War Widow gets correct pension after about four decades :Veteran prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Dear veterans,
A war widow of Patiala, Smt. Rajinder Kaur Ahuja, had to wait for four decades to get the correct family pension.
Her husband, Flt. Lt. Gurbax Singh Ahuja (born on 6th April,1938) was commissioned in Indian Air force as General duty Pilot on 19 Dec, 1959 and promoted to the rank of Flt. Lt. on 19 Dec,1964. The officer was married to Smt. Rajinder Kaur Ahuja on 27 January, 1963 and a son, Aveninder Singh was born out of their wedlock on 30 Oct, 1963.
The young officer, Ahuja left this world in a combat during Indo-Pak conflict on 9 Sep, 1965 leaving his two year old son in the lap of his wife, who, then, was about 24 year old only.
The widow was granted special allowance (Liberized Pension) of Rs.526/- p.m which was erroneously suspended when the widow remarried with his husband's real brother but was restored on 1 Feb, 1972 when the authorities realized their mistake on being reminded by the widow.
But PCDA (Pension), the Pension Sanctioning Authority, again committed the blunder at the time of restoration of pension and the widow was granted an Ordinary Pension of Rs.96/- p.m. instead of Liberized Pension of Rs. 526/- p.m. which was subsequently revised to Rs.375/- p.m. on 1-1-1986, Rs.1275/- p.m. on 1-1-1996 and Rs. 3500/- p.m. on 1-1-2006.
When this discrepancy in pension came to light during a survey, jointly conducted by Indian Ex-Services League (Punjab & Chandigarh) and Ex-Soldiers, Sailor and Airmen Association (Both headed by Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal), the organization made the concerted efforts to get the widow her correct Basic Pension of Rs.22600/- p.m. with effect from 1-1-2006. and solved the case with in two months. Presently the widow receives a total pension Rs.32770/- p.m. Widow has already received an arrear amounting to Rs 14,50,000/- and about same amount will be released by PCDA ( Pension ) Allahabad after completing certain formalities in due course.

As Such the widow has suffered for about four decades to get the anomaly, in her pension corrected, though through the efforts of Ex-Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Association (Regd), a national level organization of Ex-Servicemen and Widows.

Veteran Bhupinder Singh Sohi.
Vice President.