Over 200 armymen killed in JK, NE in 3 years

 PTI

 http://www.ptinews.com/news/626787_Over-200-armymen-killed-in-JK--NE-in-3-years

Over 200 Indian Army personnel have lost their lives in last three years during the anti- terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

"There have been 208 casualties of Army personnel during the last three years in anti-terror operations," Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply.

The highest number of casualties were suffered in 2007 when 83 followed by 64 in 2008, he said.

To another query, Antony said contract has been signed with Israel on March 4 this year to procure two Heron UAVs for deploying them for surveillance along the Eastern and Western seaboard of the country.

MEA woman officer posted in Pak arrested for spying

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628127_MEA-woman-officer-posted-in-Pak-arrested-for-spying

A Second Secretary-level woman diplomat working in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has been arrested here for allegedly passing on information to Pakistani intelligence agencies.

Simultaneously, the station head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Islamabad R K Sharma has also come under the scanner, official sources said.

A promotee officer of Ministry of External Affairs, 53-year-old Madhuri Gupta, was arrested here four days back after she was summoned to Delhi on the pretext of discussions on the current SAARC summit meeting held in Thimpu, Bhutan, the sources said.

The officer, a Second Secretary working in the Mission for nearly three years, is alleged to have been passing on information from the Mission to her contacts in ISI till her movements came under surveillance of Intelligence Bureau sleuths.

Home Secretary G K Pillai said Gupta had been passing information to Pakistani agencies.

BJP MPs table breach of privilege notice against PM

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/627968_BJP-MPs-table-breach-of-privilege-notice-against-PM

Fifty BJP MPs today tabled a breach of privilege notice in Lok Sabha against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for announcing outside Parliament his decision to reject setting up of a joint parliamentary committee on the issue of alleged phone tapping.

The MPs submitted the petition to Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Achary.

Their action comes close on the heels of Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj objecting to the Prime Minister's announcement on the issue.

"This is a disrespect to the House. The Prime Minister should give a statement in the House on the issue," she said in Lok Sabha.

She insisted this was a serious matter as phones of even cabinet ministers were allegedly tapped. BJP has also demanded a JPC into the IPL controversy.

Court accepts CBI's closure report against Tytler

 PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628143_Court-accepts-CBI-s-closure-report-against-Tytler

In a reprieve to Jagdish Tytler, a city court today let off the Congress leader in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case after accepting CBI's closure report giving clean chit to him.

"There is no sufficient material to send Tytler to trial," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

It pointed out that the statement of California-based witness Jasbir Singh had "no relevance" and that the statements of another witness Surinder Singh were "self- contradictory".

Accepting the CBI's closure report giving a clean chit to the former Union Minister, the court said that there was no ground to order further investigation in the case.

The CBI had submitted that there was nothing to proceed against 66-year-old Tytler as two witnesses, Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh, were not reliable and their statements were "false and concocted".

Two JCOs shot dead by jawan

PTI 

http://www.ptinews.com/news/628187_Two-JCOs-shot-dead-by-jawan

In a fresh case of fratricide in Army, a jawan belonging to 12th Maratha Rifles allegedly shot dead two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) in Manipur's Churachandpur district, officials said here today.

The incident took place yesterday at Khengjong outpost, about 70 km from here, after a quarrel broke out between the JCOs -- identified as Mrinthunguan and Thanattan-- and jawan Ambeti Narayan, they said.

Narayan shot at his colleagues with his service rifle, killing them on the spot, the officials said.

Narayan fled soon after the incident, but was arrested today, they said.

Meanwhile, the Army refused to divulge any details regarding the JCOs and Narayan.

Promotion PBORs

 Government has not restricted promotion opportunities for the Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBOR) in the Armed Forces. The Government has, in fact, improved the career prospects by approving grant of three Assured Career Progression (ACP) to PBOR at 8, 16 and 24 years of service as against three Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPs) for the Central Government Civilian Employees at 10, 20 and 30 years of regular service. At the time of each financial upgradation under ACP, the PBOR would get an additional increment and next higher Grade Pay in hierarchy.

