Tag Archives: Army Day

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Not a Penny from Army in PM’s Flood Relief Fund Yet as General Idea to Dock Pay Backfires

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By Pradip R Sagar Published: 15th May 2015 06:00 AM The New Indian Express
Indain ExpressNEW DELHI: Drawing flak for its decision to cut a day’s salary of all its staff for donations to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, the Army headquarters is now in the process of collecting consent letters for the same from each of its personnel.

Express was the first to report on January 18, 2015 that several of the officers were upset with the decision of Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag in ordering a day’s pay cut to contribute Rs 100 crore to the PM’s Relief Fund to help the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Subsequently, some of the officers even wrote to the Controller of Defence Accounts (CDA), not giving approval for any deduction from their salaries. Realizing the discontent among its officers, the Army headquarters approached the office of the Controller of Defence Accounts, which eventually advised them that a consent letter was required from every Army person for deduction of salary.

“It has been intimated by the agency concerned that no amount on account of contributions from salary of any Army personnel has yet been donated to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. The matter is under consideration,” Army Central Public Information Officer Lt Col Rajiv Guleria said in reply to an RTI query filed by activist Prabhu Dandriyal, based on the Express report.

“We are in the process of collecting consent letters from everyone. It is purely on a voluntary basis and the amount will be deposited in the PM Relief Fund soon,” said a senior officer of South Block. Interestingly, the photos of the 67th Army Day event posted on the website of the PMO show Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag presenting a cheque titled ‘one day’s pay of all ranks of Indian Army’, to Narendra Modi, in the presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

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Army’s contribution of Rs 100 crore yet to reach PM’s relief fund

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By TNN | 15 May, 2015, 11.21AM IST – the Economic Times

NEW DELHI: During the Army Day reception on January 15, General Dalbir Singh Suhag had presented a cheque of over Rs 100 crore to Narendra Modi for the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund with much fanfare. It was announced the amount had been raised by officers and soldiers of the 1.18-million strong Army by donating a day’s salary each to help the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Four months later, no such money has reached the intended fund. Responding to an RTI query filed by Dehradun-based activist Prabhu Dandriyal, the Army headquarters has said: “It has been intimated by concerned agency that no such amount on account of contributions from salary of any Army personnel has yet been donated to the PM’s Relief Fund. The matter is under consideration.”

On being asked about this embarrassing turn of events, the Army on Thursday said the process to collect the money on “a volunteer basis” was still underway. But Dandriyal smells a rat since many officers had earlier protested against Gen Suhag’s order for a day’s pay-cut without prior consent.

“The norm in the government is that all such contributions are made voluntarily. The Army chief’s order made it compulsory. How was the cheque presented to the PM on January 15 when no contribution had been taken from the salaries? My information is that the Army has sought time till July 10 now,” said Dandriyal.

The activist, in fact, has also filed an RTI in the PMO seeking to know what happened to the Rs 100 crore cheque donated to the PM’s Relief Fund. “The PMO website has photographs showing the cheque titled `One day’s pay of all ranks of the Indian Army’ being presented to the PM by General Suhag on January 15,” he said.

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‘No sign’ of Army cheque donated to PMO

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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT – NEW DELHI, May 15, 2015- The Hindu
Months after Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh presented a cheque of over Rs.100 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, the Army says it has no information of any such donation.

On January 15 this year, Gen. Singh presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi the cheque “raised by officers and soldiers of the Army donating a day’s salary each” on the 67th Army Day. The photo of Gen. Singh presenting the cheque is on the website of the Press Information Bureau, as is an accompanying press release.

After reading media reports about several Army men expressing unhappiness about the Gen. Singh’s decision to hand over the cheque without first taking their consent for the deduction, Dehradun-based activist Prabhu Dandriyal filed an RTI petition with the Army on March 20.

Mr. Dandriyal told The Hindu that he sought information on the whether the cheque has been deposited in the fund, details of the bank, the account head of the Army from where the money had been debited, and if the cheque was not deposited, then whether it had been returned to the Army.

