS
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