STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED

QUESTION NO. 374 FOR ANSWER ON 11.8.2017

Q:(a) whether One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been implemented for the armed forces personnel;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

Ans:

(a) & (b): The Government had issued orders for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) on 07.11.2015. As on 30.04.2017, a sum of Rs.8,792.01 crores has been released to 21,08,398 Defence Forces Pensioners / Family Pensioners in three instalments. 4th and final instalment is due for payment from August, 2017.

Q:(c) whether there is dissatisfaction among the personnel in the armed forces in this regard;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(e) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

Ans:

(c) to (e): Some Ex-Servicemen Associations have been demanding

changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision, coverage of future Pre-mature retirees (PMR) cases etc. The Government appointed One Member Judicial Committee (OMJC) on OROP to look into anomalies, if any arising out of implementation of OROP on 14.12.2015.

The Committee submitted its report on 26.10.2016. An Internal Committee has been constituted by the Government on 19.07.2017 to examine the recommendations of OMJC with respect to feasibility and financial aspects.

Pension Grievances Cell in the Department have been receiving some grievances of the pensioners / family pensioners regarding non-payment of OROP benefits and taking up the matter with the concerned offices e.g. Controller General of defence Accounts (CGDA), Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension) and Pension Disbursing Agencies (Banks) for redressal of their grievances in a time-bound manner. Service Headquarters and CGDA also have dedicated grievances Directorates /Cells for redressal of the grievances of Ex-Servicemen. Disposal of the

grievances are monitored at the highest level in the Government.

7th CPC recommendation on Disability Pension of Ex-Servicemen

Government vide Notification dated 30th September 2016 have issued detailed recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission relating to pensionary benefits of Defence Forces Personnel and the decisions taken thereon by the Government. The 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommended the following on disability pension:-

The Commission is of the considered view that the regime implemented post VI CPC needs to be discontinued, and recommended a return to the slab based system. The slab rates for disability element for 100 percent disability would be as follows:

Rank

Levels

Rate per month (INR)

Service Officers

10 and above

27000

Honorary Commissioned Officers

Subedar Major / Equivalents

6 to 9

17000

Subedar / Equivalents

Naib

Subedar / Equivalents

Havildar / Equivalents

5 And below

12000

Naik / Equivalents

Sepoy / Equivalents

The above recommendation has been accepted with the approval of the Cabinet and Resolution dated 30.09.2016 issued accordingly.

The 6th CPC dispensation of the calculation of disability element on percentage basis, however, continues for civil side which has resulted in an anomalous situation. The issue has accordingly been referred to the Anomaly Committee.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Rajeev Shukla in Rajya Sabha today.

What to do if you have not received the OROP Arrears?

Steps to be taken if you have not received OROP Arrears (One Rank One Pension) – List of Documents to be sent to claim OROP arrears.

OROP has been implemented by Central Government and in case if anybody has not received the OROP – Procedure to claim OROP

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE O.R.O.P. ARREARS ?

May be due to the non-availability of the following particulars with your bank, they have not paid. Therefore, please arrange to send the attested proof of the following particulars:-

1. Rank
2. Qualifying service.
3. Group
4. Date of Birth.

Please take a Xerox copies of the proof, get attested by your Bank’s Manager and send it to the CPPC of your bank by Registered Post immediately.

It is better if you can send the OROP arrears calculation sheet also along with the documents. For OROP calculation sheet, please click here. Click FAQ on the Home page read the procedure for payment.

Addresses of some important banks and email addresses.

1. State Bank of India, CPPC, 112/4 Kaliamman Koil Street, Virugambakkam, Chennai 92. Email: cppc.zoche@sbi.co.in
2. Canara Bank, CPPC, Besavangudi, Bangalore 4. Email: cppc@canarabank.com
3. Indian Bank, CPPC, 66 Rajaji Salai, Chennai 1. Email: cppc@indianbank.co.in
4. Indian Overseas Bank, CPPC, Annasalai, Chennai 2. Email: cppc@iobnet.co.in
5. Central Bank of India CPPc, 2nd Floor, MMO Building, MG Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Email: cppc@centralbank.co.in
6. Corporation Bank, CPPC, Pandeshwar, Mangladevi Temple Road, Mangalore 575001.email: hogovt@corpbank.co.in :
7. Bank of India CPPC 87A 1st Floor, Gandhibaug, Nagpur 440002. Email; cppc.nagpur1@bankofindia.co.in
8. Union Bank of india, CPPC, 12th Floor, 239 Vidhan Bhavan Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021. Email: govtbusinesss@unionbankofindia.com.
9. Bank of Baroda CPPC 13th Floor, 16 Parliament St. New delhi 1. Email: cppc.ho@bankofbaroda.co.in
10. Syndicate bank CPPC, 2nd Floor, Manipal Udupi, Karnataka 574104. Email: syndcppc@syndicatebank.co.in

Source:http://indianexserviceman.blogspot.in/2016/04/what-to-do-if-you-have-not-received.html

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Implementation of One Rank One Pension 6.4.2016

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP). The details are as follows:

1. The benefit will be given with effect from 1st July, 2014.

2. Pension will be re-fixed for pre 1.7.2014 pensioners retiring in the same rank and with the same length of service as the average of minimum and maximum pension drawn by the retirees in the year 2013. Those drawing pensions above the average will be protected.

3. The benefit would also be extended to family pensioners including war widows and disabled pensioners.

4. Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3) 1(i)(b), 13(3) 1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule. 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.

5. Arrears will be paid in four half-yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of Special/Liberalized family pension and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

6. In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 year.

7. Constitution of Judicial Committee headed by Justice L. Narasimha Reddy, Retd. Chief Justice of Patna High Court on 14.12.2015 which will give its report in six months on the references made by the Government of India.

The implementation of OROP will result in enhanced pension for the pensioners/family pensioners of Defence Forces. The setting up of the Judicial Committee headed by Justice L. Narasimha Reddy will help in the removal of anomalies that may arise in the implementation of OROP order dated 7.11.2015.

Financial implications on account of grant of OROP including Pre-Matured Retirees (PMR) cases would be Rs. 10925.11 crore for payment of arrears and annual financial implication would be Rs. 7488.7 crore. Till 31st March, 2016, 15.91 lakh pensioners have been given the first instalment of OROP, which amounts to Rs. 2,861 crore. Information is being gathered for processing on priority basis, the cases of 1.15 lakh pensioners after filling in the gaps of information such as the length of service being assessed, etc.

OROP Arrears Payment in Record Time

The Government of India which accords utmost importance to the welfare of Ex-Servicemen, has kept its promise with regard to the historic decision taken on 05 September 2015 to implement the more than four decades old demand of Ex-Servicemen for One Rank One Pension (OROP), by ensuring that payments have begun to the concerned in record time.

Orders had been issued with regard to this historic decision, through a notification on 07 November 2015 by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) of the Ministry of Defence.

Then within just three months of the issue of these orders, the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) brought out detailed OROP tables on 03 February 2016, which are also available on their website www.desw.gov.in. The 101 tables in these implementation orders contain revised pension of different ranks and categories. In the past implementation of CSC-2012 and 6th CPC had taken a longer time.

More than two-thirds of the Ex-Servicemen have now been paid the OROP arrears. Payments have now reached the accounts of 13.02 lakh pensioners amounting to about Rs. 2,293 crore. This amount has been released through Defence Pension Disbursing Offices (DPDOs), the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Punjab National Bank (PNB).

The details are as follows:-

As on March 17, the DPDOs have released an amount of about Rs. 606 crore to about 3.20 lakh defence personnel.

The SBI has as released upto March 17 an amount of Rs. 1,337 crore to 7.75 lakh pensioners which includes Family Pension cases. The PNB has released as on March 17, an amount of about Rs. 350 crore to about 2.07 lakh pensioners which includes Family Pension cases.

Other Banks who have also been assigned the task of disbursement of revised defence pension to Ex-Servicemen have been directed to complete the process of payment latest by March end.

Revised Pensionary benefits under OROP released to over Two Lakh Defence Pensioners

The Defence Pension Disbursing Offices (DPDOs) functioning under Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) in the Ministry of Defence have released revised pensionary benefits to 2,21,224 Defence pensioners drawing service/disability pension. The amount along with first instalment of arrears had been released and credited by the Defence Ministry to the accounts of these pensioners on 01.03.2016.

In the case of remaining 1,46,335 family pensioners drawing pension from DPDOs, payment along with arrears is expected to be released by March end. Banks are under process of revision work.

These steps are a follow-up to Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (ESW) of the Ministry of Defence’s notification on 07.11.2015 ordering implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for Defence pensioners.

The total additional annual financial increase for grant of One Rank One Pension (OROP) is Rs. 7488.70 crores. The total amount on account of arrears to be paid for the period 1.7.2014 to 31.12.2015 is Rs. 10925.11 crores.

Out of total annual liability of Rs. 7488.70 crores, PBOR family pensioners shall get Rs. 6,405.59 crores, which works out to 85.5% of total expenditure of OROP.

Due to increase in defence pension budget, the additional liability for current financial year 2015-16 shall be Rs. 4,721.34 crores which will increase the current defence pension liability of Rs. 60,238 crores to Rs. 64,959.34 crores for the year 2015-16.

Detailed implementation orders of OROP with 101 tables containing revised pensions of different ranks and categories were issued by the Department of ESW on 03.02.2016 through their website www.desw.gov.in. According to the orders, the Pension Disbursing Agencies have been authorized to make payments with arrears as scheduled.

To facilitate the pension disbursing agencies, the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (P) have also issued implementation instructions through a circular on 04.02.2016. The implementation instructions along with Government orders are available on the website www.pcdapension.nic.in.

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OROP Scheme

Detailed instructions along with OROP tables on implementation of OROP have been issued on 3.2.2016. Considering the requirement for implementation of “One Rank One Pension”, the expenditure ceiling for Defence Pensions in BE 2016-2017 has been increased from Rs.69,876 crores to Rs.82,332.66 crores. Government has received representations from various Ex-Servicemen Associations and beneficiaries regarding anomalies and their dissatisfaction with the order of OROP scheme.

One member Judicial Committee has been appointed on 14.12.2015 to look into the anomalies arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.

The following instructions have been issued to Pension Disbursing Agencies(PDAs) for effective implementation of OROP:

• The arrears on account of revision of pension from 01.07.2014 be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, family pensioners including those in receipt of Special/Liberalized family pension and all Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

• Any required information, if not available in record may be referred to Pension Sanctioning Authority(PSA) concerned who will provide the requisite information from the available records within 15 days to the PDAs.

• In case of any doubt, PDA may immediately take up the matter with nodal officers of respective PSAs, the details of which shall be notified by Pr. CDA(P) Allahabad in their implementation instructions.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri Devajibhai G Fatepara and others in Lok Sabha today.

One Rank One Pension (OROP) implementation tables issued

The Government of India had taken the historic decision to implement OROP in November, 2015. This fulfilled the long standing demand of the Defence Forces personnel after 42 years and benefited over 18 lakh ex-servicemen and war widows.

In pursuance of the order issued on 07/11/2015, detailed instructions alongwith OROP Tables have been issued today.

• The annual recurring financial implication on account of implementation of OROP at the current rate will be approximately Rs. 7500 crore.

• The arrears from 01/07/2014 to 31/12/2015 would be approximately Rs. 10,900 crore.

• 86 percent of the total expenditure on account of OROP will benefit the JCOs/ORs.

• Payment of arrears and revision of pension under OROP is to be made by the Pension Disbursing Authorities in four installments, except for family pensioners and pensioners in receipt of gallantry awards who will be paid arrears in one installment.

• The total increase in the Defence Budget for pensions is estimated to go up from Rs. 54,000 crore (BE 2015-16) to around Rs. 65,000 crore (proposed BE 2016-17), thereby increasing the Defence Pension Outlay by about 20 percent.

