97-year-old WWII veteran nonetheless awaiting warfare disability pension | Jaipur Information

Jaipur: A 97-year-old World War II veteran from Jhunjhunu, who lost his leg in fighting in Italy in 1944, is still awaiting his disability pension, which has been denied by a court to this day.

Balwant Singh from Jhunjhunu lost his leg in a mine explosion in Italy

Sepoy Balwant Singh was drafted into the Punjab Regiment 3/1 in 1943. During an attack in Italy on December 15, 1944, his left leg was blown away in a mine explosion. He became disabled and left the service on a basic disability pension in 1946 after being transferred to Rajputana Rifles.
In 1972, the Center issued an arrangement to provide a War Injury Pension to those injured during various wars, but refused to grant it to those injured during the World Wars.
The war veteran’s case has been before the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Jaipur, since 2010, but is still ongoing. Recently, in a similar case, Lucknow AFT ordered another soldier injured in World War II to be granted a war disability pension.
Balwant Singh is from Gidaniya Village in Jhunjhunu District and was transferred to Rajputana Rifles after being injured before being released from the armed forces.
His legal advisor Colonel SB Singh (ret.) Told TOI: “The government has provided a war disability pension which is 100% of the final salary paid to the injured after 1947 and Indian soldiers who have fought in the world wars. Balwant Singh’s disability is 100% because he lost his left leg. However, since there is no judge in the AFT, the case is pending. The normal disability pension is only 30% of the normal pension, but he should be granted the war disability pension, as the Lucknow AFT did in the case of a soldier from Garhwal. ”The war veteran retired on May 11, 1946 after serving of three years, two months and 16 days with a disability pension. The veteran’s son, Subhash Singh, claimed that the family had received no help from the state government: “We stayed in the village and did not know about the pension for war wounded. We didn’t realize it until after the Kargil War. However, the court said that my father, who is one of the oldest living people from Rajasthan and fought in World War II, is not eligible for the war incapacity pension. The case has been tried in court and we hope that his contribution will be recognized by the legal system in order for him to receive the disability pension. ”