Experts panel submits report on service & pension matters in

The Committee of Experts, set up by the Defence Ministry for reviewing service and pension matters including potential disputes, minimising litigation and strengthening institutional mechanisms related to redressal of grievances, submitted its report today.
The Committee, which handed over the report to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, thanked him for taking a "historic step" for the first time to minimise litigation and grievances in the Ministry of Defence so that the focus could remain on the core issues of governance and administration, a Defence Ministry statement said.
The Committee's approach remained to identify practical on-ground solutions to reduce litigation, especially appeals, and steps towards reduction of heartburn, maintenance of harmony between employees and the establishment and balancing of rights of both parties which could lead to an increase in productivity and enable the government to focus upon its basic responsibilities.

The Committee has postulated practical, workable, reformatory and gradual solutions in its 509-page report encompassing 75 recommendations in areas concerning service and pension matters, discipline and vigilance issues, matters concerning promotions and confidential reports, military justice, issues related to civilian employees and other potential areas of disputes, the statement said.
It was the first time after independence that a step was taken in the Ministry of Defence personally by the Defence Minister for constitution of a panel of experts who went into great detail of all such issues.
The Members of the Committee were former Adjutant General Lt Gen (Retd) Mukesh Sabharwal, former Military Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Richard Khare, former Judge Advocate General Maj Gen (Retd) T Parshad, Advocate and expert in service jurisprudence and Member of International Society of Military Law Maj (Retd) Navdeep Singh and Maj (Retd) DP Singh.