Is Army really sensitive to the needs of ex-servicemen?

Jaipur, Oct 28 (PTI) Army Chief General Bikram Singh today said the Army is sensitive to the needs of ex-servicemen and will ensure that their issues are addressed.
Gen Singh, addressing a rally of ex-servicemen in Rajasthan''s Jhunjhunu district, said the Army would take all steps to ensure that ex-servicemen and their families are cared for.
This was his first major interaction with ex-servicemen in the state during which approximately 15,000 ex-servicemen were present, according to defence spokesperson S D Goswami.
The Army Chief said a military school would be opened in Jhunjhunu and he would pursue it from Delhi, sources present in the function said.
He said whenever he visits the prime minister, he reminds him about canteen, medical and health problems and one-rank- one-pension for ex-servicemen, the sources said. On the occasion, the Army Chief recollected the glorious history of courage and sacrifices made by the people of the state and motivated youth to join the Armed forces.
He exhorted the gathering to continue their selfless service towards society and nation building by encouraging the youth to join this noble profession. The event was marked by distribution of Mobility Scooters to disabled soldiers, financial grant for education and daughter''s marriage and felicitation of Veer Naris and elderly ex-servicemen.
Different agencies from the Army, state government and private sector established stalls to render assistance and spread awareness on pension, health, education, banking, insurance, agriculture, placement, rehabilitation and recruitment to resolve concerns of ex-servicemen.
Singh''s wife and president of AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association), Bubbles Singh, inaugurated a medical camp with doctors, including specialists, carrying out medical checkups, rendering advice and distributing medicines to large number of veterans on the occasion.
In Jhunjhunu, the Army Chief and the AWWA president were received by Army Commander Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan.
Army sensitive to ex-servicemen needs: Gen Singh
Army Chief Visits Yole and Addresses Ex-Servicemen Rally at Pathankot
Is the Chief really batting for the ESM? KRA for veterans remains only on paper
KRA- ESM Welfare- What it really means

Treating the ESM and defence force communities with courtesy, respect and sensitivity to their individual circumstances

Responding promptly to feedback, inquiries and correspondence

Demonstrating personal commitment to delivering quality service- like ECHS, CSD facilities and displaying correct and up to date Pension Entitlements

Improving the range, accessibility, quality, timeliness, consistency and coordination of services

Keeping the ESM and defence force communities informed of their full entitlements and available services- re employment and rehabilitation

Explaining welfare decisions clearly and facilitating interacion

OROP: Rajeev Chandrasekhar writes to PM

Honour the Commitment and Implement One Rank, One Pension for Armed Forces Veterans, says Rajeev Chandrasekhar - October 08, 2012

Letter to PM

PM Response
Rajeev Chandrasekhar Speech in Special Parliament Session
Speech by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, during special session of Parliament on 60th anniversary of Indian Parliament. On the occasion, Rajeev Chandrasekhar urged for introspection and credible action to regain the faith of people in Indian Parliament as an institution.

OROP: Letter to President

Ex-armymen write to President, PM
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, October 16, 2012
Ex-servicemen of the state capital have approached the President with their demand of implementing ‘One Rank One Pay’ (OROP) with an immediate effect. This scheme, if implemented, means that personnel retiring at the same rank and putting in the same tenure of service gets the same pension irrespective of the year of retirement. Nearly 40 former soldiers have written to the President and the Prime Minister requesting them to clarify the government’s take on the issue to ensure a time-bound implementation of the scheme. As per the present system, exservicemen under the Sixth Pay Commission get more pension than their counterparts who have retired under previous pay commissions.
The demand comes days after UPA government’s recent Rs. 2,300- crore package for pensioners in the armed services. The ex-servicemen have expressed dissatisfaction over the package saying that even it has fallen short of their expectations.
“The pension-hike is deceptive. The government has wrongly interpreted the term OROP. They have merely made an enhancement in pension,” said Major (retd) SK Saxena, who is one among those who signed on the memorandum sent to the President. A copy has also been sent to the PM, finance minister, defence minister, leader of opposition, and chief of army staff among others.
Incidentally, a few days ago, some section of electronic media flashed that the government has accepted the demand only to be refuted by print media reports next day.
“A lot of confusion exists because of the contradictory reports in media. We request you to please ensure that OROP be implemented without any further delay,” said Col (retd) MC Papnai. Last month, Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) a pan India federation of ex- servicemen’s organisations wrote letters to PM and three service chiefs explaining how the government decision does not meet their long- pending demand to ensure equitable pensions.
“To illustrate, a sepoy, naik and havildar have been given an increase of only Rs 400 per month, whereas a sepoy who retired on January 2012 draws approximately Rs 4,000 more than those who retired prior to 2006,” the letter explains, adding that similarly disparity exists in the officer ranks too.
In all, there are 18 lakh exservicemen in the country. Of them, about 5.5 lakh, including 80,000 widows, are under the central command. In UP and Uttarakhand, the number is four lakh. In Lucknow there are nearly 20,000 ex- servicemen.
Ex-armymen write to President, PM

