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War widows: Tax their pension?

Chandigarh Newsline, May 11, 2003

India - Had the Ministry of Finance cleared the proposal of making the pension of Army widows tax free, it would have provided much needed respite to thousands of army widows trying to make ends meet. However, the Ministry rejected the proposal sent to them by Army Headquarters. The proposal was primarily to provide war widows and those whose husbands died in counter-insurgency operations and in border areas.

Col D.S. Cheema, (retd), says, ‘‘The pension of all retired officers of the three forces should be made tax free. Government has made concessions at one or the other point to others, so why not soldiers? It is a genuine demand and there should be a feeling of empathy towards ex-armymen.’’

Maj Gen Gurdayal Singh (retd), says, ‘‘The criterion of this proposal has to be clarified first. Those who don’t have any alternative source of income would anyway not come under any tax bracket. So, we have to study the finer details before giving a final word.’’

‘‘This is a kind of demand made by everybody,’’ says Brig W.S. Sodhi (retd). ‘‘The pension of war widows should be increased. Making their income tax free is no solution or else everybody will start demanding it,’’ he added.

The entire taxation system is warped, opines Lt Col K.S. Ludra (retd). ‘‘Men in uniform never get their due. Once a soldier loses his life, it affects many around him. Making the war widows pension tax free is a token of gesture for the soldiers’ sacrifice and their fraternity.’’

‘‘If Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferarri can be made tax free, then why shouldn’t war widows get this small benefit,’’ remarks Brig. P.K. Sinha (retd).


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