Soldiers, sailors and Airmen are very often assigned a versatile nature of duties in hard terrains like mountain, desert, thick forest areas and in deep sea even in peacetime. During war /conflict with neighboring countries to ensure safety and security of our nation, they used to lay down their life. Huge number of such military personnel sustained injury or fall ill due to hazardous work profile with stress and strain of military duties and they are classified as Low Medical Category (LMC) personnel.
On completion of coloured service, the Armed Forces personnel are discharged from service at a very young age. It has been found that a large number of military personnel every year released with disability and illness that caused by military service or originated during military service. These disabilities are mainly considered of two types based on cause of origin :- First one is attributable/ aggravated and the Second one is Not attributable and Not aggravated.
Applicability of disability compensation in the form of Disability pension / Impairment relief is regulated by Entitlement Rules amended from time to time. According to the Entitlement Rules 2023, ER 2008 and earlier Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pensionary Awards, 1982, 1961 etc. The entitlement Rule 2023 has drastic changes in terms of applicability of disability of disability pension for regular retirement/ discharge on completion of terms of engagement/coloured service..
Applicability of Disability Pensionary benefit to those retired before October 2023
According to Entitlement Rules in vogue (for Pre October 2023 retirees), Disability element/Pension is applicable to those LMC Armed Forces Personnel who retired on completion of coloured service/terms of engagement if disability at the time of retirement is –
- Attributable to or aggravated by military service.
- The severity of disability assessed by RMB not less than 20%.
Applicability of Disability Pensionary benefit to those retired after October 2023
According to Entitlement Rules in vogue (for post October 2023 retirees), Disability element/Pension is not applicable to them. Instead, they are entitled to get only Impairment relief ( lump sum or on monthly basis) if LMC Armed Forces Personnel who retired on completion of coloured service/terms of engagement and his disability at the time of retirement is –
- Attributable to or aggravated by military service.
- The severity of disability assessed by RMB is not less than 20%.
No DR(DA) is applicable on this Impairment relief as DR is applicable only on Pension. It has been clarified by the defence medical authority that those already retired before October 2023, will not be treated under the ER & GMO 2023.
Applicability of Disability pension to Invalided out of service personnel with less than 15 years of service has been discussed in our another article in this website.