Lt Gen KJ Singh (retd)
Former GOC-in-C, Western Command
As the nation battles the mega second wave of Covid along with an infodemic tsunami, questions that rankle the hapless and desperate population are when will the armed forces take over and why are they not being given responsibilities of oxygen supply and managing hotspots like Delhi? Two former Army commanders and many senior veterans have felt that the forces are being utilised sub-optimally. Yet, the government has stated in court that it cannot ask the Army to take over in Delhi. The Delhi High Court has concurred with this argument.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence on Subday approved the temporary recruitment of retired doctors of the armed forces to meet the rising requirement in view of the rising Covid cases.
“The Ministry of Defence has issued an order to Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DG AFMS) for recruitment of Ex-Army Medical Corps (AMC)/Short Service Commission (SSC) medical officers. Under the ‘Tour of Duty’ scheme, 400 ex-AMC/SSC medical officers, released between 2017 and 2021, are expected to be recruited on contract basis for a maximum period of 11 months,” Bharat Bhushan Babu, Spokesperson, MoD, said.
The order, dated May 08, 2021, says fixed monthly lump sum amount will be admissible by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement plus specialist pay wherever applicable. The amount would remain unchanged for the term of the contract and no other allowances would be paid. The medical officers to be recruited are
DG AFMS gets nod to recruit Ex-AMC/SSC medical officers
NEW DELHI : The Ministry of Defence issued an order on Sunday to Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DG AFMS) for recruitment of Ex-Army Medical Corps (AMC)/Short Service Commission (SSC) medical officers.
Under the ‘Tour of Duty’ scheme, 400 ex-AMC/SSC medical officers, released between 2017 and 2021, are expected to be recruited on contract basis for a maximum period of 11 months, the ministry said in a statement.
The order which was issued on May 8, says a fixed monthly lump sum amount will be admissible by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement plus specialist pay wherever applicable.
750
New Delhi, May 7
The Ministry of Defence has come down heavily on the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) that is designed to cater to the medical needs of retired soldiers and their families.
The MoD, in a statement, said the denial of medical support to the veterans in these testing times raised several questions regarding the efficacy of the scheme. “The armed forces will have to take a hard look on this issue to identify fail-safe options for the future,” it said. Set up in 2003, the ECHS was to provide quality medical care to veterans and their families because of the limited capacity of the military hospitals. During the Covid surge, most veterans were denied admissions under the ECHS and empanelled hospitals, which had increased their dependence on the already-stressed military hospitals, said the MoD. TNS
DRDO Hospitals for COVID in VIP Constituencies Are Affecting Militaryâs Operational Readiness
The soldiers and veterans are being deprived of medical facilities at military establishments because healthcare professionals of the armed forces have been moved to what are being branded as DRDO hospitals.
A photo taken inside Sardar Patel COVID Care Center and Hospital, New Delhi. Photo: dmsouth.delhi.gov.in/
Security6 hours ago
As coronavirus cases continue to surge during the second wave of the pandemic, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has constructed temporary hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients in Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Lucknow and New Delhi â which are the Lok Sabha constituencies of the countryâs most powerful leaders.