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One Rank One Pension on 14-12-2015

Govt Appoints Justice L Narasimha Reddy to Head Judicial Committee on OROP

The Central Government has appointed Justice L Narasimha Reddy, retired Chief Justice of Patna High Court to head the Judicial Committee which will look into the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for the Ex-Servicemen.

The Terms of Reference for the Committee shall be to examine and make recommendations on references received from the Central Government on the following matters:-

• Measures for the removal of anomalies that may arise in the implementation of the OROP as notified by the Government on 07 November 2015.

• Measures for the removal of anomalies that may arise out of inter-services issues of the three forces due to implementation of OROP order as notified by the Government on 07 November 2015.

•Implications on Service matters.

•Any other matter referred by the Central Government on implementation of the OROP or related issues.

In making its recommendations, the Committee shall take into account the financial impact of its recommendations.

The Committee shall make its recommendation within six months of the date of its constitution. It may, if necessary, give interim reports to the Government on any of the matters related to its terms of reference.

The Committee will devise its own procedure and may call for such information and take such evidence, as may be considered necessary. Ministries and Departments of Government of India shall furnish such information and documents and other assistance as may be required by the Committee. The Committee will have its Headquarters in Delhi. All administrative support to the committee will be provided by Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence.

As per report received from the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), Ministry of Finance, total number of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR) pensioners are 3,28,010 and the pension expenditure as disbursed by Banks for the period 01/04/2014 to 31/03/2015 is Rs.4317.38 crore.

The posted strength of CAPFs and AR as on 01/11/2015 is 8,94,616 (AR-67,018, BSF-2,48,799, CRPF-2,89,182, CISF-1,29,468, ITBP-81,747 & SSB-78,402).

The Government has received representations for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme from the retired/serving personnel of CAPF and broadly seeking parity with the Defence Forces in the matter of pension. As per records available, the Supreme Court has not issued any directive in this regard. Representations from in-service or retired personnel of CAPF & AR received from the time to time, are examined on merit and appropriate decision taken.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to question by Shri Chhedi Paswan, Shri Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Shri Rahul Shewale and Mohammed Faizal in the Lok Sabha today.

Government order on One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been issued on 07.11.2015.

Salient features of the OROP are as follows:

• Pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 01.07.2014.

• Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retired in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.

• Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.

• Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of Special / Liberalized family pension and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

• In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

Certain ex-servicemen associations have been demanding for changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision, coverage of future PMR cases etc. The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3) 1(i)(b), 13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively and in future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Gopal Shetty and others in Lok Sabha today.

Over 2,000 war veterans return medals over govt's 'diluted' OROP scheme

New Delhi: Over 2,000 ex-servicemen protesting against the government's "diluted" one-pension-one rank scheme on Tuesday returned their medals in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, the organizations spearheading the movement claimed today as they hit back at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his "unlike soldiers behaviour" remark aimed at them.

Colonel (retd) Anil Kaul, spokesman of the protesters in Delhi, said 2,000 ex-servicemen's medals were deposited at the district collector's office.

"The veterans had threatened to leave the medals on the road if we didn't accept it. Hence, we accepted those," District Collector Sanjay Kumar told reporters.

In Chandigarh, Brigadier Kiran Krishan (retd), Convener for North Haryana of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), a constituent of United Front of Ex-Servicemen that had led the nation-wide protest for OROP at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, said that more than 150 war veterans returned over 150 medals which were handed over to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula.

Kaul said ex-servicemen from Ambala, Chandigarh, Moga, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur returned their medals today while those from Mumbai, Pune, Vadodara and Bangalore will follow the suit.

"Our people from Mumbai, Pune, Vadodara and Bangalore will return their medals next. By the way, this is just the trailer," he added.

The veterans claimed over 20,000 of them have returned medals since their protest began in 2008 to press for OROP.

Kaul reacted sharply to Parrikar's statement that the war veterans' protest against OROP notification is "unlike that of a soldier" and said the Parrikar's behaviour "too doesn't behove that of a Defence Minister.

Dismissing Parrikar's remarks that the protesters were being "misguided" and that the OROP notification issued on Saturday has been his "achievement", the agitators shot back at the BJP leader asking him to learn English to know meanings of the two words and asked him not to "lie" to his soldiers seeking their due rights.

"He says our behaviour is unlike that of a soldier. But we feel Parrikar's behaviour is unlike that of a Defence Minister. We have been seeking our due to rights for past 149 days. But government has found no time to listen to us.

"Hence, we have been impelled to agitate Mr Parrikar. Your notification is not what we have been talking about. Therefore, we are returning medals," Kaul said.

Notification for Implementation of OROP Issued

The Government today issued the notification regarding implementation of ‘One Rank One Pension’ in respect of Defence Forces personnel.

Defence Forces of India have a rich history and tradition of bravery and gallantry. Defence forces have not only defend our borders with exemplary courage and valour but have also performed with fearless attitude and empathy in natural calamities and other trying circumstances. Government of India recognizes and respects their contribution.

The issue of One Rank One Pension was a long standing   demand. Defence Forces had been demanding it for almost four decades but the issue could not be resolved. However, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had made a commitment to implement it for the welfare of the ex-servicemen. Accordingly the Government had announced modalities for implementation of OROP on 05.09.2015. The Government Order by Ministry of Defence, which could not be issued due to model code of conduct, has been issued today.

Salient features of the OROP as stated in the Order are as follows:

                     I.        To begin with, pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 1.7.2014.

                   II.        Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retiring in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.

                  III.        Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.

                 IV.        Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special/Liberalized family pensioners, and Gallantry award winnersshall be paid arrears in one instalment.

                  V.        In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

4. Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their  own request under Rule 13(3)1(i)(b),13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.

5. The Govt. has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.

6.    Detailed instructions along with tables indicating revised pension for each rank and each category, shall be issued separately for updation of pension and payment of arrears directly by Pension Disbursing Agencies.

The previous Government had made a budget announcement to implement the OROP and made a provision of Rs 500 Crore.   The present Government undertook the task earnestly and realized that the actual additional annual expenditure would be eight to ten thousand crore at present and will increase further in future.   Notwithstanding the financial constraints, true to its commitment the present Government has issued the Government order to implement the OROP in true spirit.

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OROP: Protestors to return medals, Parrikar assures scheme by Diwali

On 145th day of the protest at Jantar Mantar and across the country, the armed forces veterans also decided to escalate, upgrade and intensify their agitation. (HT Photo)

Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said that the official notification for the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP) scheme will be issued before Diwali even as armed forces veterans staging a protest to press their demand of the scheme said that they will return their medals across the country on November 9-10.

“We have unanimously decided to return our medals across India,” said Group Captain VK Gandhi, the general secretary of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement.

On 145th day of the protest at Jantar Mantar and across the country, the armed forces veterans also decided to escalate, upgrade and intensify their agitation.

Read: Key features of OROP and why ex-servicemen are still complaining

“The government is willing to provide us an OROP, which is full of discrepancies and is not as per its definition. To protest, all ex-servicemen with their medals will line up in discipline and dignified manner in each district across the nation on November 9-10,” Gandhi told reporters.

“The district magistrate will collect the medals and if he doesn’t come to collect it, the medals will be left behind. The DMs will be requested to guard their medals. We would request them to send these medals either to Prime Minister Narendra Modi or to President Pranab Mukherjee,” he added.

The agitation of armed forces veterans has continued even after the central government announced the OROP scheme on September 5.

The veterans have said what government announced is not OROP, but ‘One Rank, Five Pension’.

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Over 200 Retired Paramilitary Personnel Demand One Rank One Pension

Retired paramilitary officials at a protest demanding One Rank One Pension (OROP) benefits and other privileges under the ex-servicemen category at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday, November 2, 2015. (Press Trust of India photo)

NEW DELHI: Over 200 retired paramilitary personnel today launched a three-day protest in New Delhi demanding One Rank One Pension (OROP) for around 13 lakh retired and serving personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

The retired paramilitary personnel, under the banner of Delhi-based All India Central Paramilitary Forces Ex-servicemen Welfare Association, gathered at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi demanding OROP and several other rights for CAPF personnel under central civil services rules.

A retired paramilitary officer, participating in the protest, told IANS that the CAPF should be treated at par with the armed forces.

He said CAPF personnel were part of all the wars -- 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil war -- as they had fought along with the Indian Army and were the "first line of defence".

He said that since Independence, 22,250 army personnel lost their lives in various battles, while 33,678 CAPF personnel were killed in the line of duty.

Speaking to IANS, many other retired CAPF officials said the announcement of OROP for the army reflected the "discriminatory" attitude of the government towards them.

"We are the first line of defence in the country and guarding the national border, Maoist-affected areas, the border with Pakistan or the insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states," said PS Nair, general secretary of the association.

"A number of our personnel are killed in the line of duty every year. We don't understand why the government is ignoring us in providing central facilities like other armed forces. All CAPF personnel should be provided benefits," Mr Nair said.

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Government Announces One Rank One Pension Scheme for Ex-Servicemen

The Government has announced the One Rank One Pension scheme for the Ex-Servicemen. This was announced by the Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar here today. The following is the statement of the Defence Minister:

“Government of India respects its Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen for their valour, patriotism and sacrifices. The Government is proud of their devotion to duty and bravery. Our forces, besides vigilantly and gallantly defending the nation, have displayed exemplary standards of courage and bravery in natural calamities, law and order situations and other difficult circumstances.

The issue of “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) has been pending for nearly four decades. It is a matter of deep anguish that the various governments remained ambivalent on the issue of OROP. In February 2014, the then Government stated that OROP would be implemented in 2014-15, but did not specify what OROP would be, how it would be implemented or how much it would cost. An estimated Rs. 500 crore provided for OROP in the budget presented in February 2014 by the then government was not based on any thorough analysis. It is pertinent to mention that the then Minister of State for Defence in 2009 had, in reply to a question, informed Parliament that there are administrative, technical and financial difficulties in implementing OROP. It is for these reasons that the present government took some time to fulfil its promise.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has, on various occasions, reiterated the Government’s commitment to implement OROP for Ex-Servicemen under military pension. As stated above, the previous government has estimated that OROP would be implemented with a budget provision of a mere Rs. 500 crore. The reality, however, is that to implement OROP, the estimated cost to the exchequer would be Rs. 8,000 to 10,000 crore at present, and will increase further in future.

The Government held extensive consultations with experts and Ex-Servicemen. The main argument for OROP is that the Defence personnel retire early and thus are not able to get the benefits of serving till normal retirement age. Despite the huge fiscal burden, given its commitment to the welfare of Ex-Servicemen, the Government has taken a decision to implement the OROP.

In simple terms, OROP implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, regardless of their date of retirement. Future enhancements in the rates of pension would be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of current and past pensioners at periodic intervals.

Under this definition, it has been decided that the gap between rate of pension of current pensioners and past pensioners will be bridged every 5 years.

Under the OROP Scheme:

The benefit will be given with effect from 1st July, 2014. The present government assumed office on 26th May, 2014 and therefore, it has been decided to make the scheme effective from a date immediately after.

Arrears will be paid in four half-yearly instalments. All widows, including war widows, will be paid arrears in one instalment.

To begin with, OROP would be fixed on the basis of calendar year 2013.

Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners retiring in the same rank and with the same length of service as the average of minimum and maximum pension in 2013. Those drawing pensions above the average will be protected.

Personnel who voluntarily retire will not be covered under the OROP scheme.

In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

It is estimated that the expenditure on arrears alone would be ten to twelve thousand crores of rupees. Apart from the fact that the previous government had provided for only Rs. 500 crore in the budget, it is noteworthy that the Koshiyari Committee had accepted the estimate of Rs. 235 crore as additional financial burden to implement OROP. The present government has accepted OROP in true spirit without being constrained by these inaccurate estimates.

