Central Government Announces One Rank One Pension Scheme for Ex-Servicemen

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.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE OROP TABLE PBOR

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:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE OROP TABLE PBOR

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.

One Rank One Pension (OROP) – Central Government Ignores Week-long Protests

One Rank One Pension – Central Government Ignores Week-long Protests

“The protests that began in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last Monday, demanding immediate implementation of the OROP continues even as the government chooses to turn a blind eye towards it”

Ex-servicemen have been protesting now for a week at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding the immediate implementation of the OROP scheme. Similar protests are also on at 20 important cities in the country to put pressure on the government to act.

The series of protests is jointly organized by 30 ex-servicemen welfare organizations, under the leadership of Chairman of IESM, Maj. Gen. Satbir Singh. Speaking to the media, Satbir Singh said, “Until now the Government has not tried to negotiate with us. If there are no results for the protests, we will shift our protests to Bihar.”

The protesters believe that the government will be more receptive to their demands if the protests affect the party’s chances of winning the state elections in Bihar.

BJP’s parliamentary election manifesto last year promised immediate implementation of the OROP if they come to power. After coming to power, assurances were given by the ministers including the prime minister himself.

Ex-servicemen expected a formal announcement to be made at the first year rally. But, not a word was uttered about this. The ex-servicemen did not lose hope.

On June 1, in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio show, the prime minister assured that he will implement the OROP scheme.

Media reports indicated that sufficient funds were allocated in the previous financial year and that steps are on to implement the scheme. Reports further added that the revised pension scheme is very similar to those of the MPs. But, one has to also accept the fact that the scheme is much closer to implementation than it ever was during the Congress regime.

Many wonder why the army-men have resorted to protests. A number of reasons are being given for the protests.

Click to continue…

OROP Scheme – VK Singh says the Centre is certainly committed to implement

OROP Scheme – VK Singh says the Centre is certainly committed to implement

“For more than four days now, the relay fast protests by the ex-servicemen have been on in New Delhi demanding the immediate implementation of the OROP scheme.”

All over the country, in 20 cities, the relay fast protests by ex-servicemen, seeking the immediate implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme have entered its fourth day.

Meanwhile, the Central Minister, VK Singh, who was in Hyderabad yesterday, has told the PTI news agency that the OROP scheme will definitely be implemented.

Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh, “I’m very confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will definitely fulfill all his promises. Steps are on to implement the scheme. Some confusion regarding the calculations has to be sorted out. The Modi government will very soon address the needs of the ex-servicemen. Please do not lose hope,” he added.

According to sources, the United Front of Ex-Servicemen has told a leading newspaper announced yesterday that the OROP scheme will be announced in another few days.

The ex-servicemen have managed to draw the attention of the entire country and the media to their cause through the protest. But they are still waiting for a sign from the Government that their demands have been heard.

Source: www.7thpaycommissionnews.in

One Rank One Pension – Ex-servicemen launch nationwide stir

One Rank One Pension – Ex-servicemen launch nationwide stir

Ex-servicemen have launched a series of protests all over the country demanding the implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme. A massive relay hunger strike began in New Delhi.

In select cities around the country, ex-servicemen gathered in huge numbers to express their dissatisfaction against the government.

Ex-servicemen are being given pension depending on the year of their retirement, their ranks, and the number of years that they had served. Soldiers who had retired before 1996 continue to get very low pensions compared to those who had retired after 1996, leading to a great dissatisfaction among those who belong to the former category. A senior officer who had retired before 1996 draws lesser pension than his junior officers who had retired after 1996. Despite the fact that budgetary allocations were made to resolve this issue, nothing was done.

In addition to Delhi, similar protests are also on in Bihar, Jalandar, and Bengaluru.

Implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) Scheme : Madras High Court Notice to Centre on Petition by Ex Serviceman

Implementation of OROP Scheme : Madras High Court Notice to Centre on Petition by Ex Serviceman

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.

Read more at NDTV

Central Govertment committed to One Rank One Pension (OROP), there’s no doubt about it: PM Narendra Modi

Govt committed to OROP, there’s no doubt about it: PM Narendra Modi

In an exclusive interview to the Tribune, PM takes on the Opposition ove land bill, ‘achhe din’ jibe, corruption and economy

Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29

One Rank One Pension:

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 justify 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 justify 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

Read more at : The Tribune EPaper

One Rank One Pension – The long outstanding demand of the military veterans

One Rank One Pension – The long outstanding demand of the military veterans
The One Rank One Pension (OROP), the long outstanding demand of the military veterans. Unfortunately, the govt has been playing ‘Snakes and Ladders’ with this issue, the only ladder in the board being the announcement regarding acceptance of OROP by the erstwhile finance minister during the Interim Budget 2014 – 15 on 17 Feb 2014, followed by a reiteration of the intent by the present incumbent in his budget speech on 10 Jul 2014.
Modi, as the Prime Ministerial candidate, made a promise to implement OROP at his inaugural election rally in Rewari on 15 Sep 2013 in front of a mammoth crowd of military veterans. He followed it up by reiterating the Promise in his election rallies in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and Rajasthan. After assuming office he visited military and naval establishments and went to the extent of stating that ‘OROP has been implemented’ during his visit to Siachen in Oct 2014. Now it is May 2015 and the ‘implemented’ OROP is still hanging fire.