            Army:  PBORs (including Jawans) are eligible for grant of commissioning into Officer Cadres through various In Service entries i.e. Army Cadet College (ACC) / Special Commissioned Officers (SCO) / Permanent Commission Officers (Special List) [PC(SL)].

            Navy:  Adequate promotion avenues exist through time based, roster based and selective promotion for sailors. Promotion upto the rank of Leading Seaman/equivalent for non-Artificers and upto the rank of Artificer 3^rd class for artificers are time based. Roster based and selective promotions are for higher ranks against the available / anticipated vacancies. Promotion avenues also exist for sailors to be promoted to officer rank through the Commission Worthy Scheme and the Special Duty List Scheme.

            Air Force:  A PBOR during his service career can be promoted upto the rank of Master warrant Officer (MWO) subject to fulfilling eligibility criteria and availability of vacancies.   

            Number of PBORs including Jawans promoted to Senior Officers post in the three services of the Armed Forces during the last three years is as under:

Year	Army*	Air Force	Navy
			Commission Worthy Scheme	Special Duty List Scheme
2007	159	94	54	82
2008	139	64
2009	205	59

            * Excluding Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps

            Government proposes to review the promotion policy for PBOR to ensure greater opportunities for PBORs. In the Army, review of the promotion policy for PBOR is under process to ensure better opportunities. A cadre review for the PBOR has been ordered in May 2009. The Navy is also working on a proposal for cadre restructuring of sailors, which would enhance their promotional avenues.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Arjun Ray in Lok Sabha.

A Soldier

There is discipline in A Soldier
you can see it when he walks,
There is honor in A Soldier
you hear it when he talks.
There is courage in A Soldier
you can see it in his eyes,
There is loyalty in A Soldier
that he will not compromise.
There is something in A Soldier
that makes him stand apart,
There is strength in A Soldier
that beats from his heart.
A Soldier isn't a title any man
can be hired to do,
A Soldier is the soul of that man
buried deep inside of you.
A Soldier's job isn't finished after
an 8 hour day or a 40 hour week,
A Soldier is always A Soldier
even while he sleeps.
A Soldier serves his country first
and his life is left behind,
A Soldier has to sacrifice what
comes first in a civilian's mind.
If you are civilian -
I am saying this to you.....
next time you see A Soldier
remember what they do.
A Soldier is the reason our land
is 'Home of the free',
A Soldier is the one that is brave
protecting you and me.
If you are A Soldier -
I am saying this to you.....
Thank God for EVERY SOLDIER
Thank God for what YOU do!

