MOHALI: After a 48-year-long struggle, Mohinder Singh, a visually-impaired sepoy , has finally managed to get disability pension . He was relieved of duty with 40% disability 48 years ago and developed 100% disability in the course of his struggle for pension.Sepoy Mohinder Singh, a resident of Rajpura, was in the 16 Sikh regiment. He lost his vision while performing division-level training exercise near Babina (Jhansi). After serving for two years and eight months, he was declared unfit in June 1970. Mohinder said he joined the Army as a jawan in February 1968.During a press conference in Mohali , Lt Col S S Sohi (retd), president, Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association said after the accident, Mohinder was often admitted to military hospital, Gwalior and Bhopal for eye treatment. Ultimately, he was found medically unfit and was boarded out from service with 40% disability, which later turned 100%.Sohi said after being declared unfit for services, Mohinder sought pension but was denied. He struggled in life without a steady income but managed to make ends meet by doing odd jobs.In 2014, he approached the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association, which took up his case with Sikh Regiment Records. They were told that his 40% disability pension case was rejected by the Military Advisor on Pensions (MAP) in Controller of Defence Accts (CDA) Allahabad, saying that it was Not Aggrieved Nor Attributable (NANA) by the military services.Sohi said, “We struggled for four to five months and ultimately, were forced to file a case in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Chandimandir for justice.”The AFT ruled in favour of Mohinder Singh on August 10, 2018 for 40% disability pension for two years, to be reviewed by the medical board thereafter. This 40% disability will become 50% as per latest orders, said Sohi.During review by the medical board, 50% disability will be converted into 100%, because Mohinder Singh is actually 100% blind and has a certificate attesting the fact from the Mohali civil surgeon.

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