OROP: The viral mutates to a damp squib

80th Raising Day of IMA and OROP
MONDAY, 01 OCTOBER 2012 00:17 BRIGADIER (RETD) CS THAPA
The news regarding one-rank-one-pension first emerged on the ticker around 7.30 and by 8.30 pm it went viral, thanks to mobiles.
There is a trust deficit between the veterans and the Government and none was keen to pour out the bubbly even though a neutral press was saying so, every one wanted to see the fine print. The veterans are further divided into the haves and the have-nots, or the ‘we’ and ‘they’ between those that retired before or after the sixth pay commission. The pre-veterans refused to believe it and sure enough they were proved right the moment the fine print was out. The fiasco regarding the one-rank-one pension clearly shows the misleading tendencies both of the Government and a Press which does not verify before broadcasting -- all this shows the establishment in a poor light. This is at best a gap removal exercise -- the OROP is miles away. A jawan has got a paltry increase of four hundred rupees, is that what costs the exchequer Rs 2,300 crores? The farmers got Rs 42,000 crores from UPA-I as loan waiver and the State Government electricity boards got a waiver from UPA-I for transmission losses (means stealing electricity) and the soldier for all his sacrifices gets peanuts. All this clearly shows that the veterans have a long way to go -- as long as there is babudom, we all need to read the fine print. The Tehri area has a large number of ex-servicemen one has not heard the issue of OROP being thumped on the table by any of the Tehri Parliamentary bye poll candidates- wonder if it matters to them.
Closer home, the Indian Military Academy gets ready to celebrate its 80th Raising Day, and it’s been a long journey for the Academy. The Academy has seen a passage that has been eventful and is getting ready to be dressed for the occasion. The event is likely to be a two-day event, needless to say most of us are looking forward to a good round of golf and the celebrations the next day on October 1. Such occasions normally start with a solemn ceremony wreath laying at the war memorial in honour of those who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow, and other events such as the sound and light display in front of the Chetwode building followed by dinner. One has learnt that the CM is attending the sound and light display -- wonder how he finds the time in the middle of electioneering?
The last time one attended the sound and light display it was when my friend Raj Sujlana was the Commandant. Raj is busy now recruiting people in Punjab but the sound and light legacy that he left behind is going to be seen all over again.
Forty years ago when one passed out of the Academy it was producing officers for a victorious army. The mood was different and the Academy was the connoisseur as far as officers’ training was concerned. The Americans were licking their wounds of Vietnam andPakistan was a dismembered state. The seventies and early eighties were iconic years as far as operational thought and plains warfare in the army was concerned
Then came the rebound, by Pakistan burning the Kashmir flame and starting the strategy of death by a thousand cuts, the academy had to modify its curriculum. Counter Insurgency (CI) operations and small unit operations took center stage due to a proactive media, during that stage one was a battalion commander at IMA. The academy responded well with a CI operation capsule and other changes. Suddenly Kargil dawned and the blood and guts story of the academy was highlighted. Its tough physical training had stood the test of high altitude and high endurance, some of the bravest of the brave were just out of the academy our cadets of yesterday are national heroes of today, and the academy had delivered again.
Today in its 80th year the academy again stands at crossroads. The road ahead is difficult and full of challenges. The current requirement is of a soldier scholar whom the academy is trying to nurture and bridge the intellectual gap. There are many challenges that the academy faces, needless to say it can be a separate topic of discussion but the nature of warfare is changing and the academy has done well to take measures to address this change. It becomes difficult to make changes in established mindsets and set norms therefore; one does not grudge the commandant, but he is up to doing the needful.
There is an air of expectancy as a lot of changes have been carried out to the curriculum. The bulk of the Academy has shifted to South Campus and Gentleman Cadets go scurrying about their training. The academy still attracts good material because the academy is over subscribed and there is a marked difference in the body language of a third term GC about to pass out to that of a first termer, but language skills are definitely on the decline.
The challenges for the academy not withstanding most intend to line up our stomach with butter as we wait to see the sound and light display. I know for a fact that all events done on the drill square ground in front of the Chetwode are always nostalgic and memorable; it’s the ambience of the surrounding. No wonder how many passing out parades one may witness, the last one is always the best so also will be the sound and light display. As my wife and I walk down for dinner to the new South campus mess we always miss the old mess, it was so cramped that we met one another out of sheer lack of space.
80th Raising Day of IMA and OROP

OROP: Koshyari Committee negated and fudged by Cabinet Committee

M 35 Palika Bhawan, RK Puram, Sector 13, New Delhi 110066. Dear Friends,
We had the pleasure of meeting the Hon'ble Raksha Mantri on 29 Sep, 2012 with regard to the latest announcement on OROP.
Brig Bhagwan Singh, Air Cmde Sushil Soni, Col Raj Singla, Lt Nar Singh Dass and Capt Mangal Singh were part of my Delegation.
The exchange of pleasantries were followed by the submissions we had gone to make. Before we however got down to talk about the problems, we presented the RM with a Memento commemorating the 30th Anniversary of our Association.
To begin with we presented him with a paper about the recent award prepared by our team led by Lt Nar Singh Dass, our Gen Secy on Pensionary Matters. This dealt with what we got as a result of this announcement in real terms. (Paper follows). This was prepared with whatever little information we had. We welcome comments from all of you on what we have stated so that the entire paper can be corrected to give as true a picture as possible.
We apprised him that what has been given is no where near OROP and it all tantamount to bureaucracy cheating us the Veterans and misleading the leadership.
He agreed that what has been given is not OROP but assured that they have given this much for now. More will follow.
We then submitted that the recent Koshyari Committee had worked out the expenditure of Rs 1300.00 crores for grant of full OROP. The Cabinet Secy's Committee has not even given 25 % of what OROP signifies and has announced the sanction of Rs 2300.00 crores, almost twice the amount required for meeting this one single most important demand of OROP for the last 31 years.
With this one stroke, not only they achieved their aim of denying us our rightful dues but also conveying to the leadership how generous they are, as against our demand of Rs 1300.00, they have sanctioned 2300.00 crores. Indirectly also conveying to the leadership how ungrateful and greedy we the veterans are that an amount of Rs 2300.00 crores also does not make us feel grateful to the Gov't and satisfied.
We also submitted what we feel, may have been done to bloat this figure-
Bureaucracy has been misleading the leadership for over 15 years on Rank Pay which the Fourth CPC had granted and very proudly denied to the Veterans by the bureaucracy. Recently the Govt lost that case. The Hon''ble Supreme Court has directed the Govt to pay the dues amounting to Rs 1600.00 crores within three months with interest. This being the Supreme Courts final order has to be carried out.
We submitted that obviously, the bureaucracy has clubbed this amount of Rs 1600.00 crores with another Rs 700,00 crores of the total amount of Rs 1300.00 crores required for OROP and made it Rs 2300.00 crores.
We then appealed to him to please have the matter investigated. Any body found guilty of misleading the leadership should be punished. We further appealed that the Gov't should also take appropriate action to find out the persons who were responsible for the sufferings of the veterans in Rank Pay case. Once they are identified they should not only be proceeded against but also made to pay the interest amount to the affected veterans.
I am glad to say that The Raksha Mantri gave us a very patient hearing and we expect that the more to follow comes up fast.
Lt Col Inderjit Singh
Chairman

