DISABILITY PENSION

A person who is released or retired from service on account of a disease or injury which is attributable to or aggravated by military service, is entitled to disability pension if the disability assessed by the Medical Board is 20% or more. On invalidment from service on account of causes attributable to or aggravated by military service, the extent of disability or functional incapacity is determined at 50% if the disability is less than 50%, 75% if it is between 50 and 75% and 100% if it is between 76 and 100%. This is an improvement introduced with effect from January 1, 1996 on the recommendations of the 5th Central Pay Commission.

Disability pension consists of two elements viz., the service element and disability element. Service element is related to the length of service rendered by the individual at the time of invalidment and the disability element is paid in the form of compensation for the disablement and depends on the degree of disablement. The rate of disability element of the disability pension for 100% disability is Rs.2600/- p.m. for Commissioned Officers, Rs.1900/- p.m. for Junior Commissioned Officers and Rs.1550/- p.m. for other ranks. For individuals who are retained in service despite disability and retire/are discharged on attaining the age of retirement or on completion of tenure, the same rates are applicable with effect from January 1, 1996.

WAR INJURY PENSION

Considering the supreme sacrifice made by the Armed Forces personnel during war or war like situation or action against extremists, anti-social elements etc, war injury pension is granted to the personnel who sustain injury or disability during such operations. Service element is equal to retiring/ service pension to which he/she would have been entitled to on the basis of his/her pay on the date of invalidment but counting service upto the date on which he/she would have retired in that rank in the normal course including weightage as admissible. War injury element is payable equal to reckonable emoluments last drawn for 100% disablement. However, in no case, the aggregate of service element and war injury element will exceed last pay drawn.

In case a person is found to have a disability which is sustained during war or war like situations and the disability is assessed at 20% or more for life but the individual is retained in service despite such disability and opts for lump sum compensation, he shall be paid the lump sum compensation in lieu of war injury element. The rate for calculation of lump sum compensation in lieu of war injury element for 100% disability for life will be Rs.5200/- p.m.for Commissioned Officers, Rs.3800/-p.m. for Junior Commissioned Officers and Rs.3100/-p.m. for Other Ranks.