OROP is a complex issue. A thorough examination of interests of retirees of different periods and different ranks is needed. The inter-service issues of the three Forces also require consideration. This is not an administrative matter alone. Therefore, it has also been decided that a One Member Judicial Committee would be constituted which will give its report in six months.

Prime Minister Shri Modi has fulfilled his commitment and approved OROP for Armed Forces personnel. Ministry of Defence will soon issue detailed Government Order.”

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INDO- Indonesia Joint Training Exercise Garuda Shakti IV

Continues at Magelang, Indonesia

The fourth edition of the Indo-Indonesia Joint Training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI, scheduled from 10 to 23 March 2016 is under progress at Magelang, Indonesia. The Indian contingent comprises of platoon sized troops of an Infantry Battalion from Southern Command theatre and the Indonesian Army comprises of troops from 503 Airborne Battalion of the TNI -AD.

The exercise is underway with adequate stress being laid on weapon handling and live firing practices. The Indian Army contingent was given time to familiarise themselves with the Indonesian Army’s weapon system before commencing firing practice using their Weapons. On 13 Mar, the Indonesian Army conducted a firing Skills demonstration explaining the mechanics of reflex firing which was followed by practice by Indian Army contingent of the same.

On 14 Mar Indian Army contingent presented a similar demonstration of reflex firing skills including ambidextrous weapon handling in combat situations. The demonstration was conducted in phases and was followed by firing practice by Indonesian Army under guidance of instructors from Indian Army.

The aim of the exercise is to build and promote positive relations between both the armies and to enhance their ability to undertake joint tactical level operations in a Counter Insurgency environment under United Nations Charter. The scope of exercise also includes identifying areas of expertise/ specialization of each other, evolution of combat tactical drills for conduct of tactical Counter Insurgency operations and to undertake combined training for neutralization of insurgency threat.

The Indian Army contingent had arrived at Jakarta airport on 09 Mar. The Opening Ceremony was conducted on 11 Mar at Military Training Area, Magelang, Indonesia. In an impressive Military function, witnessed by senior ranked officers of both the countries, the contingents conducted a ceremonial parade where the National flags of both nations were marched in. The Commandant wished both the contingents a fruitful and effective exercise ahead and encouraged both sides to understand and absorb the positive aspects of each other's military training and tactics. He stated that this exercise would serve as a platform for both countries to pave the way for better co-operation and stronger mutual relations in the future. The exercise will culminate on 23 Mar 16.

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Retired Defence Personnel Protesting Over One Rank One Pension Begin Relay Hunger Strike

15.6.2015

NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen across the country began an indefinite relay hunger strike today, demanding that the government announce a date for the introduction of the 'One Rank One Pension' policy.

Hundreds of retired defence personnel held protests yesterday too, and sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured them the "promises" made would be kept and that they should be "patient".

The OROP was a key poll promise of the BJP-led government, but its introduction has been delayed. What made it more difficult was that it involved various departments. Sources told NDTV that the file is shuttling between the finance and defence ministries.

The Narendra Modi government has said that it is committed to the policy but has refused to specify a timeline for its implementation. Last month, the Prime Minister touched upon the issue during his monthly radio address, Mann ki Baat, saying, "You have been patient for 40 years, wait for some more time. This is a complex issue... I promise we will hold discussions and resolve it."

"The Prime Minister's voice still echoes in our minds when he roared at the ex-servicemen rally on September 15, 2013, in Rewari and demanded a white paper on OROP from the UPA Government. He did not stop there, but declared that had there been BJP government in 2004, OROP would have been a reality by now," read a statement released by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, which is spearheading the agitation.

The scheme seeks to ensure that defence personnel who retire at the same rank and with the same length of service, will get equal pension, irrespective of when they retired. Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be its immediate beneficiaries.

Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when he or she retired. So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws less pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.

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One Rank One Pension: Know reason why Modi govt is delaying scheme: OneIndia News

Behind One Rank One Pension scheme delay, worry about small hike for jawans: Indian Express

Behind One Rank One Pension scheme delay, worry about small hike for jawans: Indian Express

MoD sources said that the main reason behind the delay is the minuscule increase that jawans may get if OROP is implemented in its present form.
Written by Pranav Kulkarni | New Delhi | Updated: June 26, 2015 8:31 am

As ex-servicemen steadfastly press for the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP), top Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources have said that the main reason behind the delay is not funds, but the minuscule increase that jawans may get if OROP is implemented in its present form.

Sources said that the concern within the government is that the jawans may get an increase of just about “few hundred” rupees per month — a raise that may not justify the decade long OROP agitation.

The fear within political decision-makers is that OROP, if implemented in present form, may result in many dragging the government to courts, and may even create a political crisis. “It is no longer a budgetary concern. The formula to arrive at Rs 8,300-odd crores has already been approved. The real worries within South Block are political. Under the present formula, the jawans may just get about few hundred rupees of increase per month in their present pensions. This amount, the political class within the present government believes, is too small to pacify the agitation that has been spread over almost three decades,” a top Defence Ministry official said.

According to the official, the implementation — which is just short of being announced any moment, may trigger dissatisfaction and will result in soldiers dragging the government to courts and become a political issue. Citing the reason behind the small increase for jawans, the official said: “The government, in 2009, corrected the pensions of retired armed forces personnel to parity as per Sixth Central Pay Commission.

The jawans largely benefited out of the correction as the pension amounts increased. So the gap that earlier existed has largely been bridged. Rs 5000 crore has already been spent on bringing about the parity,” the official said. According to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) data, OROP — if implemented in its present form — will ensure an increase of between Rs 525 and Rs 1,720 to jawans in their monthly pensions by virtue of percentage of their low basic pensions. Widows will get a hike of Rs 1,500 per month. The officers are likely to get a per month pension increase between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.

According to sources, UPA too was worried about the political and legal consequences of these “relatively small” monthly increments after implementing OROP and had carried out “three rounds of equalisation” to work out a solution.

The MoD official said that so far, the present government, though committed, has not carried out any such equalisation. Group Captain V K Gandhi, general secretary, IESM said, “Our present demands have been agreed upon not only by officers but even by jawans. We are not willing to accept any dilution in the demands.”

Read at: The Indian Express

One Rank One Pension: Know reason why Modi govt is delaying scheme

New Delhi, June 26: In the midst of ongoing protest against one rank one pension by Army veterans, sources have revealed the reason why Modi government is delaying the plan. Reportedly, the government is in the favour of implementing the scheme as soon as possible, but there is a major hiccup in the way of the scheme. Read more: One Rank One Pension: PMK slams PM Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Defence sources say that government is apprehensive about the fact that Army Jawans will be at the receiving end if OROP will be implemented in its present form.It is being said that the Centre has sufficient funds for the scheme, but biggest worry is that Jawans will get only peanuts in terms of monetary benefits if scheme will be followed upon.

The defence sources say that the Army Jawans will get a hike of only "few hundred" rupees per month in comparison to the officers and that is why policy makers are not going ahead with the plan. This little hike after a long agitation and protest will give all the Jawans a good reason to hold grudge against government. According to an Indian Express report, the Centre believes that sulking jawans may drag it to the court, leading to a big political crisis.

Expressing deep concern about the scheme, a Defence Ministry official was quoted by this daily as saying, "It is no longer a budgetary concern. The formula to arrive at Rs 8,300-odd crores has already been approved. The real worries within South Block are political. The official further said, "Under the present formula, the jawans may just get about few hundred rupees of increase per month in their present pensions. This amount, the political class within the present government believes, is too small to pacify the agitation that has been spread over almost three decades". When prodded further why the Jawans will get such a low increment, Defence official told this to the daily, "The government, in 2009, corrected the pensions of retired armed forces personnel to parity as per Sixth Central Pay Commission. The jawans largely benefited out of the correction as the pension amounts increased. So the gap that earlier existed has largely been bridged. Rs 5000 crore has already been spent on bringing about the parity". OROP in its present form will give a hike of around Rs 525 and Rs 1,720 to jawans while the officers will get increment of around Rs 10,000 to 20,000.

Army officers have been protesting for the OROP scheme since long. Modi government has assured them that it will be implemented soon but has not given specific deadline for the same.

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One Rank One Pension: Less about money, more about honour
DNA: Thursday, 25 June 2015

One Rank One Pension (OROP) is a national matter and with every passing day, the delay in its approval is hurting the morale of soldiers - not just of retired personnel, but also serving men who will someday bear the consequences. A large number of ex-servicemen are on a relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and in many other cities of the country. Some have even started returning their gallantry medals, pushing for OROP, while others are openly venting strong views on television channels. It was sad to see Vir Chakra awardee Colonel Anil Kaul removing his eye-patch and hand guard that covered his injured body parts on a TV channel and vowing not to wear them again till OROP was cleared.

In ancient times, if a soldier had to beg for his rights, the king and the State were considered to have failed in their promise to the nation’s guardians. A Major General who retired 30 years back cannot get lesser pension than a Colonel who retires today. The only other emotive issue for the Armed Forces is the 50-year-old demand for a National War Memorial and Museum at New Delhi to remember the martyrs. Doesn’t every patriotic Indian want to honour and remember the martyrdom of those who sacrificed their yesterday for our today?

All political parties support the OROP in principle, and while this is heartening, time is of essence. PM Narendra Modi (BJP) and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) made it a poll promise in the last elections. However, the finance ministry bureaucracy has been scuttling its implementation for decades, by scaring politicians with inflated financial implications. But the numbers are now in public domain. The cost of implementing OROP today has gradually increased over the years to Rs 8,000 crore which is around 3 percent of the Union defence budget. More recently, the Para Military Forces and Police have been ‘incited’ to seek the same. Ninety percent of Armed Forces personnel retire at ages below 50 years, while all others organisations have a retirement age of 60 years. The comparisons are thus flawed and mischievous.

The situation is the same as depicted in the famous British sitcom Yes Minister. The bureaucracy has been playing the one-upmanship power game to lower the relative status of the Armed Forces. In the past too, the bureaucracy has tried to interpret the Pay Commission and other government decisions in a manner that gives reduced benefits to the Armed Forces. Servicemen had to fight and win the ‘Rank Pay’ case in the Apex court. A large number of ex-servicemen and widows of martyrs have to keep fighting for disability and service pension in courts because some lower level babu has denied them the same.

The OROP issue has been simmering for 30 years. A strong, clear-thinking, pro-Armed Forces Prime Minister can push a political decision and override the bureaucracy. The Indian Armed Forces has so far invested all their hopes in PM Narendra Modi. Luckily, the country also has a quick-at-uptake Defence Minister in Manohar Parrikar and he personally supports the concept. Two prominent ex-soldiers, former Army Chief General VK Singh and Olympic medal winner Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, as well as Central Ministers are also supporting proper interface with the government. Opposition parties are already jumping the bandwagon to score political points against the NDA government. The time for action is now. Any delay may affect the morale of serving personnel and could well have security implications.

The author is a retired Air Marshal.

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Some myths doing the rounds, and the truth thereon: by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh

Since many improbable queries are being raised on One Rank One Pension, more so on social media, let me attempt to clarify some of these again to put an end to misinformation, especially for those not connected with the Armed Forces who may be unaware about the modalities of the concept.

Here are the three biggest myths doing the rounds on Social Media.

Myth No 1: Since OROP is to cater for early retirement, why should those officers who retire at 60 be granted OROP?

Truth: Nobody in the military retires at 60 except Lieutenant Generals. Civil employees retire at 60.

Myth No 2: Pay progression in civil service is faster and hence pension is higher but civil services cannot be compared with defence services and when an officer joins up, he/she knows what he/she is getting into.