LETTER TO RM ABOUT OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE OROP AWARD - 29 SEP, 2012
In July this year, after assessing the situation arising as a result of ongoing unrest in the Armed Forces, you were very truthful when you warned the Prime Minister about the possibility of things turning bad.
The entire Veterans community admired you for that as that was the strongest representation of our cause by any Raksha Mantri I had seen in the past thirty one years. Our hopes and aspirations rocketed sky high as it was the first time any body had ever put across the true picture about our legitimate demands. These were however short lived.
The first knock we got when the Prime Minister appointed a Secretaries Committee under the Cabinet Secretary to attend to our most legitimate and some very longstanding problems. The most important of these being OROP. When all this happened I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and also sent you a copy. I enclose a copy for your kind information. I never expected it to reach his desk and I have been proved right.
The disastrous trends started showing up when there was no representation of the Armed Forces or Veterans in the Committee. The turning down of the appeal of even the three Chiefs on this issue was an ominous sign of impending disaster. Which did finally happen.
I wish to most emphatically state that over the past thirty one years, what ever we got, it was through the Congress Gov'ts. Other parties firstly did not understand our problems, when we did explain to them they flattered to deceive.
Since the Congress genuinely wanted to solve our problems they had developed a culture of forming committees with our representation on these, so that correct decisions based on facts are taken for solving our problems. Thus earning the sobriquet of being the most friendly party of the Armed Forces. This reputation is at stake with all the latest developments.
The High Level Empowered Committee, 1990 was the last one in which we were represented when we ensured that the bureaucracy did not get away with their lies. Many problems including OROP as a result got solved.
That is what the bureaucracy could not tolerate and set about creating a new culture of forming inter ministerial committees, Cabinet secretary's committees or a GOM in which we were left out to enable them to play havoc with every demand of ours. All such committees are set up to get rejection certificates of our demands by lying to the leadership. The more powerful the Chairman the more powerful the rejection certificate. In 2009 they got a certificate which they have been throwing at us. Now they have got another one which they will utilize to bury OROP for ever.
What they must be doing in the proceedings of the Committee is evident from the Rs 2300.00 crores expenditure on our demands they have sanctioned.
Recently Koshiary Committee had worked out the expenditure on grant of full OROP as Rs 1300.00 crores. They have not given us even a fraction of OROP but want us to believe that the expenditure on what trash they have worked for us is Rs 2300.0 crores. Can the leadership ask them to explain how this figure has been worked out.
I cant say for sure till I inspect the files, but what I can make out is that they fudged the figures to brow beat the leadership into accepting their views of rejecting OROP.
As you are aware, the Govt has finally lost the case with regard to Rank Pay after a prolonged litigation. The expenditure for that is Rs 1600.00 crores with which the bureaucrats can no more fool around as it has to be paid within three months Add to that Rs 1300.00 crores for OROP, the total works out to Rs 2900.00 crores. To my mind they have clubbed the Rank Pay amount with Rs 700.00 crores of the Rs 1300.00 crores of OROP and made it Rs 2300 .00 crores. Rs 1000.00 crores more than what Koshiary Committee recommended. How clever and a half. They killed two birds with one stone. First, they have achieved their aim of denying OROP and more than that they have impressed the leadership of their generosity in giving more than their dues. In fact what they have given is a matter of disgust.
By denying the Veterans OROP the bureaucrats have not only shattered the hopes and aspirations of the veterans, but have also added salt to their injured feelings.
I therefore appeal to you to kindly scrap the recommendations of the Cabinet Secretary and grant us all that is our legitimate due before it is too late. You perhaps would recollect that your promise of 21 Feb 2010, to give us full parity with Sixth CPC rates, is yet to be fulfilled.
Further start an inquiry for making an example of the bureaucrats responsible for lying to the leadership about OROP and delaying the dispensation of justice to the officers in Rank Pay case for more than 15 years.
That is the least we expect from our Messiah who took up our cause strongly earlier.
The Hon'ble Sh AK Antony The Raksha Mantri Govt of India New Delhi 110001
Letter to Our Prime Minister- OROP of 17, July 2012

OROP: Chiefs presentation not once but twice is double jeopardy

Dear Friends,
We have sent the following letter to all the Chiefs for doing the needful in getting our problems solved.
I do hope that they would take appropriate action to bring home the truth to the leadership which has never been found wanting.
The anxiety of the leadership to solve our problems was obvious from the MESSIANIC manner in which our Hon'ble RM took up the matter with the Hon'ble PM and the reaction of the Hon'ble PM in promptly appointing a Committee to solve our problems. All the papers that have been sent to you earlier and given below after the letter to the Chiefs were also sent to the Chiefs.
With best wishes
Lt Col Inderjit Singh

LETTER TO CHIEFS ABOUT OUR MEETING WITH THE HON'BLE RM
I wish to apprise you about our Meeting with the Hon'ble RM on 29 Sep 2012. I am therefore attaching all the papers about the Meeting for your kind information and necessary action.
2. The entire Veterans community is shattered by what has happened and expects you the Chiefs to get us our rightful dues by projecting the truth to the benign leadership as we have tried to do. My services are available if required by you.
3. The damage was done when all our respected Chiefs went and made presentation, not once but twice, to the Committee and demanded resolution of only few of our long list of anomalies pending with the Govt. It is sad that this happened when the entire Veterans community rejected it for our non representation on it. I am sure you will agree that it showed us all in a very poor light. Your request to the Leadership after first visit, for our representation, had no meaning as the Committee had already been legitimized by your presentations.
4. Whatever has happened cannot be undone. Now it is for you to figure out how you are going to repair the damage so that we can get our rightful dues.
5. We look forward to your positive response.
With best wishes,
Lt Col Inderjit Singh

Gen Bikram Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM,VSM, SM, ADC**, Chief of The Army Staff

Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, PVSM, AVSM,VM, ADC, Chief of Air Staff

Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, ADC Chief of Naval Staff

OROP: Crying like babies will not help

1. I heartily congratulate Shailesh Ranade on the Action he suggested to Get our Right Dues than crying like babies.
2. The present UPA - II Government only understands Vote Bank and desperately needs to culitivate it. We the veterans form big vote bank. If Sri Aravind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan can form a political party why can not we follow suit. Our voice can only be heard if we can go to Parliament as MPs and not kneel before these corrupt politicians pleading for toffees. When we have such large veteran population in State like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttarkhand, Rajasthan and UP what prevents us from sweeping the polls. The Aam Admi is fed up with corruption in every walk of life. He wants clean people to govern him. Who is cleaner than the Fauji? When Rs 60,000 crores was doled out to help out farmers in 2011-12 (did not prevent large number of farmers to commit suicide inspite of loan waiver), the babus in IAS must have taken their calculators to know how much of it can be looted.
3. Look at the gross diversion of funds from all Government schemes which are meant to help out the poor. How much does a poor man get from this? Most of it goes into pockets of these politicians and civil servants at all levels.
4. There is an urgent need for the veteran community to get out of their cozy homes and do something which Anna Hazare and others are doing to mobilise the voters. We, the veteran community can do a better job.
5. Thanks Shailesh for waking me up from my deep slumber.
Brig (Retd) CS Vidyasagar
Bombay Sappers

On Sunday, July 15, 2012 6:50:30 PM UTC+5:30, Sailesh Ranade wrote:
Dear Veterans,
1. I have been closely following the situation with regard to OROP. I feel disgusted that veterans are crying like spoilt children for some fancy toy. This Tamasha has been going on for a few years now with no end in sight. In fact, we have brought this upon ourselves.
2. Now let us come to the main point. Veterans are not children. So stop behaving like children. If you think that the government (politicians and bureaucrats) is going to listen to you, forget it. Have you noticed that the government will notice you only if you do dharnas, hunger strikes, rallies and resort to things like rasta/ rail roko. See how every other department is holding the government to ransom.
3. So what needs to be done? Get your butts off the ground and pull your finger out. Following points come to my mind readily.

Bring in a Tall and Clean Leader. Only one relevant present day ICON comes to my mind. Gen VK Singh. He has no financial historical baggage.

If you cannot muster VKS, bring in Anna Hazare.

Join Forces. Today we have all sorts of Brigadiers, Major Gen, Lt Gen and even a Major who run different types of organisation. Come together, but keep the tainted out. I used to see a lot of Generals on TV in the last 6 months. Dump them. Also dump all the military Governors and High Commissioners. They were all corrupt.

Form a Political Party. Call it the “Patriotic Front“. I guarantee, at least 100 seats in Parliament if there are clean candidates. The number of ex-servicemen and servicemen is easily close to 4 million. There is no bigger homogeneous force in the world. If you include the paramilitary, it will easily touch 10 million. When in Parliament, make your own laws. Pass any bill in favour of the veterans.

The statement that “we will play by the rules” needs to be discarded. When your future is being decided by corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and judiciary, there is simply no future. Hold rallies, strikes, rasta roko etc. I am sure Delhi and surrounding areas can easily muster more people than what Anna Hazare and Ramdev could organise. And these two gentlemen brought the government on its knees.

As military veterans, we should consider all means. All is fair in love and war. The result will be quick and the lesson will sink in once and for all.
We don’t need cry babies on TV. Act now. The mood is against the government. India desperately needs a revolution. A minor storm by military veterans will be enough.
Please pass this to all.
Regards,
S Ranade

OROP: White lies and Half truths

Why ex-servicemen are angry?
COL NK BALAKRISHNAN | 02/10/2012 05:17 PM
In a mail to fellow veterans, Col Balakrishnan says the men in uniform, due to constraints of discipline, can't come out with truths against the government. And, the ex-servicemen are spread thinly all over the country, without any central organisation to speak of. So, the government is having a field day with half truths and white lies over “one rank one pension”. This mail was written on 25th September
Hi All,
This mail is mainly addressed to my friends in the civil street. You must have seen in all the TV channels last night and read in today’s newspapers as to how the government has “ANNOUNCED A BONANZA OF Rs2,300 CRORE TO THE FAUJI BHAIES” by granting them the long pending demands of OROP (One Rank, One Pension). Nothing can be further from the truth. I shall just high light a few points, since typing with five thumbs is a problem for me...
Click here
Related Reading
Issue small, fallout fearsome! KARAN KHARB | 02/10/2012 12:52 PM
A military veteran laments the government’s apathy towards the Indian armed forces with respect to pension and the lack of leadership could turn out to be disastrous
Click here for the original post

Pune Ex-servicemen urge Centre to Enhance Pensions

Ex-servicemen urge Centre to address pension issues
TNN | Oct 4, 2012, 05.57AM IST
PUNE: The Pune chapter of the All India Federation of Military Veterans' Organisation on Wednesday alleged that the Union government was not serious about implementing one rank one pension scheme for all three defence wings.
The other pending issues such as help to widows and enhancement of pension were also not addressed, the organization said.
Addressing a news conference, Ravindra Pathak, coordinator of Pune chapter, said, "Issues relating to ex-servicemen, pension and related problems were being ignored by the Union government. Besides one rank one pension, enhancement of family pension, dual family pension and family pension to mentally or physically-challenged children of servicemen are not properly addressed."
Recently, the Union government had claimed that one rank one pension scheme would benefit families of ex-servicemen. Pathak claimed it was nothing but correction of anomalies that crept in as a result of wrong implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.
Enhanced family pension is only a correction of the Union government's error. In many situations, the family does not benefit from improvements in the scheme and for many it is also not possible to pursue the matter, he added.
All ex-servicemen are going to approach the Centre to pursue their demands and improvements in various policies that are currently affecting the ex-servicemen, said Pathak.
Click here for the original post

Rank Pay: RDOA Felicitates the Legal Team

FELICITATIONS: LEGAL TEAM IV CPC RANK PAY CASE: 30 SEPT 12

The legal team which was instrumental in getting the Armed Forces officers their legitimate dues in the landmark and historic judgment given by the Supreme Court on 04 Sept 2012, pertaining to the IV CPC Rank Pay case was felicitated on 30 Sept 2012 at DSOI Dhaula Kuan by Retired Defence Officers Association (RDOA). Over a hundred officers were present.
The function commenced with the Col Satwant Singh, Secretary RDOA, welcoming the guest present in the meeting. Col Satwant Singh, explained the sequence of the case and read out the operative part of the judgments, issued by various Courts as under –

The Single Judge Order passed in the case of Maj AK Dhanapalan.

