A letter from Brig CS VIDYASAGAR

Dear Sir,
1. I keep getting a number of grievances from ESMs and Family pensioners with a request that TSEWA should take it up with Govt of India, Min of Def. TSEWA is not a recognized Association as its membership is not 1 lakh yet. Therefore, any memorandum submitted to Min of Def will end up in the waste paper basket of a desk officer of Min of Def. Then what is the alternative?
2. As per my past experience of 15 years out of which I was Director Sainik Welfare, Andhra Pradesh (from 2006 to 2012), I am convinced that there are only two methods by which we can get our grievances heard and some of them getting resolved. One is through AFTs which as on date are non-functional. I am told only two out of 17 courts are functional. Rest do not have judicial and administrative members. The second is to have a periodical meeting by one umbrella organization with support from ESMs and family pensioners from all 28 States and 9 UTs with Hon’ble Raksha Mantri.
3. Col TN Raman (Retd) from Chennai, a very senior and devoted officer to the cause of ESMs and family pensioners having seen thousands of small ESM Associations from village level to State level getting nothing till date suggested formation of National Confederation of ESM Organizations (NCESMO). There is no merger of one Association with another. There is no loss of identity of Association. The Association will continue to work on their own agenda. They can have their own Office bearers. There is no need for NCESMO to have any registration. It is a loose organization which comes into effect for the meeting with Hon’ble Raksha Mantri. Rest of the times, the Associations will continue to run as independent associations.
4. Inspired by well-meaning aim of NCESMO put forward by Col TN Raman, Cmde Sudheer Parakala of TSEWA made an approach paper as to how to form NCESMO. TSEWA took the initiative and requested those who believe in this umbrella organization to come for an inaugural meeting in Secunderabad on 17 Aug 2018. 12 Major and minor ESM Associations attended the meeting and agreed to come under banner of NCESMO. The member Associations elected President, IESL being the biggest ESM Association as President of NCESMO and President, TSEWA as Vice – President of NCESMO. This is an interim organization for a period of two years.
5. The benefit of formation of NCESMO is that it could have two quarterly meetings in Nov 2018 and Feb 2019 with Hon’ble Raksha Mantri. Till now we could not have any kind of deliberations during which grievances of ESMs and family pensioners could be put across to Hon’ble Raksha Mantri. Hon’ble Raksha Mantri heard our agenda points for almost one hour but unfortunately, the change of portfolios resulted in our getting new Raksha Mantri who assured next quarterly meeting of NCESMO will be held very soon.
6. Col N Sitaramaiah of TSEWA convinced few district level ESM Associations in Andhra Pradesh of utility of forming AP State Confederation. TSEWA again helped in the formation of AP State Confederation. The result is Govt of AP issued a government order (GO) constituting district level ESM Grievance Committees for subjects like allotment of house sites, allotment of barren government land to ESMs, carry forward of vacancies reserved for ESMs to next year, employment to wives of martyred soldiers, reservation of seats in medical, engineering, dental, management colleges to children of Armed Forces personnel, grant of cash award to gallantry award winners, financial assistance to World War II veterans etc.
7. Seeing the benefit AP State Confederation has got from their Government, few district ESM Associations approached TSEWA to help them in forming Telangana State Confederation. Telangana State Confederation was formed on 21 Sep 2019 in the office of TSEWA. With this, strength of NCESMO goes upto 14. It I hoped Manipur State Confederation is likely to be formed on 27 Sep 2019.
8. Who benefits by NCESMO? Officers get reasonably good pension. Their children are well settled. They hardly need any assistance from Central or State Governments. They do not need NCESMO. JCOs / OR who constitute 95% of ESM fraternity need NCESMO.
9. Unless we have 28 State Confederation of ESM Organisations & nine UT Confederation of ESM Organisations, our voice will not be heard by Min of Def. Therefore, it is in the interest of JCOs / OR of all States and UTs to come together to form their own State Confederations. In the beginning all District level ESM Associations will not come forward. If any JCO /NCO / OR is keen to serve the veteran community, then he can speak to four to five district ESM office bearers and try to form State level Confederation. They can then become member of NCESMO and sit in the round table of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri.
10. I do not need NCESMO as I get monthly pension of Rs 1,07,307 and this is likely to go up further by OROP – 2018.
11. TSEWA will help any District level ESM Associations in any part of the country to form your State / UT level Confederation.

Warm regards,
Brig CS Vidyasagar (Retd)
040-48540895
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Email id: csvidyasagar@gmail.com