Truth: Though many civil services had a faster career graph, the situation has gravely deteriorated since the 6th Central Pay Commission (w.e.f 01-01-2006) when Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) was introduced for Organised Group A Civil Services. The said scheme provides that all officers of such civil services, if otherwise eligible, shall be granted the higher pay of promotional grades, even if they are not promoted. Hence, by default, officers who are unable to be promoted in their cadres are now retiring with the pay of an Additional Secretary to Govt of India (HAG) which results in (almost) de facto OROP. This concept of NFU has been denied to the defence services but remains applicable to civil officers working shoulder to shoulder even under the Ministry of Defence. For example, today, a Chief Engineer (CE) of the Military Engineering Services who may be a military officer of the rank of Brigadier may have his Civilian Superintending Engineer (SE) who would be serving under him, drawing the pay of a Lieutenant General under NFU and hence also the pension of a Lt Gen. So the boss gets a lower pay and pension than his subordinate!

Myth No 3: Personnel of the forces are granted employment on the civil side after being released from the Army, why then are they demanding OROP?

Truth: Absolutely untrue. There is no job protection for defence personnel after they are released from the forces, and by the way, they start retiring at the age of 34 years. Most of the personnel of lower ranks end up guarding our neighbourhood ATMs and a minuscule percentage is given the opportunity of government employment but much below their erstwhile military status and at Group D levels at times. Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) who are Group-B (formerly known as Class-II) gazetted officers are being offered appointments below the rank of Sepoy. To make this more understandable for those on the civil street, it is like offering a job profile below the rank of Constable to a recently retired Deputy Superintendent of Police. Is this fair?

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One Rank One Pension: Group of ex-servicemen decides to boycott government functions

A group of ex-servicemen on Monday announced that they will boycott all official functions, including ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of the victory in 1965 war, in protest against delay over implementation of "One Rank One Pension" by the government.

A group of ex-servicemen on Monday announced that they will boycott all official functions, including ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of the victory in 1965 war, in protest against delay over implementation of "One Rank One Pension" by the government.

Protesting against the delay in implementation of OROP, the ex-servicemen in various cities across the country are holding relay hunger-strike, which entered the eighth day on Monday. "Our protest will continue till our legitimate dues of OROP is met by the government. We have decided to boycott all official functions including the ongoing commemoration of the victory of 1965 War and the upcoming Independence day celebrations," Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) Major General (Retd) Satbir Singh told PTI here.

Hitting out at the government over non-implementation of their long-pending demand of OROP, Singh, who is also Convenor of the United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM) said, "The widows of 1965 war are not getting their dues and nor the soldiers who fought the war. What the government is commemorating?" India had defeated Pakistan in 1965 war.

The Narendra Modi government has said it was committed to OROP, a key promise made during Lok Sabha polls. It is, however, yet to implement the scheme. Around 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the OROP scheme, which envisages a uniform pension for defence personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

Currently, the pension for ex-servicemen is based on the recommendations of the Pay Commission of that time when they had retired.

So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws a lower pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996. Meanwhile, asked about indications that the government might extend OROP to Jawans and other ranks, another official of the group termed it as "tragic".

"It would be a real tragic as the government is trying to divide us. We stand united in demanding OROP for all," Colonel (Retd) Anil Kaul, Media Advisor to IESM said. The ex-servicemen said they were considering taking help from opposition parties, especially in Bihar, to push for their demand.

Assembly elections in Bihar are likely to be held in September or October this year. BJP has a tough fight on hand against the JD(U)-RJD-Congress-NCP combine. Besides Bihar, they think they are a strong constituency also in Punjab where the Assembly elections are due in early 2017.

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Now, paramilitary forces want 'one-rank, one-pension' benefit

NEW DELHI: The government is struggling to implement one-rank-one-pension (OROP) for armed forces and has begun to face angry protests now, but there is more trouble ahead. Now paramilitary forces are demanding that they too be given the same benefit.

In a representation to the seventh pay commission through home ministry, forces have demanded one-rank -one-pension for themselves arguing that they are the first line of defence on the border and work in far tougher conditions compared to the Army.

See also: Demand for one-rank one-pension to be considered: Rajnath Singh

They have also demanded parity in all special pay and allowances with the armed forces apart from asking for similar leave, peace posting and housing policies as that of the Army. Going beyond comparison with armed forces, they have demanded child care leave for widowed jawans and pushed for their long-standing demand of non-functional upgradation of pay for officers denied promotion for lack of vacancies.

For a government that's comparably more vocal about its concern for force welfare, it's a situation that it will find difficult to wriggle out of. Already the financial burden (over Rs 8,000 crore annually) to implement OROP for 13-lakh-strong armed forces is weighing on the government's mind. To implement the same facility for nine-lakh-strong paramilitary forces would require massive financial accommodation.

See also: Grant of One Rank one Pension to Paramilitary Forces: Memo by PFROA, Chandigarh

In its memorandum to seventh pay commission, ITBP DG, on behalf of all central armed police forces (CAPFs), recommended: "Recently government has also announced OROP scheme to the armed forces retirees. As regard comparison between Army and ITBP, the ITBP officers and personnel are deployed 24x7x365 days ahead of Army on the show window on the borders of Indo-China and Army is operationally deployed only after external aggression so warrants.

"Therefore it is recommended that ITBP personnel including all counterpart of CAPFs may also be granted OROP as in the case of Army keeping in view of the similar or even tougher working conditions which will remove disparity in the service matters and human rights."

See also: Govt reply on CAPF's demands regarding One Rank One Pension and Ex-Servicemen Status

On the lines of armed forces the memorandum also demands the paramilitary forces be given free rations at all locations and not just on the borders. It has also asked that its ration money allowance be exempted from income tax just as it is for the Army.

With too few leaves and denial of the existing ones being a prime reason for attrition among CAPFs, the memorandum has demanded that officers and jawans be given 60 days earned leave and 20-30 days casual leave irrespective of posting on the lines of the Army. At present only 30 days earned leave and eight days casual leave is available to CAPF personnel if they are posted in any of the headquarters of the force.

See also: Ex-servicemen Status for Retired Paramilitary Personnel & One Rank One Pension

It has also proposed grant of a "CAPFs Service Pay on the similar condition and scales as given to the Armed Forces on the principle of similar dispensation for similarly placed employees". At present the pay scale for armed forces for being posted in a hard area is higher than CAPFs posted in similar conditions.

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One Rank One Pension: Meeting of Military veterans with Parrikar inconclusive, threaten to go on hunger strike

The talks between ex-servicemen and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar over the One Rank One Pension scheme failed today after which the retired defence personnel decided to go ahead with their planned rally on June 14 followed by a relay hunger strike to protest the long delay in implementation of the scheme.

“Though Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar understood our problem and argument, he did not give any date for the implementation of the OROP and hence we are going ahead with our agitation,” Maj Gen Satbir Singh, chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) told PTI.

He twice led a delegation of ex-servicemen today at meetings with Parrikar and Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag.

Singh said he has complete faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hoped that the OROP will be implemented soon.

The ex-servicemen group has also written a letter to Modi seeking his intervention to meet their long-pending demand.

At a conclave of the retired defence personnel today, it was decided that they will call off their proposed agitation if the Minister gave a deadline of July 15 for the implementation of the OROP.

PM Modi is committed to 'one rank one pension' scheme: Defence expert

New Delhi: Defence expert Lieutenant General (retired) Raj Kadyan on Saturday said the one-rank, one-pension (OROP) scheme which has been long pending would be resolved soon.

"The Prime Minister is committed, we have no doubt it will come. Now, it is stuck because somebody is trying to play around with the definition which we had worked out after careful thought. It was very simple, only two parameters were to be taken into account, rank and total service," Lieutenant General (retired) Kadyan said.

"If you inject anything else which will be neither fair nor will it be easy to implement. So, we are going to sit with the people who have worked it out. Let us see how it is resolved. I have great confidence that we will be able to resolve it," he added

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One Rank One Pension: Madras High Court Notice to Centre on Petition by Ex Serviceman

MADURAI: The Madras High Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a petition seeking a direction to issue a notification to implement the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme within a stipulated period.

Acting on the petition by ex-serviceman S Chinnadurai, Justice S Vaidyanathan ordered notice to the Cabinet, Finance and Defence secretaries and sought their reply within two weeks.

The petitioner contended that 90 per cent of the ex- servicemen are living below the poverty line.

Previous governments had already announced OROP and allocated Rs. 500 crore for it. On May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also assured that OROP would be implemented by the government but no timeframe had been given, he alleged.

The Indian ex-servicemen movement had also sent a memorandum and he had also submitted a representation.

Mr Chinnadurai said it was mandatory on the part of the government to implement OROP before the fiscal 2014-15 after announcing the scheme.

The delay in implementing the scheme would demoralize serving soldiers and ex-serviceman and adversely affect the integrity of the country, he said.

He said that armymen, who sacrificed the better part of their youth for the country, were not even getting proper jobs after they retired between 30 and 40 years of age.

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ONE RANK ONE PENSION: A SERIES OF BROKEN PROMISES
LT GENERAL VIJAY OBEROI Thursday, June 4, 2015 on thecitizen.in

CHANDIGARH: One was always under the impression that promises are broken only in love affairs and matrimonial alliances, and governments do not usually break promises, especially when these are given solemnly and especially to the armed forces. However, the Prime Minister in his recent broadcast to the nation has done just that. No doubt he made promises but qualified them with three imponderables, viz. ‘complexities’, ‘funding constraints’ and ‘no time frame’. This has virtually taken back the issue of grant of One Rank One Pension (OROP) to square one. He also obliquely hinted that since his government would be in the saddle for five years, where was the hurry?

This has rightly left the armed forces fuming, to put it mildly.

OROP, like the elusive Saraswati River continues to be invisible. The demand for OROP is legitimate and does not deserve this kind of procrastination. The political leadership must not treat the most apolitical segment of our polity in this manner. They are not footballs, but honourable and loyal persons of our society. It is sad that they are being made fools of in this manner. The more disturbing aspect is that it is being done, by a government that was expected to have a mind of its own and not be overly influenced by highly biased civil officials, who never lose a chance to put down the military. It is sad that the political-bureaucratic nexus is back in power, much to the detriment of the nation.

The conviction among military personnel now is that the touted ‘change’ that was the slogan that brought this government to power was only an election ploy and there is no difference between this and the previous governments.

Let us now talk about OROP, an issue hanging fire not because it is complex, but because all governments past and present only listen to biased advisors and refuse to apply their minds. They also feel that the forces, even when fuming can be taken for granted and can always be brought around by sweet words and minimum sops. May I in all humility state that the time of both ‘talk and sops’ is now over, for the level of the water has now risen up to dangerously high levels.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had publicly stated “I am personally in favour of OROP but bureaucrats do not want OROP to be given to the Defence Services…” Obviously, the power to take decisions continues to be with our ubiquitous bureaucrats, even though we now have a government that has an overwhelming mandate and is well ensconced in power. Political leaders must consult their bureaucratic advisors, for they get paid for this, but they must inform the nation why they are unable or unwilling to take their own decisions, after getting all briefings.

OROP is hanging fire, not because of any so-called ‘complexities’ or ‘inadequacies of funds’ but because the bureaucrats have been prevailing, irrespective of which political entity(s) was in power and political leaders of all hues and colours did not think it necessary or important enough to find out the reasons for these absurd excuses.

It will serve no purpose in repeating what all has already been stated by many, including by serving Chiefs, albeit somewhat cautiously, who probably have their own reason to remain in such a muted mode!

The ‘gold standard’ of OROP in recent years has been the recommendations of the Koshiyari Committee. The political leadership has no doubt been briefed about it, but perhaps the substantive issues were glossed over, knowing the bureaucracy’s penchant for not coming out with the whole truth. I therefore need to briefly mentioning them.

The Committee, headed by Koshiyari (a BJP MP), had been set up by the UPA Government in 2010 and its findings were also presented during the tenure of UPA in December 2011. Thereafter, it remained in cold storage, till it was resurrected by the UPA, more to earn political brownie points when they saw the writing on the political wall just prior to the General Elections of 2014, than any love for the military! Be that as it may, it is important to revisit some of the profound recommendations of that important Committee.