The Supreme Court Order Passed in favour of RDOA on 08 Mar 2010.

Subsequent appeal filed by the Union of India against the case.

The Supreme Court Order of 04 Sep 12, dismissing the appeal of Union of India.
The said order will be applicable to all affected officers of the Armed Forces with effect from 01 Jan 1986 to 01 Jan 2006. It would also be applicable to all pending cases in various courts and AFT’s across the country on the subject case.
The interest will be applicable @ 6% wef 01/01/2006 and not 1986. This is the only change made by the apex court. The court has also directed that all arrears should be paid within outer limit of 3 months from the date of the order, 04 Sept 2012.
It was explained by the Secretary RDOA as to how the pay/pension would be revised with the cascading affect from 1/1/86 (IV CPC), 1/1/96 (VCPC), 1/1/2006 (VI CPC). To this affect the commitment made by the UOI on an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court with financial implications of 1623 crores was also read out to the members.
After the Secretary RDOA finished his talk, Col BK Sharma, President of RDOA, welcoming the guests, who had arrived by then, and members said that it was a proud moment in the history of the Armed forces, where a few have mustered strength to fight for the majority and seek a judgment which will benefit all officers of the three Services, holding any rank from Capt to Brig (and equivalent) on 01 Jan 1986.
The President then formally welcomed the guests, Senior Advocate Mahabir Singh and Advocates on Record Gp Capt KS Bhati and Mrs Aishwarya Bhati. A brief introduction of each of the guests highlighting their achievements and contribution to the case was given to the members. The guests were presented bouquets on behalf of all members of RDOA.
As a token of their commitment and unflinching support to the cause of Ex Servicemen, each of the guests were honoured with an ‘Honorarium’ amount in the form of cheque; which is nothing as compared to the Services rendered and the legal fees charged by them. As a reciprocate gesture, Senior Advocate Mahabir Singh donated Rs 50000/- to the corpus of RDOA.
Advocate on Record Gp Capt KS Bhati requested all officers to make RDOA strong and the nodal agency to fight and stand for securing denied benefits to the veteran fraternity.
Col Sharma also welcomed out station officers Lt General VK Oberoi, Air Marshal Savur, Maj’s NS Gill & Sadana. Speaking on the occasion Air Marshal Savur was delighted at the ‘Perseverance and Gusto’ of the RDOA team in getting the judgment. He came all the way from Bangalore to attend the felicitation.

Lt General Oberoi was appreciative at the ‘Resoluteness’ and brain power shown by RDOA and the legal luminaries.
Appreciations and thanks giving were also given by Cdr Ahuja on behalf of Naval Foundation, Delhi Chapter since Admiral Harinder Singh was out of the country. It would be pertinent to mention that Admiral Harinder gave his complete unconditional support for the case from day one and was always supportive of actions taken by RDOA.
Col Kirit Joshipura, Executive Member IESM, on behalf of IESM, applauded the efforts of RDOA in getting the judgment for the benefit of all the Armed forces officers.
Thanks Giving
Team RDOA wishes to thank all its members in supporting it for the ‘cause’ and for all the congratulatory messages sent/expressed on phone/email.
Team RDOA also wants to thank all others who are not members of RDOA, yet have applauded their efforts and achievements.
The felicitations culminated with a contributory lunch.
Next the battle for implementation instructions of the Court order begins.
SECY RDOA

IESM in perspective

Dear Veterans,
Sanjha Morcha formation on 02 Dec 2009, was the outcome of all ESM organisation/ Individuals who disassociated themselves from IESM in 2009, formed a common umbrella to continue struggle for OROP.
IESM is now a fragmented Organisation. Veterans like Col Rajan who played pivot role in formation of IESM was shown the door, Veteran Col Bharwaj again a stalwart also dissociated himself due to mishandling of funds and went to court and now asking for elections. Veteran Major SS Dhillon, Col Ranjit Bopari, Col SS Sohi and many others who generated heat in Punjab also dissociated themselves as IESM deviated toward BJP, Leader like Mr LK Advani to meet their own ambitions. In the bargain Gen Satbir Got security contract for his security company and Gen Kadiyan as one of the organisor during Asian games. Again they are up, to degrading the ESM community to meet their own ends and collection of funds. Now asking ESM to be present in uniform to degrade the same like medals. click here to read more
The Views expressed above by Veterans/ ESM organisation are appreciated and Sanjha Morcha agrees with them. Even today IESM has not approached any organisation/ Individuals who have left the IESM in 2009. We don't believe in collection of funds, nor there is need for the same, the funds held in large amount with IESM belong to all ESM hence let individuals organisation look after themselves.
Major SS Dhillon Chairman
Col R S Boparai President
Sanjha Morcha
Moderator Comment
The multi- branded ESM's need to cement their differences and ideas to fight for the rights and welfare of Veterans especially the Jawans who retire early after 17 to 20 years service. Senior retired Officers who govern the ESM Bodies need to be service oriented and not confine to generating funds and enriching the banks. Ideally the Bank Balance should be zero before asking for more... (ref to rules and guidelines incorporated in the Indian Society Act of 1860).

OROP: Sampling of Readers Comments

Ref: Taking steps for one-rank, one-pension demand: Govt
TNN | Sep 27, 2012, 02.02AM IST
ESM Definition and FAQ's: Click here
Readers Comments

J.Rajagopalan (Coonoor) 2 days ago
By means of a constitutional amendment Defence Secretary and defence minister of our country should be nominated by the president among the serving/retired defence officers.Only then true representation and redressal of grievances of the forces can be achieved. As for OROP is concerned, we have no other way than continue struggling till we achieve our goal.

