Notional Loss – A Story

After hearing a debate on the 7th Central Pay Commission (7CPC) announced today – which seems to have dissatisfied many employees – I remembered this story.

Why did I remember this story...?

Read the story – and you figure it out...

THE MAN WHO WANTED TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK

Theory of Notional Loss

A Spoof

By

VIKRAM KARVE

One day – a man went to visit a patient in hospital.

The patient was his office colleague convalescing in hospital after heart surgery – following a massive heart attack.

Fascinated by the sophisticated and luxurious facilities in the hospital – the man asked his recuperating friend how much the heart surgery had cost him. 

“Over five lakhs,” the patient said.

“My God – that’s expensive. How can you afford it...?”

“Medical Reimbursement...” the patient said.

“Medical Reimbursement...? Does that mean that you don’t have to pay any money for all this medical treatment...?”

“Of course I don’t have to pay from my own pocket – they pay everything. That is why I joined the medical health insurance scheme. All office staff are members of this scheme – you too are a member – aren’t you...? So even if you have a heart surgery – they will pay everything.”

“Really...? Is it true. If I have a heart attack right here – here and now – will they will pay for all my treatment...?” the man asked.

“Of course they will pay. You are a member of the health insurance scheme. You are entitled all medical treatment – just like me...” the patient said.

For some time – the man kept brooding – and he appeared to be in low spirits. 

Then – he suddenly started shouting in the hospital: 

“I want to have a heart attack – I want to have a heart attack...”

Everyone was stunned by his strange behaviour. 

Doctors tried to calm him down.

But – the man kept on screaming loudly: 

“I want to have a heart attack – I want to have a heart attack...” 

So – they evicted him from the hospital.

Later when he had cooled down – his wife and his friends asked him the reason for his crazy behaviour in the hospital.

“I have lost 5 Lakh Rupees...!” the man said.

“You have lost 5 lakh Rupees...? Where...? How did you lose Five Lakhs Rupees...?” they all asked

“I lost 5 lakh rupees worth of medical reimbursement just because I did not have a heart attack. That is why I want to have a heart attack. So I will get 5 lakh rupees for a heart surgery and medical treatment which is my due...” the man said.

And then – he started shouting again: 

“I want to have a heart attack – I want to have a heart attack...”

Soon – the man became crazy. 

So – they admitted him into the psychiatric ward for treatment.

Of course – though he had gone crazy – he would receive medical reimbursement for the cost of psychiatric treatment.

So – at last – he had got pyrrhic justice.

The notional loss he had suffered because he had not had a heart attack – would now be mitigated to some extent because he had gone crazy...! 

Yes – he had suffered a notional loss because he did not have a heart attack.

But now – since he had gone insane – he would make good at least a part of the notional loss he had suffered – since he would be reimbursed the cost of psychiatric treatment.

Look back on your life – have you “suffered” such “notional losses” too...?

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 

2. This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Revised Version on My Story written be me long back in 1980s and posted online by me earlier at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/heart-attack_74770_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/11/notional-loss.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/12/do-you-want-to-have-heart-attack-humor.html and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/08/the-man-who-wanted-to-have-heart-attack.html etc

OROP IMBROGLIO – Simple Solution – HOW TO MAKE THE “OROP” PROBLEM DISAPPEAR

OROP IMBROGLIO – Simple Solution

HOW TO MAKE THE “OROP” PROBLEM DISAPPEAR

Ramblings of a Military Veteran

By

VIKRAM KARVE

In the Armed Forces – pay has traditionally been linked to rank.

In the 1980’s – the Armed Forces appreciated that it was not practicable to enhance the percentage of higher ranks given the steep pyramid hierarchy required for command and control in the Defence Services.

This meant that very few could be promoted to higher ranks – and most officers would be “passed over” and superseded for promotion and would retire at lower ranks (and at a younger age too).

Supersession is a fact of life in the Armed Forces.

And – since pay and pension was linked to rank – most officers are at a great monetary disadvantage for no fault of theirs.

In order to mitigate this – the 4^th Pay Commission introduced the “Integrated Pay Scale” upto the Rank of Brigadier (Running Pay Band from 2nd/Lt to Brigadier: 2300 – 100 – 5100).

This “integrated pay scale” (or “running pay band”) worked well to give equitable pay to superseded officers and, to a certain extent, it helped mitigate the loss of morale due to supersession.

It is understood that the Defence Services had proposed to extend this “integrated pay scale” concept to all ranks right upto the top ranks of General/Admiral/Air Chief Marshal.

However, going by some specious logic, the 5^th Pay Commission abolished this “running pay band” concept altogether – and we were back to square one where your rank determined your pay.

While abolishing this excellent “integrated pay scale” concept – the Pay Commission rubbed salt in the wounds of superseded officers by not giving Armed Forces the benefits of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) and Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU/NFFU) which were enjoyed by the civil services.

Since pension is based on “last pay drawn” – the problem of OROP will disappear of the concept of “integrated pay scale” is re-introduced for the Armed Forces.

The “integrated pay scale” can be applied with retrospective effect.

As per the “running pay band” – your Retirement Pay will be determined by your total years of service – which in turn will determine your pension.

This is a fair, ethical and equitable concept – rather than linking pension to rank alone.

“One Rank One Pension” (OROP) concept is unfair – since it links Pension to Rank.

OROP will mainly benefit High Ranking Officers.

Should “length of service” not be given more importance than rank while computing pension?

Who deserves more pension:– 

A Colonel with 35 years of service – or a Brigadier with 25 years of service…?

After retirement – financial needs are the same for military veterans.

It is logical, equitable and ethical to give pay and pension based on the years of active service rendered in the armed forces.

If the “integrated pay scale” concept of 4^th Pay Commission is implemented by 7^th Pay Commission for the Armed Forces – and given retrospective effect for the purpose of computing pension – then the OROP issue will automatically be solved – and also – it will be fair and equitable to all retired military veterans including superseded officers.

So – the simplest solution and panacea for the OROP imbroglio is to re-introduce the “integrated pay scale” concept of 4^th Pay Commission.

If government wants the OROP problem to disappear – then all the government has to do is to re-introduce the “running pay band” concept of 4^th Pay Commission for the Armed Forces in the 7^th Pay Commission and give retrospective effect for the purpose of computing pension of defence personnel and military veterans.

Do you agree?

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)