Handful,not 800 TA jawans in Ghorpadi: Southern Command audit

An Internal audit by the Southern Command has revealed that only four to six Territorial Army jawans are staying in the rented accommodation at the Compensation in Lieu of Quarters rate in Ghorpadi.

An Internal audit by the Southern Command has revealed that only four to six Territorial Army (TA) jawans are staying in the rented accommodation at the Compensation in Lieu of Quarters (CILQ) rate in Ghorpadi. An inspection of the area was carried out recently at the backdrop of claims by activists who have alleged that 800 TA jawans posted in the city have been living in poor conditions. The outcome of the audit report of which the Indian Express has access to said,Only four to six TA jawans stay at Ghorpadi at CILQ rate. Bulk of the persons staying in the locality are disembodied or discharged jawans which has led to the misleading figures. It may be noted that though the TA Group HQ,Southern Command is located in the city,not all jawans belonging to formations under this Group HQ are posted in the city.

Military personnel are authorized accommodation as per scale of accommodation 2009 which gives the specification and percentage of accommodation authorised to officers,JCOs and jawans.

TA battalion,on embodiment as per rule 33 of the Territorial Army Act 1948 are authorized entitlement similar to the regular army,however,once disembodied,they cease to draw the benefits. The report said the the TA battalion is holding 90 per cent of its authorization of accommodation.

An official associated with the audit said,Unnecessary parallels are being drawn between the Presidents bungalow and Army jawans staying in civil area. As per Ministry of Urban Development,a President demitting office is authorized a type VIII government bungalow on retirement without there being any reference made to spatial specifications for the surrounding area.

Throwing light on the Married Accommodation Projects (MAP) currently under way in the city the official added,MAP Phase I has been completed 277 houses for JCOs and jawans. Phase II of the project has been sanctioned at an approximate cost of Rs 150 crore and is underway at a number of locations. As a part of this project,548 houses are likely to be completed within a year. In principle sanction for MAP Phase III at a cost of Rs 150 crore has also been accorded by the Centre.

A quick internet search revealed that the MAP Phase I was initiated in 2008 and was completed in 2011. The work for MAP II began in 2012 while that of Phase III is expected to kick start by end of this year.

The issue pertaining to CILQ is not a local one,but something that persists on national level. There is a need to provide higher percentage of jawans with married accommodation,or in the interim work out a price index based system of CILQ that would enable them to rent better homes, said colonel (retd) C P James.

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