S N (Secunderabad)
2 days ago
The so-called improvement in pension is to avoid being castigated by the supreme Court and being asked to pay interest on the arrears. Even now ex-servicemen should fight for the arrears with interest. During the implementation of the 6th CPC the Babus twisted the recommendation of the Pay Commission and gave a pension equal to the minimum of the Pay Band instead of minimum of the pay fixed in the Pay Band. This is is similar to the cheating of the award of the 4th Pay Commission. To avoid paying arrears and interest therein they have quietly tried to palm this off as OROP or a step towards it. Ex servicemen should fight for the arrears and any delaying tactic by UOI should be punished by a higher rate of interest on these arrears. What has been announced is a lame attempt to fool people and to close the gates for a judicial solution. How Mr.Anthony and the PM got fooled by these crooked and cunning Babus beats one hollow. All these recent incidents prove that the Government is not serious about the Defence of this country. This is what will happen if we have an Italian waitress heading a Party who acts as an extra-constitutional centre of power. All in all this, country needs a bitter war to set matters right and our poor voters who are still in the 19th Century wake up to the reality when they vote. The people should not join the Armed Forces until an assurance is given that there will be no more cheating of this sort by bureaucrats.

Ex-Sgt Ravindran Nair (Nagercoil) 2 days ago
The central government has finally concurred OROP issue, a big thanks goes to them for their efforts, but no way it’s acceptable to Ex-servicemen as the core issue has not been looked into. Our bureaucrats, Defense minister and Prime minister are jointly misleading the entire nation on the issue by giving wide propaganda that Rs 2,300 crore pension package has been announced for ex-servicemen. I strongly have a doubt maybe it could be an advance election campaign foreseeing the political situation which will happen in near future. The treatment is just like throwing bones to barking dogs. The long plea for justice that is going on for more than two decades has been totally ignored and they say it will be done phase by phase. When the next phase comes how many will be alive and how many in the graveyard? It would be great if you could account for this query raised? (Ex-Sgt Ravindran Nair)

C Mohan Sharma (Panchkula) 2 days ago
Lt Col Shourie To win over the Ex-Service Men votes the UPA II has enacted a drama which is going to prove very counter-productive. It is not understood as to why the RM, FM and PM are easily taken for a ride by shrewd Babus and make fool of them ( politicians ). The struggle for justice will continue and may be the next Govt ( without Congress ) may understand the real issues, the OROP and take the credit and win over the armed forces including Ex-Service-Men. Good luck Manmohan Singh Ji

Balbir Singh Sooch-Sikh Vichar Manch (Ludhiana) 3 days ago
Government tried to boast wrongly and misleadingly on the issue: However, no-doubt, the Ex-servicemen will be benefited, but not at all to their satisfaction as being projected the matter more politically and not realistically without giving the details in earlier reports. It is clear that fight of ex-servicemen for ‘one rank, one pension’ is not over and their frustration for the reason has to remain intact against political ruling class as well as against bureaucrats. Balbir Singh Sooch, (Ex-Sgt. Indian Air Force)

kumar (ggn) 3 days ago
I do not understand why people have a tendency to put themselves in knots for no reason is there a deliberate attempt to demean the retired armed forces officers and men , you do not call it a joke it is downright insult to the braves of yesteryears.

Col G I Balakrishnan (Hyderabad) 3 days ago
They think that they can joke away the issue by this step. It is only going to add to the dissatisfaction of the servicemen and prove to be counter productive .

Qamrul Hasan (Ex-IN) (Siwan) 3 days ago
The government (any party) response towards the serving of retired defence personnel is doubtful. They promise and when they come to power forget it. It will demoralized our defence to perform their duties faithfully and honestly. I think this govt. is dump & deaf and most of the ministers are busy to find the way to make big Ghotala.

OROP: TV Panel Discussion- 29 Sep 2012

Defence Line - One Rank One Pension - 29 Sept 2012 - Part 1 & 2




Detailed TV Panel discussion after the announcement of pensionary benefits on implementation of recommendations of the PM appointed committee.
Earlier, a TV panel discussion was posted on the blog in the aftermath of the announcement of the Prime Minister constituted Committee of Secretaries looking into pay & pension anomalies of defence personnel.
The following is a panel discussion, recorded and telecast yesterday night, dissecting the benefits finally granted on the implementation of the recommendations of the PM constituted committee, and other issues.
The Panelists were Maj Gen Surjit Singh, former Chairperson of the 4th Pay Commission Cell, Prof JK Sharma, former member of National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), and Major Navdeep Singh.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh

