The armed forces are a disciplined lot, nobody doubts that. That they have been asking for better pay and perks, which the Govt in power has been sensitive, and the demand is often acceded to. The members of the armed forces gracefully accept, and also have got improved upon the inequalities that the formulated system(s) get imbedded with, perforce.
Once having got what is accepted, the members of the armed forces go about doing their job, till the next pay commission. That’s when the principal representatives put forward their point of view and leave it to the powers that be to decide. This is what is to be expected of, and accepted with not latitude or margin given.
Members, who are God blessed, get the opportunity to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labor, as they age. During their life in the armed forces, they enjoy certain perks and privileges, such as canteen and medical facilities for self and their immediate family members. These facilities are extended after retirement is also a fact. The retired fraternity is unanimous in their gratitude.
The members, while in service, on duty travelled as per their rank in the appropriate class of the railways. On leave, enjoyed the LTC for self and family as per prevailing rules and travelled in the appropriate class of the railway. Other than the above, a limited number of concession opportunities are also accorded for the travel of self with family or at times even without accompanying the family. Unfortunately the member, after retirement is not given any such opportunity to enjoy subsidized travel with or without his family, not even once a year. By now, the ‘family’ is limited to only wife, often- as the children have grown up and settled out on their own.
Now, it discriminates the member of armed forces when he finds that cadres when they retire from the railways and from the National Airlines not only enjoy the perks for themselves but accord the perk to their blood relation.
The government, in my opinion, should rethink and grant a similar concession to the retired members of the forces, to travel in the railways as per their rank at the time of retirement. Even one such journey, anywhere in India, per year for two, would accord a great sense of relief to the retired.
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