The Koshiyari Committee is on record to state that – “…There is merit in the demand for One Rank One Pension by Armed Forces Personnel; otherwise the matter would not have been considered time and again by various committees of the Government and Central Pay Commissions. It could have been rejected once and for all and principle of judicature would have been applied to this demand…..”

The definition of OROP, based on the Koshiyari Committee Report, was firmed in as “Same rank, same years of qualifying service, same amount of pension, irrespective of date of retirement”. It was accepted by the Defence Minister of UPA and was reiterated by the Defence Minister of the BJP led NDA Government. So, where is the ‘complexity’ Sir?

Before we come to the funding, the second issue that seems to be troubling the government, let me highlight that we are talking about nearly 50 lakh veterans; disabled personnel (some due to wounds sustained in war and others due to the harsh nature of military service); and ‘Veer Naris’ (widows of military martyrs). To this, nearly 70,000 personnel are added every year. I hope it gives a fair idea of human lives who have a major stake in the decisions about the OROP.

In 2011, the Koshiyari Committee had stated that the financial impact would be as follows:-

· Initial (including payment of arrears) = Rs 3000 crore.
· Annual recurring expenditure = Rs 1300 crore, distributed as under:
. JCOs & Other Ranks = Rs 1065 crore.
. Officers = Rs 235 crore.

(Please note that that it is not an officer-oriented issue, as many ignorant persons assume. This would be clear from the distribution between Officers and our jawans, as given above!).

The bureaucracy, perhaps with a view to scuttle the issue and misguide the political leadership, kept coming up with different figures, till finally the figure is more or less fixed at Rs 9100 crore.

Can the country not afford this?

At this stage, it is pertinent to quote from the Vote on Account speech by the Finance Minister while allocating funds for the Financial Year 2014-15 in Parliament, where he stated: “I am happy to announce that the Government has accepted the principle of OROP for the Defence Forces. This decision will be implemented prospectively from the FY 2014-15”! Jai Ho!!

While concluding, may I suggest that the government takes the date 31 July 2015, articulated in the last of his flip-flop pronouncements by Defence Minister Parrikar, as the last date for implementing OROP? If the government cannot do so, please announce that this government is unable to grant OROP so that the issue gets a final burial and not dragged around till the cows come home!

(The writer is a former Vice Chief of Army Staff)

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New OROP formula may be similar to MPs’ pension plan
Jun 5, 2015

NEW DELHI: The government is working on a fresh option to resolve the ongoing stand-off over 'one-rank-one-pension' demand of ex-servicemen, sources said on Thursday.

According to a senior government official, they are working on a proposal that would be similar to the pension scheme for MPs. The scheme operates on a band concept, with additional money for each additional year of service.-

The proposal is to create pension bands for each rank, and then provide additional money for each extra year of service. So all officers who retire in a particular rank will be in the same band of pension, with the total pension payment going up according to the number of years he has spent in that rank.

"We are working out the fine details," one source said. Senior government officials are thrashing out the finer details, and it would be presented to the representatives of ex-servicemen and the military brass.

The latest move comes even as ex-servicemen are continuing with their protests against what they feel is a huge let down by the Narendra Modi government, which had come to power promising to implement the OROP scheme.

Ex-servicemen, some of whom have begun to boycott government functions, are planning a major rally in New Delhi on June 14 to protest against the government failure to fulfil the promise.

They believe that there is only one definition to OROP, which is to grant the same pension to all people who have retired from the same rank after putting in same number of years, irrespective of when they retired.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly tried to douse the anger among ex-servicemen over the continuing delay in implementing OROP, promising a solution to their issue. "You have been patient for 40 years. Give me some time to address it. This is a complex, vexed, issue ... We will together find a solution," PM said in his monthly "Mann Ki Baat" programme on All India Radio last Sunday.

Expectations of ex-servicemen were raised by repeated assurance from defence minister Manohar Parrikar who said over the recent months that OROP was virtually a "done thing" since it had been cleared by his ministry.

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PM Modi reiterates commitment to 'One Rank One Pension' during 'Mann ki Baat'

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated his government's commitment to implement the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen, but sought time to resolve its complexities.

Attacking the previous governments for "playing politics" over the issue for the past 40 years, he said OROP was "a complex issue, a vexed issue. You have been patient for 40 years. Give me some time to address it."

In his 'Mann ki Baat' radio address, Modi said various departments were working to resolve the complexities as "it is not a simple matter" and added that "running commentary" through the media on the details of the progress will not help.

Lauding the services of the defence personnel, he said he could understand their problems as he was talking to them "as an individual rather than as a Prime Minister".

"We are committed to OROP. .... Is it not a fact that for 40 years, this matter has been pending? ... No government in the past has implemented it. Political elements have played games with you on the issue. You have faith in us," Modi said in a 25-minute speech.

OROP has been a long-standing demand of over two million ex-servicemen of India. It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension for the defence personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

After PM Narendra Modi's Assurance on One Rank One Pension, Ex-Servicemen Want Timeline

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance on the issue of roll-out of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme today was met with skepticism with ex-servicemen seeking a firm timeline and the Congress saying he has further compounded the problem by saying it was a "complex issue".

Though PM Modi vowed to address the "vexed" OROP issue in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on radio and said he should be given some time, the miffed ex-servicemen also appeared to be in no mood to call off their planned protest on June 14 over the delay in its implementation.

"Assurance without a firm date does not really satisfy the ex-servicemen community. What we are looking for is a date? Assurance has never been in doubt. We are wanting to know when. We are not looking for 'Khairaat' (doles). We are looking for sense of justice for our due demand," Lieutenant General (retd) Raj Kadyan said."We don't want to protest, it's not good for the country but we should not be compelled to do it," he added.

Congress leader Ajay Maken said the prime minister has chosen to further "compound" the problem, "confuse" the entire issue by creating another "flutter" by saying OROP is a "very complex issue."

"So, isn't it surprising Prime Minister after one year that one of your important demands OROP earlier, which was implemented by the UPA Government and Rs.500 crore set aside for Vote on Account in February 2014. Now, one year after assuming power, you tell the country that it is the complexities, of which you never knew earlier," Mr Maken told reporters.

Lieutenant General (retd) Shankar Prasad said PM Modi's comments were an "excellent projection" by him and this is not the first time he has done it.

"This is the third or fourth or fifth time he is doing it and it seems that people are now beginning to feel that we are just being fooled," he added.

"How long is the Prime Minister and his party is going to fool us, we are not very sure. The fact that OROP has been reiterated by everybody in the government but nobody is willing to give a date for it," he said.

Lieutenant General (Retd) PN Hoon said the OROP issue has been a "mess" and now that mess has to be sorted out.

Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said OROP scheme was initiated by the UPA government and even after one year there are so many delays over it.

*********

Government committed to one rank-one pension, no doubt about it: PM Narendra Modi

Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29

One rank, one pension We are in consultation with defence personnel on its definition. We are committed to it. We are looking for a way where all stakeholders agree. This should not be politicised.
Three days after completing his first year in power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a no-holds- barred interview to The Tribune today, said his government was committed to One Rank One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen and that no one should have any doubts about its implementation. The PM said the Congress was politicising OROP. "The previous governments don't have the right to speak about it because they did nothing when they were in power."
On OROP, the PM said the government was "in constant discussions with the armed forces personnel to arrive at a please-all definition of OROP of which there are varied versions."

"No one should have any doubts about OROP's implementation. I want everyone to know that through The Tribune. But there are varied versions about what the definition of OROP should be. Would it be proper for me to take a decision without keeping the armed forces personnel in the loop? So we are trying to arrive at a please-all decision," the PM said.

In an evident dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who recently threatened an agitation if OROP was not implemented soon, the PM said, "OROP for me is not a political programme. For 57 years the jawans have been demanding OROP, but the previous governments did nothing. Those who were part of then governments must realize they don't have the right to speak on this issue."

Asked if the government would expedite OROP, the PM said the Government was committed to it. "The government has been formed for five years." Need Definition of One Rank One Pension, Says PM Modi

Text of Interview

Interviewer: Will you deliver on the one-rank-one-pension (OROP) promise to the defence personnel?

Modi: We are committed to OROP, but we are in consultation with defence personnel regarding the definition of OROP. Our government is here for five years, and we cannot do anything without consulting the people concerned. The dialogue is being actively pursued. There is no need to have any doubt on this. The Tribune has a large readership among defence personnel, and through you I would like to assure them we are absolutely committed. It is just that there are too many definitions going around yet, and we are looking for one on which all stakeholders agree. For me this is not a political agenda

***********

The failure of the NDA government to implement the longstanding demand for one rank, one pension (OROP) in its first year has fanned deep resentment among ex-servicemen who have now decided to boycott official functions, hold rallies and go on hunger strikes in protest.

On Thursday, a 1971 war hero declined to attend a function in Pune where defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were to felicitate him. Wing Commander SD Karnik (retd) decided to boycott the function as there was “no action, talk only” by the government on OROP.

The pension scheme is aimed at ensuring that retired soldiers of the same rank and the same length of service receive the same pension, irrespective of their date of retirement. The initial corpus of the scheme is estimated to around Rs 8,300 crore.

Various ex-servicemen groups were hoping that Prime Minister Modi would make an announcement about the implementation of OROP on May 25 during a rally in Mathura to mark the government’s first year in office. The OROP is expected to benefit close to 3 million defence pensioners.

Major General Satbir Singh (retd), who heads the Indian Ex-servicemen Movement, said, “We will do all we can to lodge our protest over the non-implementation of the OROP despite the PM’s and defence minister’s assurances. We are planning to hold a big rally in Delhi on June 14 followed by hunger strikes across the country.”

Navy chief Admiral Robin Dhowan asked veterans to be patient, stressing that the government was seized of the matter. Currently, all pre-2006 (the year the 6th pay panel report became effective) pensioners receive lesser pension than not only their counterparts but also their juniors. For instance, a major general who retired in 1995 draws a basic pension of Rs 30,350 but an officer retiring in the same rank after 2006 gets Rs 38,500.

Similarly, a colonel who retired in 2003 gets Rs 26,150, compared to Rs 34,000 drawn by a colonel who retired this year. The implementation of the scheme is expected to benefit 600,000 widows. Decorated veterans have in the past returned their medals, gone on hunger strikes and signed petitions in blood to draw the government’s attention to the OROP issue.

The UPA government had in 2009 declared that it had earmarked Rs 2,200 crore annually to improve the pension of jawans, a step it described as partial implementation of the OROP that had benefitted 1.2 million pensioners.

The OROP proposal was stuck as the defence ministry had to iron out some complex administrative and financial issues. The sticking points in its implementation have been resolved by the defence ministry and the matter is currently being scrutinised by the finance ministry.

********

As per Zee News PM Modi may announce one rank one pension scheme implementation at Mathura rally

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce implementation of the one rank one pension (OROP) scheme concerning ex-servicemen at his rally in Mathura on Monday to mark one year of his government.

Defence ministry sources on Sunday said modalities relating to the long-pending demand of ex-servicemen have been thrashed out.

They said the prime minister could make an announcement about OROP at the rally in Mathura to mark one year of the National Democratic Alliance government. [Read at Zee News]

Before this One-rank, one-pension issue: Rahul Gandhi meets ex-servicemen

NEW DELHI: May 23, 2015 Attacking the government over non-implementation of 'one-rank, one-pension' scheme, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he will "pressurise" the Centre to act on the issue at the earliest.

After meeting a delegation from the ex-servicemen cell of the party, Gandhi said the UPA government had made provisions for the scheme and had even allocated money but the Narendra Modi government failed to implement the scheme.

