Centre to install new grievance redressal mechanism for army personnel

Taking cognizance of soldiers' grievances who have complained though social media of poor treatment and bad quality food being served to them, the Centre on Sunday decided to set-up a new mechanism to solve their problems.

According to Ministry of Defence sources, the government has opined that since there are thousands of military units in place, it would be difficult to resolve the matter at each and every level and hence they have decided to install a new mechanism.

This development has come at a time when Army Chief General Rawat on Sunday urged the jawans to discuss their grievances directly with him instead of posting them on social media.

Addressing the Army Day function in the national capital, he said, "There are proper channels in place for the jawans to put across their grievances. If they are not satisfied with action taken, they can contact me directly instead of airing their problems."

"A few of our friends have taken to social media to speak about their complaints. This affects the soldiers deployed at the borders," he added.

Earlier on Friday, General Rawat announced a new grievance redressal system under which complaints would reach him directly while the identity of the complainant would be kept a secret.

Last week, A BSF soldier, Tej Bahadur Yadav, deployed along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir, alleged in a Facebook video that troops are served bad quality food,

Similarly, Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh of 42 Infantry brigade expressed his grievances against the sahayak (orderly) system in the army and how soldiers were forced to "wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs" for seniors.

He said that he was being victimised by his superiors for complaining against it.

On Saturday a second soldier, Nursing Assistant Naik Ram Bhagat, expressed concerns against discrimination in another video in which he said, "It is not just his pain. It is the pain of the whole Army.