Recommendations of 7th CPC on Enhancing the Cover of Disability

Enhancing the Cover of Disability

The Services have sought that disability element should be made admissible to personnel on retirement as well as invalidment in the event of his/her acquiring any amount of disability (presently Nil in case of Disability less than 20 percent) that is attributable to/ aggravated by military service or otherwise.

The issue of how disability element should be determined for personnel retiring with disability, as distinct from those being invalided out, has been the subject matter of judicial pronouncements in the recent past.

In Ram Avatar vs Union of India, the Supreme Court has held that personnel retiring on attaining the age of superannuation or on completion of tenure of engagement, if found to be suffering from some disability which is attributable to/ aggravated by military service, would be entitled to the benefit of ‘rounding’ of disability pension for disability greater than 20 percent. The Commission has also noted that the government has decided to implement the benefit of broadbanding of disability (‘rounding’ of disability pension) w.e.f. 01.01.2015 for all eligible cases except premature cases/voluntary retirement cases.

The Commission, keeping in view the above, recommends broadbanding of disability for all personnel retiring with disability, including premature cases/ voluntary retirement cases for disability greater than 20 percent. This will ensure uniformity in treatment of disability cases as far as determination of disability element is concerned and bring the regime at par with those invalided out for disability greater than 20 percent.

READ : Inclusion of War Injury Element/Disability Element in Computation of Family Pension