"One year has passed of the NDA government, of the Modi government and it has not proceeded ahead with the issue. They (ex servicemen) had knocked the doors of the government, but nothing materialised. Army, Navy, Air Force take care of the nation, secure our borders, their demands should be met. [Read at Times of India]

After the political pressure made by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi the Hon'ble Finance Minister Arun Jetly said
One rank, one pension plan still being worked out
New Delhi, May 22, 2015: The issue over one-rank-one-pension (OROP) scheme may not be resolved in the near future as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said the “methodology of calculation” was still being worked out in consultation with the Defence Ministry.

Asserting the government’s commitment towards implementing the OROP, Jaitley said the Finance Ministry was in dialogue with the Defence Ministry on the methodology of calculation, hinting at no immediate resolution of the complicated issue.[Read at Deccan Herald]

Journey of One Rank One Pension Scheme

Where is the One Rank One Pension Scheme? -
The only one question is on all Ex-servicemen's mouth when the government will approve the OROP. All hopes will move on PM's Mathura Rally as mentioned above. The journey of One Rank One Pension Scheme started by the approval of committee [as mentioned below] and it is still in media only the journey will complete with the black and white order by govt. In following paras the journey of OROP is described in breif:-

What is One Rank One Pension?
The One Rank One Pay scheme implies that uniform pension be paid to the armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement, and any future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to past pensioners.

Committee, Panel and its recommendations: -
Though the demand for One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been considered by various Committees in the past but it has not been found feasible to accept it. However, keeping in mind the spirit of the demand a Committee was set up under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary to look into the issue of OROP and other related matters, which submitted its report on 30.6.2009. The Committee made seven recommendations to substantially improve pensionary benefits of Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) and Commissioned Officers, which have been accepted by the Government. Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence has accordingly issued orders in implementation of the same vide Government letters dated 30.10.2009, 19.1.2010, 20.1.2010 & 8.3.2010 which are also available on www.pcdapension.nic.in. These orders have substantially increased the pension of pre 2006 retirees. [PIB News dated 03rd Aug, 2011]

The Committee on Petitions of Rajya Sabha under the Chairmanship of Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, MP, presented its Hundred and Forty-second Report to the Rajya Sabha on 19th December, 2011 on the petition praying for grant of one rank one pension to the armed forces personnel. [Click here to view]

Following are the important recommendations of the Committee:-

4.1 The Committee has taken note of the fact that a sum of Rs.1300 crores is the total financial liability for the year 2011-12 in case OROP is implemented fully for all the defence personnel in the country across the board. The Committee was informed that out of this, 1065 crores would go to retirees belonging to Post Below Officer Ranks (PBOR) while the Commissioned Officers would be getting the remaining i.e. 235 crores. The Committee felt that 1300 crores is not a very big amount for a country of our size and economy for meeting the long pending demand of the armed forces of the country. The Committee understand that this 1300 crores is the expenditure for one year which might increase at the rate of 10 percent annually. Even if it is so, the Committee does not consider this amount to be high, keeping in view the objective for which it would be spent.
(Para 11 of the Report)

4.2 The Committee was not convinced with the version of the Ministry of Finance that the grant of OROP to the defence personnel would eventually generate similar requests from the civilian work force of the country under the Central Government and the State Governments. The Committee feels so because of the quite different terms and conditions of service of the two different categories of employments. The terms and conditions of armed forces are tougher and harsher than the civilian Government employee. On the issue of returning of service medals by the defence personnel of our country to the President of India in view of the Governments' apathetic attitude towards their demand of grant of OROP, the Committee was of the view that our defence personnel should not feel alienated to this extent again and they are not forced to surrender their hard earned service medals in this manner to exhibit their discontent with the government policies.
(Para 11.2 of the Report)

4.3 The Committee also felt that the decision of the Government to bring our defence personnel on the pattern of the civilians with regard to their pay, pension, etc. (from Third Central Pay Commission onwards) is not a considered decision which has caused hardship to the defence personnel and has given birth to their demand for OROP. The Committee understand that before the Third Central Pay Commission, the defence personnel were getting their pay / pension on the basis of separate criteria unconnected with the criteria devised for the civilian work force. That criteria acknowledged and covered the concept of OROP which has been given up after the Third Central Pay Commission.
(Para 11.4 of the Report)

Again by Cabinet Secretariat vide his Order dated 13-July-2013 the Government has decided to constitute a Committee, under the chairpersonship of Cabinet Secretary, to look into pay and pension related issues of relevance to defence services personnel and ex-servicemen. The One Rank One Pension was included in terms of Reference of the Committee with other issues of Defence Personnel & Ex-servicemen. The committee was asked to submit the report to Prime Minister by 8th August, 2012 [within the time of less than one month]. Click here to view

In this meeting the committee had arrived that according to calculations done by the military, the annual outgo for granting One -Rank-One-Pension to the approximately 21 lakh ex-servicemen would not be more than Rs. 1300 crore. Read the outcome of meeting

Approval of One Rank One Pension: In the line of correct the anomalies and pension parity created by previous Pay commissions the govt on 24-09-2012 approved a pension plan of Rs 2,300 crore for ex- Armed forces personnel under the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme. Actually this was the enhancement of the amount of Minimum Pension fixed by the Sixth Pay Commission was to be approved by 01.01.2006. An another struggle was started to get the arrears of pensionery benefit from 01.01.2006 instead of the date of approval i.e. 24.09.2012 and after the Hon'ble Supreme Court judgement the pre-2006 pensioner are still waiting for this. On the time of approval of 2,300 crore the govt. said that UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the gap between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to the ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks. [Click here to view what the govt was approved on 24-09-2012 ]

As expected the Ex-servicemen Welfare Association had showed their dissatisfaction on above approval and termed it an ‘eyewash’ and a feeble attempt at “rectification” of a fault dating back to 2006. "It is deceiving. Government has wrongly interpreted the term 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP). They have not given OROP, instead they have just merely made an enhancement in pension," Chairman Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) retired Lt Gen Raj Kadyan told PTI [Click here to read full article on dissatisfaction of Ex-servicemen with the Version of BJP who was in opposition at that time]

And the orders regarding approval on 24-09-2012 was on the floor Click to view collection of orders on One Rank One Pension . After issue of these orders govt. had clarified that Government has always been sensitive to the demand for One Rank One Pension. Keeping in view the spirit of the demand, several Commissions/Committees have gone into the matter. All the recommendations of the Committee have been implemented by issue of Government letters on 17.01.2013. [click here to view One Rank One Pension: Status of Implementation ]

After this approval the following major improvement was seen in this matter:-

1. Govt. has denied Defence Personnel due in Pension & Rank Pay in spite of several Court Judgement [Click to view]

2. One Rank One Pension to be implemented from 2014-15 [Click to view]

3. The Government has accepted the principle of ‘one rank one pension’ for the defence forces and has allocated Rs. 500 crore for the Interim Budget 2014-15 by UPA Govt.

4. Implement One Rank, One Pension Soon, MoD Told: Express News Service

5. Grant of pensionary benefits from 01-01-2006: Govt's curative petition dismissed by Supreme Court

6. “My government is committed to One-rank One-pension,” said PM Modi on board INS Vikramaditya.

7. In Budget 2014-15 the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley also proposed a further sum of Rs 1,000 crore to address the pension disparities while implementing the policy of “one rank one pension” for soldiers. Click to view

8. Demand for one-rank one-pension to be considered: Rajnath Singh

In place of phrase "narrow the gap in pension" a new word "modalities" being used by govt. for One Rank One Pension
9. OROP will be implemented once the modalities are approved – "The principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the Government. The modalities for implementation were discussed with various stakeholders and are presently under consideration of the Government." Govt Statement in Rajya Sabha on 15-11-2014 Click here to view

10. One Rank One Pension promise in peril? - Times of India Article

11. One Rank One Pension Scheme for Armed Forces still on paper 22-12-2014

12. Parrikar Asks MoD Officials to Evolve A Policy for Reducing Court Cases on Pensions

After this only promise and future dates on dates given for approval of One Rank One Pension Scheme:-
13. On 27-12-2014 ‘One rank, one pension’ scheme before next Budget: Parrikar View

14. Government will keep its promise of one rank, one pension: Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on 13-01-2015 View

15. OROP Table in Circulation

16. One Rank, One Pension proposal this week - अगले हफ्ते होगा 'वन रैंक वन पेंशन' पर निर्णय 01st Feb, 2015 Click to View

17. Achchey Din For Retired Faujis - "वन रैंक, वन पेंशन" की घोषणा अगले सप्ताह 17 Feb, 2015 Click to View

18. Withdraw the privileges of MP & MLA and utilize the money for One Rank One Pension: Tarun Vijay, MP BJP Click to View

19. Meeting of IESM Delegation with RM Sh Manohar Parrikar on 2 Mar 2015 Click to View

20. Promise of One Rank One Pension fulfilled in Budget: Chairman IESM Click to View

21. One rank-one pension by April-end, Army chief says Click to View

22. One Rank One Pension: Modalities will finalized by 1st week of April, 2015 & 1st Payment on 1st week of May, 2015, arrears in 4 equal installments: Defence Minister Assured in NEXCC meeting Click to View

23. OROP already finalised, prepared properly, involves an amount 8,000 crore approx: Parrikar Click to View

24. One rank One pension - Shadow of A Promise Click to View

25. NExCC meeting with Defence Minister: One Rank One Pension required a second approval from Parliament Click to Vie

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'Narendra Modi may announce one-rank one-pension later this month'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make an announcement later this month on ex-servicemen's long-pending demand of one-rank one-pension.

Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Defence on Tuesday told media persons that since coming to power in May last year the National Democratic Alliance consulted all stakeholders on the issue and then arrived at a decision.

"We came to power in May last year. Over the past one year we have consulted political parties, all stakeholders on one-rank one-pension, whether they are servicemen or ex-servicemen ," he said.

"After having consulted everybody, a decision has been taken and the announcement of the decision is most likely to be made by the prime minister this month," Singh said on the sidelines of a ceremony held to launch the fourth and last anti-submarine warfare ship being made for the Indian Navy.

The minister said the issue was discussed and debated over the past two years and during the 2014 general election campaign the parties now in power had promised to solve the issue after talking to all stakeholders.

The "one rank, one pension" demand implies payment of a uniform pension to personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

****
One Rank One Pension Cleared in Principle, PM Modi to Take Final Call: Sources

New Delhi: The Centre has in principle cleared the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme for retired armed forces personnel, sources have told NDTV. The government has made a provision for an additional Rs. 8,300 crore for this purpose.

The scheme, which seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement, has been a long-standing demand of the over 20 lakh ex-servicemen in the country. Majority of Defence personnel hang up their boots much before 60 years. Also, over the years the disparity in the pension drawn by personnel of same rank who retired for instance a decade ago and those who retire now is substantial.

Demand for One Rank One Pension has been an emotive issue with defence pensioners for long. And, between 2008- 2010 veterans have on several occasions marched to Rashtrapati Bhavan to return their gallantry medals.

Sources say once Prime Minister Narendra Modi is back on May 19 from his three-nation tour, a final round of discussions will take place with him. The official announcement is likely to be made later this month, coinciding with the first anniversary celebrations of the NDA government.

The government has already made it clear that One Rank One Pension will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2014.

********************

*****************

New Delhi, June 14

Hundreds of ex-servicemen gathered at Jantar Mantar here on Sunday to protest against the delay in implementation of the one rank, one pension (OROP) policy.

The protest was organised by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM). The IESM had warned last week that if their demands were not met, they would agitate and go on a hunger strike.

The treasurer of the IESM, who is also an ex-Air Force pilot, said the advisers to the ministers in the government are behind the delay in implementing OROP.

“It is the advisers of the ministers who have made up their mind. A previous Defence Secretary had said ‘OROP over my dead body', now they have to stay with that sentiment... Two Parliaments have approved it, every single national party has said yes... Investigation into this matter had revealed that it is a just thing to be done and yet after 32 years we are still wondering what is happening,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NDA Government at the Centre has drawn flak from various political parties over its delay in implementing the OROP scheme.

Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the nation in his eighth edition of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, had assured ex-servicemen that his government would soon resolve the OROP issue.

The OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of ex-servicemen's associations and relates to payment of uniform pension to defence forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.

---------------

One Rank One Pension required a second approval from Parliament

26.4.2015

KOCHI:Delegates of the National Ex-servicemen Coordination Committee met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at his office in New Delhi on Wednesday and took up the issue of ‘One-Rank-One-Pension’ (OROP), which is pending before the Ministry for some time.

The Committee briefed the Minister about the concerns of the ex-servicemen community over the non-implementation of the OROP scheme by the Defence Ministry, though he had promised prompt action at a meeting held on March 18.

National Ex-servicemen Coordination Committee vice-chairman V S John, who was part of the delegation, said the Minister assured that all modalities and formalities to implement the One-Rank-One-Pension scheme were completed for issuing order. However, the Minister said the matter required a second approval from the Parliament. “The Minister was very considerate of the Pension of Personnel Below Officer Rank issue, and assured that he would obtain the approval of Parliament in the current session itself. The orders to implement the decisions will be issued before the current Parliament session concludes,” he said.

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One rank One pension - Shadow of A Promise: Outlook Article

The Modi government is apparently set to keep the promise he made to ex-soldiers

The Narendra Modi government is expected to deliver on its “one rank, one pension” (OROP) promise, a promise the prime minister himself made to armed forces veterans when he kicked off his election campaign in Rewari, a southern district of Haryana with a strong tradition of sending men into the armed forces. According to a source, defence minister Manohar Parrikar has approved the policy and payments are to be made with arrears, which will altogether cost the government Rs 8,000 crore.

The pension payment would be linked to an ex-serviceman’s last salary drawn and the government has promised to put a previously retired veteran’s pension at par with that of a freshly retired ex-serviceman of the same rank and years of service. This will partly assuage a 40-year-old grievance of officers and ranks from the three forces.

The government is expected to table the proposal during the ongoing budget session of Parliament, with the release of funds to be announced when the government marks one year in office. Based on the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations in 2008, the then government adopted a discriminatory pension policy for ex-servicemen of the same rank and length of service. Simply put, since 2006, ex-servicemen of the same rank and number of years in service have been paid different pension amounts, based on when they had retired.

Ex-servicemen object to this disparity since the cost of living today is the same for everyone, regardless of when they retired. It seemed the government expected that a general, air-marshal or jawan who retired in the 1990s should have a different lifestyle from their successors of the same rank and length of service who retired later with a higher last drawn salary.

Former defence personnel had previously organised themselves and lobbied with the government at different times. But the disparity in pension hurt veterans across ranks and they held a protest rally at India Gate, much to the embarrassment of the then UPA government. A day after his nomination was announced in September 2013 as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Modi’s first speech was not at a party event. The Indian Ex-Servicemen’s Movement (iesm) had organised the event in Haryana and with thousands of ex-servicemen in attendance, Modi had played to the gallery promising he would implement the OROP policy. A week before that, former chief of army staff and now Union minister of state for external affairs, General (retd) V.K. Singh had made the same promise. Both played up the issue because it affects around 24 lakh ex-servicemen, 6.5 lakh martyrs’ widows and the 14 lakh men and women in uniform protecting the country. Ten days after Modi’s speech, then Congress MP Rao Inderjeet Singh, from Gurgaon, gave up his Congress membership and joined the BJP.

After becoming prime minister, Modi had repeated the promise in at least five places, one of them during his much-hyped Diwali visit to Siachen. Due to the high number of veterans from Haryana, Modi had also pitched OROP while campaigning for the recent assembly elections in the state. It had worked before the elections and ex-servicemen had stood behind Modi. Now, the hopeful veterans seem to be a little circumspect about promises of payments, till the dues actually arrive in their bank accounts.

The cynicism is not misplaced. On May 4, 2009, while polling for the 2009 Lok Sabha general elections that were then in progress, there was a backdoor message from the then government that it had constituted not one but two committees to look into the OROP issue. “The Congress had little or no hope of returning to power. We voted for them, trusting their intentions,” claims Major General (retd) Satbir Singh, chairman of iesm.

On May 30, after winning the elections, the UPA rejected the OROP demand, claiming that one of the two high-level committees constituted by it had rejected the demand. “The bureaucracy has always aborted any political attempt to implement OROP. They have used commas and full stops to distort a lucid policy initiative that would have motivated the army and invoked soldiers’ faith in the government,” says Satbir Singh.

During UPA-II’s term, veterans met then defence minister A.K. Antony several times to lobby for OROP implementation. Antony would give them a listen, but kept the proposal in prolonged hibernation. After failed attempts to meet then President of India (who is also supreme commander of the armed forces), veterans had in fact handed back their medals and gallantry awards along with a petition signed in their blood.

An MP finally raised the issue directly with the famously reticent Manmohan Singh to ask what they would do about OROP. “The PM simply said if he allowed OROP for ex-servicemen, the administrative services would also ask for similar pension benefits,” claims the MP. Just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the UPA made another audacious attempt to seduce ex-servicemen, acknowledging their potential as a vote-bank. On February 17, 2014, the government announced ‘one rank, one pension’ as a budget announcement. It was however too little and too late: Modi had won the allegiance of ex-servicemen.

The veterans last met Parrikar on April 14. After much fidgeting with the government calculator, the minister assured them that the government would announce the policy any day now. The OROP arrears calculations by iesm are nearly Rs 12,000 crore but they are ready to begin with the disbursement of around Rs 8,000 crore.

In 1973, the Third Pay Commission had cut ex-servicemen’s pension and increased that of civilians. The armed forces veterans did not agree to this inequity, citing the life risk and “supreme sacrifice” (of life) involved in serving the armed forces.

There is sufficient pressure on the Modi government not just due to its pre-poll promises, but also due to the demotivating effect not implementing OROP will have on those still serving. Only time will tell if Manmohan Singh’s apprehension was totally unfounded. If the central government accepts the OROP principle, it may well have to be extended to all government employees both at the Centre and in the states. While the Centre may be able to afford the extra expenses, no figure is available yet of the impact it might have on states’ finances.

Read at: Outlook

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24.2.2015

Implementation of One Rank One Pension Scheme

The principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the Government. The modalities for implementation have been discussed with various stakeholders and are presently under consideration of the Government. It will be implemented once the modalities are approved by the Government.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Avinash Rai Khannain Rajya Sabha today.

**************
2.12.2014
Implementation of One Rank One Pension The principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the Government. The modalities for implementation were discussed with various stakeholders and are presently under consideration of the Government. It will be implemented once the modalities are approved by the Government.

One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancement in the rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha today.

------------
28.11.2014
One Rank One Pension Scheme The principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the Government. The modalities for implementation were discussed with various stakeholders and are presently under consideration of the Government. It will be implemented once the modalities are approved by the Government. No Budget was allocated for the purpose in the Budget 2013-14. Total number of beneficiaries or OROP will be known once the modalities are approved.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Hukum Singh and others in Lok Sabha today.

OFFICE OF THE PR. CONTROLLER OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS (PENSIONS) DRAUPADI GHAT, ALLAHABAD – 211014 Circular No. 508. Dated: 19.02.2013

To,

1. The Chief Accountant, RBI & 12 others

Subject: Implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Committee Secretaries Committee- 2012 on the issues related to Defence Service Personnel and Ex-Servicemen- Improvement in Casualty Pensionary Awards for pre- 2006 Armed Forces Officers and JCO/ ORs and equivalents.

Reference: This Office Circular No. 503 dated 17.01.2013.

Kindly refer to Table No. 1 appended in this office circular cited under reference. Your attention is invited wherein to various nomenclature columns (Column 6, 8, 11, 13, 17,19) the 2nd Life awards of SFP and 2nd Life awards of LFP have been shown. However, in the case of Commissioned Officers it should be Dependent Pension (Special) and Dependent Pension (Liberalised). In order to facilitate the PDAs for smooth revision and implementation, the same has been rectified and an amended Table No. 1(Revised) is enclosed for necessary revision/ action.

It is also mentioned that the rates of Dependent Pension (Liberalised) in case both parents are alive are @ of 75% of LFP. This has been left out inadvertently which has now been reproduced in the revised table.

2. All Pension Disbursing Authorities are authorized to revise/ update the family pension in respect of Commissioned Officers equivalent as per tables attached to this circular, if the same is beneficial. Table No. 1 appended in Circular No. 503 is replaced by Table No. 1(Revised) annexed with this circular.

3. All other terms and conditions for revision of family pension in respect of pre-2006 Armed Forces family pensioners drawing pension under casualty pensionary awards shall remain unchanged.

No. Grants/Tech/0167-XIII (508) (ALOK PATNI) Dated: - 19^th February 2013. ACDA(P)

Amended Table 1

RATE OF MINIMUM GUARANTEED FAMILY PENSION WEF 24th SEPT 2012 (COMMISSIONED OFFICERS)

Equivalent ranks			Non technical Commissioned Officers of AMC & Commissioned Officers other than MNS/ AMC/ ADC/ RVC
ARMY	NAVY	AIR FORCE	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	Dependent Pension (Liberalised)
ARMY	NAVY	AIR FORCE	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	in case of both parents are alive	in case of single parent / dependent brother(s) and sister (s)
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Lt./2nd Lt.	Sub Lt.	Fg Offr.	27000	18558	9279	30930	23198	18558
Captain	Lt.	Flt.Lt.	30700	19374	9687	32290	24218	19374
Major	Lt. Cdr.	Sqn Ldr.	36400	21846	10923	36410	27308	21846
Lt. Colonel (TS)	Cdr. (TS)	Wg. Cdr (TS)	52530	31518	15759	52530	39398	31518
Lt. Colonel	Cdr.(S)	Wg. Cdr (S)	52530	31518	15759	52530	39398	31518
Colonel (TS)	Capt.(TS)	Gp. Capt.(TS)	55590	33354	16677	55590	41693	33354
Colonel	Capt	Gp.Capt.	55590	33354	16677	55590	41693	33354
Brigadier	Commodore	Air Cmde	58290	34974	17487	58290	43718	34974
Major General	Real Admiral	AVM	60700	36420	18210	60700	45525	36420
Lt.General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	73000	43800	21900	73000	54750	43800
DGAFMS
Lt. General (Army Cdr/VCOAS)	Vice Admiral (FOC-in-C)/ VCNS	Air Marshal (AOC-in C)/ VCAS	80000	48000	60000	80000	60000	48000
COAS/ Field Marshal	CNS	CAS	90000	54000	67500	90000	67500	54000

Equivalent ranks			Commissioned Officers (AMC/ADC/RVC)
ARMY	NAVY	AIR FORCE	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	Dependent Pension (Liberalised)
ARMY	NAVY	AIR FORCE	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	in case of both parents are alive	in case of single parent / dependent brother(s) and sister (s)
1	2	3	10	11	12	13	14	15
Lt./2nd Lt.	Sub Lt.	Fg Offr.	29320	18558	9279	30930	23198	18558
Captain	Lt.	Flt.Lt.	31390	19374	9687	32290	24218	19374
Major	Lt. Cdr.	Sqn Ldr.	37660	22596	11298	37660	28245	22596
Lt. Colonel (TS)	Cdr. (TS)	Wg. Cdr (TS)	54010	32406	16203	54010	40508	32406
Lt. Colonel	Cdr.(S)	Wg. Cdr (S)	54010	32406	16203	54010	40508	32406
Colonel (TS)	Capt.(TS)	Gp. Capt.(TS)	57220	34332	17166	57220	42915	34332
Colonel	Capt	Gp.Capt.	57260	34356	17178	57260	42945	34356
Brigadier	Commodore	Air Cmde	60160	36096	18048	60160	45120	36096
Major General	Real Admiral	AVM	62500	37500	18750	62500	46875	37500
Lt.General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	75190	45114	22557	75190	56393	45114
DGAFMS			80000	48000	24000	80000	60000	48000
Lt. General (Army Cdr/VCOAS)	Vice Admiral (FOC-in-C)/ VCNS	Air Marshal (AOC-in C)/ VCAS	80000	48000	24000	80000	60000	48000
COAS/ Field Marshal	CNS	CAS	90000	54000	27000	90000	67500	54000

Commissioned Officers (MNS)
Rank	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	Dependent Pension (Liberalised)
Rank	Min of fitment table	SFP	Dependent Pension (Special)	LFP	in case of both parents are alive	in case of single parent / dependent brother(s) and sister (s)
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
Lt.	25200	15120	7560	25200	18900	15120
Capt.	27390	16434	8217	27390	20543	16434
Major	31140	18684	9342	31140	23355	18684
Lt. Col.	34610	20766	10383	34610	25958	20766
Colonel	49200	29520	14760	49200	36900	29520
Brigadier	50000	30000	15000	50000	37500	30000
Major General	54090	32454	16227	54090	40568	32454

NOTE: Rate of Casualty awards for Lt/ 2nd Lt. and Cpt. Other than MNS Officers have been protected to the rate admissible for Hony. Lt. and Hony. Capt.