On May 12, a response from Lt. Col. Rajiv Guleria, the Public Information Officer said: “…no amount on account of contributions from salary of any Army personnel has yet been donated to the Prime Minister Relief Fund. The matter is under consideration.”

Mr. Dandriyal has now sent an RTI query to the PMO. An Army spokesperson refused to comment on Thursday.

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The mystery of Rs100 crore donation by Army to PM Relief Fund

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MONEYLIFE DIGITAL TEAM | 14/05/2015 07:09 PM |100crchquePM Modi was seen as receiving Rs100 crore from Army as donation towards PM’s Relief Fund. However, a reply received from Army HQ under RTI says no such money was donated

15 January 2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (was seen in a photo published by Press Information Bureau -PIB) received a cheque of Rs100 crore from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh towards Prime Minister’s Relief Fund on the 67th Army Day. Interestingly, the photograph when enlarged by us shows that it was a mock cheque handed over by the Army Chief. It has no amount mentioned. Instead, it says, “One day’s pay of all ranks of Indian Army”.Army Day

So what happened to the donation? Was the money donated? Was it collected from Army officers and soldiers and handed over to the PM Relief Fund?

20 March 2015: A reply received Right to Information (RTI) Act says the Army has yet to donate Rs100 crore toward the PM Relief Fund!

According to a PIB release on 15 January 2015, the Indian Army donated Rs100 crore and the amount was raised by officers and soldiers donating a day’s salary each. The cheque of Rs100 crore was handed over to PM Modi by General Dalbir Singh at the traditional ‘At Home’ at Army House on the 67th Army Day.
Dehradun-based Prabhu Dandriyal filed an RTI seeking details about the Rs100 crore donation given by the Army to PM Relief Fund. On 20 March 2015, he received a reply from the RTI Cell of the Army. army reply rgardidonation

The reply sent by Lt Col Rajiv Guleria for Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of Indian Army says, “It has been intimated by concerned agency that no amount on account of contributions from salary of any Army personnel has yet been donated to the Prime Minister Relief Fund. The matter is under consideration.”
Therefore, the question remains as to whether the PM Relief Fund received Rs100 crore donation by Army or no. There could be three possible scenarios. One, the donation was given, but someone may have forgotten to collect/deposit the actual cheque. Second, the PIO from Army not have received correct information and hence gave incorrect information. Three, the PIO may have given wrong or misleading information.

According to Shailesh Gandhi, former Central Information Commissioner and RTI activist, it is impossible for the PIO to provide misleading or wrong information. “However, the PIO may not have realised the impact of this information,” he said.

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RTI- PMO- Army donates over Rs 100 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund

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To                                                                                          Date – 12th May 2015                           Shri Syed Ekram Rizwi,                                                                                                                     Director & Central Public Information Officer,                                                                           Prime Minister’s Office,South Block,                                                                                             New Delhi – 110011

Hello,
Kindly provide me with the following information requested under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005 in respect of Press Information Bureau press release on 15-January-2015 15:47 IST Government of India Prime Minister s Office that Army donates over Rs 100 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund

The Indian Army has donated over Rs. 100 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. This amount has been raised by officers and soldiers of the Army donating a day’s salary each.

The cheque was handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Dalbir Singh, at the traditional “At Home” at Army House on the occasion of the 67th Army Day.

  1. Provide the status of cheque whether cheque deposited in the account of Prime Minister s Relief Fund
  2. Provide the date and name of Bank where above cheque deposited on account of Prime Minister’s Relief Fund
  3. If cheque encashed than provide the account head of Army from which money debited to PM relief account.
  4. If above cheque was not deposited than whether it was return back to Army, if yes than provide the copy of covering letter.

Regards

Prabhu  Dandriyal,
21-Sunderwala, Raipur, Dehradun -248008                                                                               Phone 0135- 2787750, Mobile- 9411114879,                                                                                 e-mail id prabhudoon@gmail.com  website www.corruptionindrdo.com

Enclosed – Press release of above event

Registration Number         PMOIN/R/2015/61171Army Day

RTI reply from MOD Received on 11th May 2015 on above subject mattermod12