SOURCE : INTERNET

Common Errors in ACRs

COMMONLY OCCURRING ERRORS  IN INITIATION AND ENDORSEMENT OF CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS 1.      It has been observed that a large number of CRs are received wherein there are errors of trivial/technical nature and the ratee and the endorsing Officers have not followed the specified procedures. Resultantly the CRs have to be processed through the files causing infructuous paper work. This results into either the CRs getting set aside or a portion of it getting technically invalided. This may at times adversely affect the officers in their career progression.  2.      The commonly occurring errors are listed below: -   (a)     Part-I (Personal Data, Service Record and Authentication Data) not filled correctly and also not signed by ratee and IO.   (b)     Requisite enclosures are not found attached to the CRs. The required enclosures to be attached with the CRs are as per DGMS(Army) letter No 15013/ACR/Policy/2003/DGMS-1A dt 16 Dec 2003 and 15013/ACR/Policy/2003/DGMS-1A dt 08 Jan 2004.   (c)     The ratee has not completed mandatory 90 days physical service with IO, 75 days and 90 days service (not physical) with RO and FTO respectively.   (d)     Average of box grading at Para 12, 27 of IO, RO, FTO and STO incorrectly calculated or rounded off. These averages must be calculated upto second decimal point without rounding off.   (e)     Variance found in award of numerical marking between the two copies of CRs in respect of Naval and Air Officers.   (f) Signatures of IO, RO and SRO are missing in Para 29.   (g) Wide variation in assessing the ratee by the reporting Officers with difference of more than 2 points without any justification in pen picture or comments offered in this regard whether over-assessed or under –assessed by the reporting Officers.   (h) After initiation of an ICR the balance of reporting period is not covered by an ACR or NIR as applicable thus leaving a gap in the reporting period.   (j) The   SRO/STO/HTO have endorsed the CR when they were not holding the appointment on the last day of the period covered by the report.   (k) Wrong forms have been used for initiation of CRs and the RO and other superior reporting officers have not rectified the defect and even endorsed and sent to higher authority for endorsement.   (l) CRs are initiated not on due date or when not due. Raising of CR on change of rank (e.g. A Major becoming Lt Col on 22 Apr is due for an ACR on 01 Jan of following year covering the period of 19 months) is governed by Para 39 of SAO 8/S/91.   (m) Sanction of SRO for RO to initiate CRs (Para 52 of SAO 8/S/91) and sanction by DGMS (Army) for officiating incumbents (Para 20 of SAO 8/S/91) are not found enclosed which is a mandatory requirement.   (n) NIRs are received without the details of physical service under the IO and RO respectively. In many cases the ratee and reporting Officers have not signed the NIR.   (o) The endorsement by NSROs have been dispensed with in terms of DGMS(Army) letter No 15025/ACR Policy/00/DGMS-1A dt 16 Mar 2000 for AMC/AMC (NT)/AD Corps Officers. Despite this the NSRO have endorsed the CR.   (p) The CRs are received without any endorsement by any Medical Officer as FTO/STO/HTO (Dental Officer in case of AD Corps Officer). This is a mandatory requirement and at least one of these Officers should have endorsed the CR. If the reporting Officers have retired, the endorsement can be obtained from the retired reporting Officer to make the report technically valid.   (q) The SROs/HTOs have awarded marks in fraction instead of whole number. Also the Senior Advisors have awarded marks in fraction at professional qualities at Para 9 of PCR. The SROs & HTOs can award numerical grading in whole number only.   (r) ICR has been initiated for a period less than 180 days and without fulfilling the conditions of Para 48 of SAO 8/S/91.   (s) The laid down channel of ACR reporting has not been followed. Any channel other than that laid down must have the sanction of the DGMS (Army).   (t) The adverse /advisory remarks have not been communicated to the ratee Officer in terms of Para 77 of SAO 8/S/91. This lapse leads to complaints from the ratee when there is delay in communication of remarks by this Dte Gen /Office of DGAFMS on the final scrutiny of CRs.   (u) The procedure prescribed at Para 11 of SAO 8/S/91 for overwriting/erasing has not been followed. Overwriting should always be scored off first, then re-written afresh while ensuring that the scored off number/remarks is clearly visible. All amendments should be authenticated by making full signatures with date. Pasting of slip or use of whitener is not permitted as it makes the assessment invalid.   (v) Two CRs for the same period have been initiated which is highly irregular and leads to invalidment of last CR received for the same period.   (w) Period covered by the report is not entered in the PCR, which should be corresponding, to the period of ICR/ACR. It has been observed that PCRs are being raised without the corresponding ICRs/ACRs. In many cases, PCRs are received for period for which NIRs have been raised.     (x) Speciality of the ratee Officer is not mentioned in Para 5 (a) of PCR.     (y) Instances have come to notice where it is seen that though CR should have been   initiated due to posting out or retirement of IO, but it has not been done and later NIR  was forwarded. Officers (Ratee) avoided submitting CR Forms in time or purposely delayed to avoid initiation by IO. Higher HQs at the level of Corps/Command have not taken any timely action against ratee Officer or IO for such intentional omission/commission. These instances should be viewed seriously and appropriate action be taken. 3.      It is emphasized that the environment, particularly the ratee and the endorsing Officer, must be made aware of the provisions of SAO 8/S/91 and various policy letters issued from time to time. (O/O DGMS (Army)/DGMS-1A letter No 15013/ACR Policy/2004/DGMS-1A dt 15 Jan 04).