Prez requested to raise award pay

PUNE: Vir Chakra winner Major Uday Sathe (retd) has requested President Pratibha Patil to substantially increase the gallantry award pay (GAP) entitled to highly-decorated soldiers to make up for the lost time, as done in Punjab. He has suggested to her that the gallantry award pay be structured on the basis of what the freedom fighters get and in the same differential of Rs 750.
"According to the proposed structure, a Param Vir Chakra should be paid Rs 12,500 per month, while the Mahavir Chakra and Vir Chakra should get Rs 11,750 and Rs 11,000 respectively," he said. Similarly, Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra winners should be paid a monthly amount of Rs 12,000, Rs 11,250 and Rs 10,500 respectively.
"Considering that there are 2,277 HDS availing the GAP, the government's total financial burden would be around Rs 2.5 crore per month, which is just about 1.57% of what the FFs get," Sathe said.
"Although the President had categorically stated in a gazette notification (effective from August 15, 1947) that every recipient of the gallantry award will be entitled to special pension and each additional bar conferred shall carry with it additional pension for life, it has never been implemented so far for reasons best known to the government," he said.
"Even the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasala has proposed a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month for its cadets," he said, explaining that a cadet, after completion of his three-year training, will receive a total amount of Rs 3.6 lakh.
"And he (NDA cadet) would still be far away from the battlefield, and still has to undergo another spell of a year long training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), where he would be given another monthly stipend of Rs 8000," Sathe said, pointing out that by the date of commission, he would have already received Rs 4.56 lakh.