Kathmandu, January 18. With the third amendment of the Army Service Rule 2063, the lower-level military personnel will receive pension within 16 years of their service in the Nepali Army(NA).

According to a high-ranking source, the third (2077 BS) amendment in the Army Service Rule is approved by the latest meeting of the cabinet. NA had begun the process of amendment a year ago. However, it took a long time to get the consent of the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Finance, due to which, getting approval by the cabinet was delayed. 

Official spokesperson of NA, Brigadier General Santosh Ballav Poudel told DC Nepal that the regulations have not been approved by the council of ministers. 

Earlier, personnel of all ranks used to receive pension after 20 years of minimum service period. With the new amendment, the minimum service period for pension for different ranks been arranged into four categories:

• Second Lieutenant to COAS(Chief of Army Staff) General: 20 years
• Warrant Officer First Class(Subedar) and Subedar Major: 19 years
• Warrant Officer Second Class(Jamdar): 18 years
•  Sergeant, Corporal, Lance Corporal and lower ranks: 16 years

Retired officers of NA have expressed that the amendment is very good as the categorization of the pension period will benefit the lower ranking personnel as well as the organization itself. 

Retired Lieutenant General Nepal Bhushan Chand told DCNepal ‘ A Soldier can now start another life when he retires from the Army. He will also encourage his family members to join the Army which will eventually enhance the overall discipline in the country.’

Retired Brigadier General Babu krishna Karki told DCNepal ‘It is difficult to raise a family with the salary of an honest soldier. So, the trend of  leaving the army and seeking a foreign job is observed.”

Karki added ‘After 20 years in the army, the soldier exceeds 40 years of age. The chances of getting a good career in another field is very low. But now that he is retired in 16 years, can easily move on to other options. The new arrangement would boost the morale of the army who wish to start the second innings of their life’.

During the command of former COAS General Gaurav Shamsher Rana, the categories of the pension period were unified into a single level. However, the present-day COAS General Purnachandra Thapa has been campaigning for the reformation within the army. One of the major tasks is to revise the Army Service Rule. 

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