The administration’s ingenuities to delay, confuse and dilute the scheme make an interesting study. To start with it was pronounced that the satisfaction level would be 80% as 100 % satisfaction is never given in real life. Then the bogey of the civil bureaucrats demanding OROP was put out. Next it was announced that the exact cost of OROP to the exchequer was being worked out. The erstwhile FM announced OROP in Feb 2014. Chidambaram is not a slip shod minister who would make an announcement in the Parliament without getting the financial implications JUSTIFY. Subsequently the present FM made the pronouncement in the Parliament. Did he make the announcement without knowing the costs?
Thereafter the cost speculation went wild with assessments ranging from Rs 600 crores to Rs 14000 crores and the DM is on record stating that his own assessment of the cost is between Rs 6000 and Rs 8000 crores. After this narrative had run out of steam, the Veterans were told that the govt letter was being drafted. With a clear definition of OROP and the Service Headquarters putting out a draft implementation orders, one year delay can only be attributed to the perverted thinking of the bureaucracy.

The net result is the allotment of Rs 500 crores made by the earlier govt and Rs 1000 crores in 2014 – 2015 budgets by the present govt have lapsed to the govt probably as intended!!

Take a look at the time delay. The Defence Minister (DM) is on record stating that the scheme will be implemented by Mar 2015. The goal post then got shifted to ‘before the completion of one year in office’ that is by 25 May 2015. A few weeks ago, the target has been further stretched to Jul 2015 through quiet whispers. The latest one heard was the DM stating at a media conference that he cannot commit to a date as the matter is under consideration outside the Defence Ministry. As of today, the OROP issue it seems may not be resolved in the near future. The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 22 May 2015 had said that the “methodology of calculation”was still being worked out in consultation with the Defence Ministry.
The aim appears to be to drag the proposal closer to the 7th Central Pay Commission and lob the ball in the Commission’s court. This will force the entire process to start afresh. OROP thus seems to have reached square one – an effect of the Snake in the game that the bureaucracy has been playing.

What is the intention? My own guess is that the bureaucracy has found a way to dilute the benefits to make it ‘One Rank Half Pension.’ Remember some time back the DM had talked about ‘Military Pension?’ He also made a very confusing statement subsequently: “We should have a pay scale kind of scheme, where over a particular period you fix a pension – let us not define the period because we are in active discussion on that with finance ministry – and then at the end of the period they can all get upgraded, or rationalised.” The ‘Military Pension’ plan it appears may be in accordance with the definition of OROP but will fall short of the pensions of the present day retirees and probably delinked from the last pay drawn. In the bargain the new retirees may draw lesser pensions than what they would have, based on their last pay drawn. Is this the reason how the Rs 14000 crore estimates came down to Rs 8300 crores? There seems to be no end to the treachery of the bureaucracy.

Courtesy V.Mahalingam – The Times of India

(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and the article was not intended to represent the views of cgstaffportal.blogspot.in)

One Rank One Pension – Rahul Gandhi is doing politics over this issue : BJP

One Rank One Pension – Rahul Gandhi is doing politics over this issue : BJP

Centre committed to implementing ‘One Rank One Pension’ policy: BJP

Criticising Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for politicising the ‘One Rank One Pension’ issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said the Centre is committed to its implementation.

“Our government is committed to the implementation of the ‘One Rank One Pension’ policy. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Defence Minister have clarified in the last two days that modalities involved the implementation of this have been worked out and it will soon be a reality. Rahul Gandhi is doing politics over this issue but he will not succeed,” BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told ANI.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier in the day met ex-servicemen at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. After the meeting, he said that his party would mount pressure on the NDA Government to implement the scheme at the earliest.

Read more at : Yahoo News

Enhancing Military Capabilities is the Top Priority– Manohar Parrikar

After the implementation of OROP the pension related anomalies will be reduced – Manohar Parrikar

Enhancing Military Capabilities is the Top Priority– Manohar Parrikar

The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar has said that his top priority is to enhance military capabilities of the country with due focus on modernization of the armed forces. Inaugurating a two-day Controllers’ Conference of Defence Accounts Department, here today, he said, high serviceability levels of equipment and weapon systems and high morale of soldiers is also necessary which is possible with an effective and optimum resource utilisation. He stressed on working as an integrated whole with shared resources of data and information, specifically in area of pension, payments, compilation and accounting preferably on real time basis. The Defence Minister emphasized that faster and transparent decision making and focus on “Make in India” are the two pillars of our strategy for leapfrogging our economy to a higher growth. Shri Parrikar cautioned the Defence Accounts officials against any attack of hackers on their database.

Shri Parrikar also inaugurated Pension Call Centre for dealing the queries from the pensioners and their families regarding their entitlement and pension payments. The Pension call centre for Army pensioners has been established in the office of PCDA (Pension) at Allahabad and can be accessed through the toll free number 1800 180 5321. The Defence Minister also hinted that an order regarding implementation of One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP) may be issued very soon. He said after the implementation of OROP the pension related anomalies will be reduced. On this occasion a statistical hand book on defence expenditure was also released by the Defence Minister. Earlier, Director General of Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Shri MJ Joseph presented a ISO 9001 certificate to Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) Shri Arvind Kaushal for its Delhi Defence Accounts Office.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh, CGDA Shri Arvind Kaushal and Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Ms Vandana Srivastava were amongst the dignitaries who graced the inaugural function.

The theme of the conference is ‘Good Governance through strategic collaboration. During the conference, four business sessions concerning shared Database, E-Governance, Strengthening of IFAs System and HRD issues have been planned covering the Department’s working and emphasizing synergy with its client etc. of the defence services. Senior officer of the department as well as defence forces will lead the panel discussions on these issues and provide a road map for collaborated system improvements.

Source: PIB News

One Rank One Pension Scheme – Defence Minister today replied in Parliament

One Rank One Pension Scheme – Defence Minister today replied in Parliament

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. Financial implication could be calculated, once the modalities are finalized and approved by the Government.

Possible amendments to the pension policies are being examined with a view to reduce litigation for removing disparities in pension of various ex-servicemen.

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

Source: www.7thpaycommissionnews.in