OROP: Army faces shortage of officers

VINAY KUMAR The Hindu Sunday September 30, 2012
Programmes under way in several colleges and universities to motivate the youth to join the force
The Indian Army is facing a peculiar problem – not enough youngsters are attracted to join the 1.1-million strong force as officers.
Expressing concern at the situation, the Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, has said that about 10,500 officers are needed. The shortage, he said, was impacting the officer-jawan relationship.
According to official figures, the shortage is around 10,500 in the Army, 1,400 in the Navy and 1,100 in the Air Force.
Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony has said the shortage is “partly attributable to accretions from time to time, tough selection procedures and difficult service conditions coupled with perceived high degree of risk involved in recruitment and training.”
He said a number of steps to attract youth to the armed forces have been taken. These include increase in tenure of Short Service Commission (SSC) officers from 10 years to 14 years, increasing promotional avenues for officers by implementing the A.V. Singh Committee recommendations on restructuring of officers’ cadre of the Indian Army and implementing the suggestions of the Sixth Pay Commission report. Last week, the Government had broadly rolled out the one rank-one pension scheme for ex-servicemen and also hiked family pension.
For the purpose of recruitment, the country is divided into recruiting zones and every zone is allotted a quota based on a percentage of its population and ethnic grouping. A legacy, slowly being diluted, is that of combat arm units or regiments recruiting from a particular zone or mixture of ethnic groups.
The shortage of officers has been plaguing the force for several years, resulting in poor management at the unit level. The Army’s sanctioned strength is about 46,600 officers. Army officials attribute the shortage to accretion in force levels from time to time and say that as a career option the job is characterised by hardship in the form of unsettled life, disruption of children’s education, risk factor and early retirement age. Every year about 600 officers retire as Lt. Colonels and Colonels at the age of 54.
The Army Chief said programmes were being held in several colleges and universities to motivate the youth to join the force.
“The youngsters feel motivated to join but their motivation level goes down when they discuss the Army as a career option with their parents. We intend to reach out to parents. Risks are everywhere but in the armed forces these are managed well,” said General Singh.
“We are taking measures like spreading awareness and convincing parents to send their children into the force to address the shortage. The disenchantment is also affecting soldiers as more than 10,000 took pre-mature retirement from the force last year. In 2011, 10,315 soldiers opted for premature retirement, while the figure for 2010 and 2009 was 7,249 and 7,499 respectively. The jawans, who are better educated than in the past, retire around a productive age of 35 years to look for greener pastures instead of continuing in the force,” senior Army officials added.
They said the Government has sanctioned establishment of two additional Service Selection Boards (SSBs) under the selection centre in the North at Roopnagar, Ropar, in Punjab which would facilitate the intake of more officers.
With its motto of “Live for something rather than die for nothing”, the Army is planning intensive publicity campaigns targeting both urban and rural areas. Officials said a number of “image projection campaigns” have been launched by the recruitment directorate to attract quality youth and spread awareness about the “Army as a career”.
Army faces shortage of officers
Realted Reading
General Bikram Singh sees officers’ shortage behind face-offs

Gen J J bats for ESM Corporation at the fag end of his governorship

Governor bats for setting up of ESM Corporation in State
ITANAGAR, Sep 22, 2012: While terming ex-servicemen as disciplined and professional lots, State Governor Gen (Retd) J J Singh opined that the State govt needs to utilize this pool of talented human resources.
Addressing a meeting of State Managing Committee at Raj Bhavan here today to review the initiatives taken up for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the State, he called upon the members to start small, grow more.
Appreciating the idea of setting up of an ex-servicemen corporation, a self sustaining organization to fulfill the need and aspiration of the ex-servicemen and their dependents, and also unemployed youths in ‘certain situation’, Gen Singh said that it will help in channelizing employment opportunities of the retired personnel and give them a rightful place in the society.
With right persons and proper advice, such organization will definitely help the ex-servicemen to avail GoI welfare schemes and programmes, he added.
On tourism potentials of the state, the Governor said that the ex-servicemen have huge scope for jobs as guides, instructors and in security establishments besides opportunities in hydropower and road projects which are coming up in the State. He expressed hope that the organization (ESM) will help in tapping employment opportunities for their former associates in a better way.
Finance and Home Commissioner Ramesh Negi, Secretary to Governor and Secretary Planning, Ankur Garg, Special Secretary (Finance), Swati Sharma, Special Secretary (Home) Shalini Goel, Capital Complex DC Sanjay Goel, Director Disaster Management, Y W Ringu among others were present.
Wing Commander Gyati Kago and Hony Captain Lobsang Monpa, President ESM Association also participated in the deliberation.
Earlier, Brigadier (Retd) Ramesh Bhatia, in a power-point presentation, gave a brief on the proposal for formation a State Govt Ex-Servicemen Corporation in the line of Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam Ltd.
Giving a brief background, Brigadier Bhatia said that a very large number of ex-servicemen who are highly disciplined and well-trained proceed to retirement, every year in order to maintain a youthful profile of the Armed Forces.
Earlier these persons were exploited to work at low wages by unscrupulous placement agencies. To check this trend the Government of India established an Inter Service organization as the Director General of Resettlement (DGR), functioning directly under the Department of ESM Welfare, Ministry of Defence. The DGR had requested all State govts to form their respective State Govt Corporations. But till 2003, seven states only – Punjab, HP, UP, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have formed their corporations.
Brigadier Bhatia, who has been with UPNL since its inception, said that in year 2000, when Uttarakhand became a separate State, it decided to establish its own ESM Corporation but it took the State Government nearly four years to commence its operation.
Sharing his experience, Brigadier Bhatia informed that UPNL commercially operates as a placement company on behalf of the State govt and bids for security and allied services in CPSU’s, State PSU’s and in private sector as well. The jobs are provided on contractual basis only to the ESM & other youths of Uttarakhand. Since the jobs in Uttarakhand are limited, UPNL seeks contractual jobs outside the state as well. Volunteer potential job seekers who wish to proceed outside the State on hire wages are encouraged.
He emphasized that focus is on providing employment and welfare measures rather than profit making. (PRO)
Governor bats for setting up of ESM Corporation in State
Comment: Retired JJ General present Governor of AP who has done nothing for the Welfare for ESM is comparable to Retired President Pratiba Patil, is now batting for the ESM. Both deserve to be consigned to history. All the so called ESM Corporations are scam ridden entities which must be shut down.
Tailpiece: Will Tejinder spill the beans?
Gen JJ, Gen Deepak Kapoor and Lt Gen Tejinder Singh linked...

Tejinder joined the army in 1970, a year after VK Singh. Before becoming DG, DIA, he was area commander of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. He was allotted a flat in the infamous Adarsh Society in Mumbai, where army officers and politicians stole land meant to house Kargil war widows.