------------

Hon’ble Supreme Court Order Implementation: Revision of Pension on account of increase in Rank Pay

A list of Army officers whose pension has been revised on account of increase in Rank Pay in implementation of Hon’ble Supreme Court is given below.The pensioner’s copy has also been forwarded to their addresses ,who had provided their addresses to this office by mail or email.

The pensioners who has not received their copy of PPO, they are requested to provide their current address to this office e-mail ID rankpay.cdapension@gmail.com on prescribed format given below :

SN	Perticular	To be furnished by Pensioner
1	Name of Officer
2	Rank
3	Personal No.
4	Date of Retirement
5	Original PPO No.
6	Name of Banker
7	Full address of Banker
8	Bank Account No.
9	Present Residential address
10	Contact No.

http://www.pcdapension.nic.in/orank.asp

----------------------
Frequently Asked Questions
--------------------------------

On implementation of these OROP orders many doubts have been raised at the administrative level. Now, Principal Controller of Defence Accounts has issued a compilation of Frequently Asked Questions on Implementation of various orders for improving Defence Pension and Family Pension. Full Text of the same is as follows

Frequently Asked Questions on Implementation of One Rank One Pension vide Govt. Order dated 17.01.2013

Q: 1 Are these orders applicable to those pensioners also whose date of commencement of pension is exactly 01.01.2006?

A: Yes, these orders are applicable to all the pensioners/family pensioners whose date of commencement of pension is on or before 01.01.2006.

Q: 2 The date of commencement of family pension in respect of a family pensioner is 01.04.2006 whose late husband had retired from the service on 31.08.1999. Will the family pension of the family be revised under these orders?

A: Yes, the family pension will be revised under these orders because the deceased soldier was a pre-2006 retiree.

Q: 3 It is being contended by some pensioners/their associations that the arrears on account of this revision should be paid w.e.f. 01.01.2006 as the orders are merely an amendment to GOI, Mob letter dated 11.11.2008. Please clarify.

A: As the provision of these orders are effective from 24the September 2012. Hence no arrears shall be allowed for the past period.

Q:4 Will the additional pension also be revised accordingly ?

A: The improved pension will be the basic pension from 24.09.2012 and hence additional pension payable will also be revised accordingly by the PbA.

Q:5 The basic pension of a pre-2006 pensioner (Rank – Havildar , Group ‘CI’) of Army having total qualifying service of 15 years is slated to be increased from 3500/- p.m. to 5301/- P.M. Is such a high increase in Basic Pension is in order?

A: The increase in BP from 3500/- to 5301/- P.M for the pensioner with particulars as mentioned above is in order. It is evident from the existing basic pension of 3500/-PM and the particulars given above that the MIA has not revised pension of the individual correctly w.e.f. 01.07.2009. The correct entitlement of the individual is as under:

Basic Pension w.e.f. :

01.01.2006 3500/- P.M PCCIA(P) Cir No. 397

01.07.2009 4635/-PM ,, ,, 430

24.09.2012 5301/- P.M ,, ,, 501

Q:6 In most of the cases neither the pensioner has applied to the MIA for revision of their pension nor any Corr PPO or instructions have been received by the MIA from the PSA. Please supply the proforma of application in this regard.

A: It has been clearly mentioned in the orders that the revision of pension by PCIAs has to be made with reference to Pension Tables annexed to the orders. No further authorization from the PSA or any application from the affected pensioner is required to carry out the revision.

Q:7 The tables annexed to circular No 501 & Circular No. 502 start from QS of 15 years onwards. How to revise the pension of a pensioner having less than 15 years if qualifying years?

A: Following elements of pension / type of pension are to be revised by PSA.

· Special Pension

· Invalid pension

· Service element of disability pension in respect of PBOR discharged withless than 15 years qualifying service

· Service pension of TA personnel irrespective of their QS service and

· Service element of War Injury Pension and Liberalized Disability Pension

Q:8 Mr. ‘X’ who is a Hony Nb Sub, Gp ‘D’ pensioner having total QS of 24 years is already drawing a basic pension of 7750/- PM. However as per table – 4 (Army) annexued to Cir No 501, his basic pension w.e.f. 24.9.12 should be 7601/- PM. Please advise how to regulate such cases.

A: The existing pension of the pensioner in such cases might have been revised by PCDA (P) by issuing Corr PPO (s) based on some courts orders etc. No action by PDA is required in such cases.

Q:9 Mr ‘X’ is a DSC pensioner in receipt of two pensions, one for regular Army service, and another for DSC service. Are both these pensions to be revised by PDAs?

A: The pension for regular Army service will only be revised under these orders by the PDA. A reference for revision of pension for DSC service will be sent to PCDA (P).

Q:10 The tables annexed to Circular No 501, in respect of DSC pensioner seem to be incomplete e.g. the table in respect of Sep of DSC are only up to QS of 23 years. How to revise pension of a sep of DSC who has total QS of 24 years or above?

A: Sepoy in DSC have maximum engagement period up to 20 years only with the exception that the maximum term of engagement can be up to 23 years in case of pensioner retired on or 30.5.98. Hence QS in such type of cases may be restricted to the maximum permissible and pension revised accordingly. Period-wise complete list of maximum terms of engagement for JC0s/ORs is enclosed in Appendix-X to Cir No 501.

Q:11 There is no table annexed to Cir No 502 to revise Ordinary Family Pension for NOKs of DSC Personnel. Please advise how to revise such cases ?

A: The family pension in respect of DSC personnel who are in receipt of family pension for only DSC service are to be revised at the same rates as given for family pensioners of Regular Army. DSC personnel on “clerical duty” and “other duty” are entitled for family pension of regular Army personnel of group “Y” and “Z” respectively.

Q:12 What are the basic fields/data required to revise pension under these order?

A: The basic fields/data required to revise pension under these orders are as follows:

1. Type of pension viz Retiring pension/service pension/ Ordinary Family Pension/ Special Family Pension/ War Injury Pension/ Dependant Pension

2. Rank of the pensioner

3. Group of the pensioner (only for JCOs / PBORs)

4. Qualifying service (without weightage)

5. Record Office

6. Date of commencement

7. Date of Retirement

Q :13 How to look for the above information in the PPO or related record ?

A: In case of Post -86 retires all the information is generally available in the original PPO of the Pensioner. In cases where the required information is not available in the PPO or other record of the PDA, the missing information may be called for from the PSA concerned.

Q:14 In case of Pre-86 retires Qualifying service is generally not available in the PPO of the pensioner. Pl. advise the way out to regulate such cases.

A: The qualifying service in such type of cases can be looked for in the original Descriptive Roll of the pensioner or in the Corrigendum PPO(s). Original discharge book/certificate issued to the pensioner by the Record office is also an authentic source of such information.

A: Following are the 4 major categories of JC0s/PBORs based on Record office.

1. Naval Record Office

2. Air Force Record Office

3. DSC Cannanore Record Office

4. All other Record offices except those mentioned above.

Different tables are available to cater to these categories and hence the importance of information about Record Office can’t be done away with.

Q:16 Please provide some model calculations to further increase the understanding?

CASE I

A: Some model calculations are done here:

Name of Pensioner J.S. Bala

Name of Bank SBI Chandigarh

Existing Pension 26050/- ( Cir No. 397 )

Rank Colonel

Qualifying Service 26 Years 05 Months

Date of Commencement 07/06/1990

Being a commissioned officer of Regular Army, the revision is to be done as per Annexure -A (table No 1) annexed to PCDA (P) Circular No 500. Look in relevant column for the rank and relevant row for qualifying service. The revised pension w.e.f. 24.9.2012 comes out to 27795/- P.M.

CASE II

Name of the pensioner Smt Amarjit Kaur

Name of Bank SBI Moholi

Existing pension 8679/- ( Cir No. 397 )

Rank Major

Date of Commencement 19/07/1990

Being the family of a commissioned officer of Army, the revision is to be done as per annexure -A (table No -2) annexed to PCCIA (P) Circular No 500. The revised pension w.e.f. 24.9.2012 comes out to 10923/- p.m.

Case III:

Name of Pensioner : Sukhvinder Singh

Name of Bank : SBI Ropar

Existing Pension : 13500/- ( Cir No. 397)

Rank : MWO-Hony.Flying Officer

Qualifying Service : 34 Years

bate of Commencement : 01/01/1985

bate of Birth : 08/12/1929

The existing pension of the pensioner is not in order. Firstly, it needs to be raised to 13590/- from 13500/- P.M. wef 01/07/2009 as per PCCIA (P) Circular No 482 dt 19/04/02012. Then look for revised pension for the Rank and QS in Table -20 (Air Force) annexed to Circular NO 501. The revised pension should be 15465/- wef 24/09/12.

Moreover, as the pensioner is more than 80 years old, he is also entitled to additional pension corresponding to revised pension.

Nodel Officer for Queries Complaints related CSC 2012

Shri. S. K. Mahajan, (SAO) Complaint Cell, PCCIA(P) braupadi Ghat

Allahabad – 211 014

Contact No. 053-2421877, 2421879 Ext : 307, 327

Email Address : cda-albd@nic.in

5 comments:

UnknownNovember 15, 2015 at 2:50 PM
I sereeved in IAF for 15 years w.e.f 1977 to 1992. I wanont to know How much I will be increased in orop now
UnknownNovember 21, 2015 at 2:29 PM
You have shared a great insight on the topic. It is really a wonderful experience to go through the article. I was searching this kind of information everywhere. Very happy to find this stuff here! Thanks for sharing! Keep sharing!

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One Rank One Pension implementation - Details

OROP: Protestors to return medals, Parrikar assures scheme by Diwali

Retired Defence Personnel Protesting Over One Rank One Pension Begin Relay Hunger Strike

Implementation of One Rank One Pension Scheme

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Avinash Rai Khannain Rajya Sabha today.

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Rank	Levels	Rate per month (INR)
Service Officers	10 and above	27000
Honorary Commissioned Officers
Subedar Major / Equivalents	6 to 9	17000
Subedar / Equivalents
Naib Subedar / Equivalents
Havildar / Equivalents	5 And below	12000
Naik / Equivalents
Sepoy / Equivalents

One Rank One Pension implementation - Details

OROP: Protestors to return medals, Parrikar assures scheme by Diwali

Retired Defence Personnel Protesting Over One Rank One Pension Begin Relay Hunger Strike

Implementation of One Rank One Pension Scheme

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shri Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Avinash Rai Khannain Rajya Sabha today.

Related Posts

Post a Comment

5 comments:

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