Amritsar: Air veterans want improved benefits programme changes

The Air Veterans Welfare Society, Amritsar, published a charter of demands concerning pensions and other welfare amenities for veterans and their families ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Over the last several years, society has increased demand.

The chairperson of the Air Veterans Welfare Society in Amritsar, Nirmal Singh, expressed some satisfaction with the initiatives that have been put in place over the past few years. However, he advocated for the elimination of the discriminatory actions that veterans have to endure at the hands of officials when financial and other welfare schemes are being distributed.

The Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), One Rank One Pension (OROP), and the System for Pension Administration (Raksha Sparsh) are just a few of the relevant programs that the veterans have called for improvements to. They have also demanded that the program include medical facilities and an upgrade for officials of a certain rank, such as nursing officers. They also asked for life insurance and other financial advantages for veterans, as well as an immediate reform and evaluation of the OROP system.

Citing members of the military services and their dependents as a significant voting bloc, they said that political officials had long disregarded the issues that veterans confront. Nirmal Singh said, “We have been bringing these issues up over the years, but nothing is taken up substantially. Political parties need to pay attention to these issues.” Helping veterans from the PBOR (Personnel Below Officer Ranks) category get improved services in the delivery of pension and healthcare benefits, particularly in rural regions, is one of the main objectives from the next administration.