Tejinder is believed to have been close to General JJ Singh and General Deepak Kapoor, the two immediate past army chiefs. JJ Singh made him commander in Mumbai and Kapoor, who had a cold war with VK Singh, brought him in as head of the DIA. Tejinder retired in June 2010. He was in the running for the post of chief of the powerful National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) but failed to get it due to the Adarsh aftermath.
Click here for One-Man Army?
Tracking Tatra: Click here for more on Tejinder

OROP: Why BJP supports ESM demand

One Rank One Pension’: Why the BJP supports Ex-Servicemen’s demand
1. The ‘One Rank One Pension’ issue has been raised before both the V and VI pay commissions.
2. The issue is about the considerable disparity in pension between pensioners that retired pre 1996, between 1996-2006 and post 2006.
3. The tying up of pensions with the last drawn pay is applied universally to both civilian and defence personnel.
4. Since the pay scales were revised by the V and VI pay commissions, the tie up with the last drawn pay had widened the disparity in pensions.
5. But for the senior officers in both the Officers cadre (e.g. Lt. General) and PBOR (Personnel Below Officers Rank) cadre (e.g. Honorary Captain), the pensions are based on rank and not on the last drawn pay.
6. The V pay commission, in 1996, has recommended parity in pension between pre and post 1986 pensioners. This was a follow up to the KP Singh Deo report in 1984 and a One Time Increase in 1992 towards bringing parity in pensions. But the V pay commission’s recommendations on the pension of ‘post 1996’ retirees, was still tied to the last drawn pay.
7. The V pay commission has also made provisions for neutralization of price rise.
8. The VI pay commission has given a ‘fitment benefit’ to all retired employees, both civilian and defense, to partially compensate for the disparities in the pre 2006 and post 2006 retirees.
9. Also in order to compensate for the reduced employment of defence personnel period a ‘year weightage’ is included in calculation of benefits.
10. Due to the widening disparity, the note asks for pay to be not tied to the last drawn pay but to the rank thereby making all future increases applicable to existing pensioners also.
11. It is a highly emotive issue, since the soldiers retain their titles post retirement and the financial benefits accruing to them is determined by the retirement date.
12. Fiscal outlay for implementing the ‘One Rank One Pension’ is going to be modest — only in the order of Rs.1500 crores.
Considering the fact that the soldiers serve the best years of their lives in defense of the country in life threatening environments and retiring early, the ‘One Rank One Pension’ demand deserves to be implemented in an expedient way to honor our soldiers. A future BJP-led government, if elected, will implement this demand without any delay.
Source: http://www.lkadvani.in/eng/content/view/811/ ‘One Rank One Pension’: Why the BJP supports Ex-Servicemen’s demand

OROP: Report of Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari of Dec 2011 confined to the dust bin

One rank one pension to the armed forces personnel…
Parliament of India
(Rajya Sabha Secretariat)
Press Release
Hundred and Forty-second Report on the petition praying for grant of one rank one pension to the armed forces personnel.
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.
2. The Petition was submitted by Shri Sanjay Prabhu and others, resident of Bangalore and countersigned by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, Rajya Sabha.
3. The Committee during the course of its deliberations interacted with the petitioners, representatives of Departments of Ex-servicemen Welfare (M/o Defence), Expenditure (M/o Finance) and Pensions and Pensioner’s Welfare (M/o Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions) and some organizations/individuals.
4. 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) *****
Source: www.rajyasabha.nic.in
One rank one pension to the armed forces personnel

Ex-servicemen protests, demand one rank-one pension

Saturday, September 29, 2012
Ex-servicemen protests, demand one rank-one pension
Ex-servicemen from Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur subdivisions of the Palampur region protested in front of the SDM’s office for lackluster and non- cooperative attitude of the Union government towards their demands. Later, they marched through all the main streets of the town and raised anti-government slogans. They also held a rally and passed two resolutions highlighting their demands.
Their main demand was the immediate implementation of the one-rank one-pension policy with effect from January 1, 1996, so that disparity in the payment of pension to ex-servicemen was settled. They also sought the restoration of recruitment quota for Himachal in the Army as it was before 1995, opening of recruitment offices for the Navy and Air Force at Palampur and also demanded to upgrade the Palampur ECHS centre to category one. They later submitted charter of demands to the government.
Ex-servicemen protests, demand one rank-one pension

ESM protest central pension package

Ex servicemen protest central pension package
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Sangrur, Patiala September 27, 2012
Dissatisfied with the central government's pension package and decision to take steps in a phased manner towards one rank, one pension (OROP), ex-servicemen and their families from across the state held a protest rally at War Heroes stadium here on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Col Bhag Singh (retd) said that the announcement of Rs. 2,300-crore pension package showed that the government was not serious about considering the demands of ex-servicemen.
He said OROP was needed as these men have contributed their life for the security of the nation and were not getting the rightful pension in exchange of their services.
He added that there were many anomalies in the pension schemes of ex-servicemen that required immediate rectification for the betterment of their families.
The protestors also demanded an increase in widow pension.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Kumar Rahul and chief parliamentary secretary Parkash Chand Garg assured protestors that their demands would be forwarded to higher authorities.
Ex servicemen protest central pension package

OROP: SCPC anomalies partly addressed

What is One Rank One Pension?
One Rank One Pension would be clear if we look at one Army family that had two generations serving the nation at two different periods for the same length of time in the same capacity as Havaldar, and yet earning two different pensions. Rajesh Kumar, an Army man, lives just about 200 kilometre from the capital in the village of Beri. A small family of three, his father too served in the Indian Army. Havaldar Zile Singh is the veteran of two wars. He spent 16 years 27 days in the Army, retiring in 1977. Meanwhile, Havaldar Rajesh Kumar saw no wars but served in several conflict zones. He spent nearly the same time – 16 years 10 months – in the force and retired in 2009.
Roughly the same time in service, roughly the same hardships, but the father earns Rs 7,304 as pension, while Rajesh earns Rs 10,736. It’s this difference, between a pre-96 retiree and a post-2006 retiree that is at the heart of the conflict and the demand for One Rank One Pension.
The SCPC Anomalies has been partly rectified which has been announced as meeting "One Rank One Pension" goal...read the Government's twisted announcement...
One pension one rank announcement by Center
Tuesday, September, 25 2012 - 10:29
NEW DELHI: The government approved a Rs.2,300 crore per year (about $430 million) proposal to fix the anomalies in the pay and pension of 1.3-million strong defence personnel, 2 million ex-servicemen and another 400,000 military widows, in a bid to assuage their hurt over the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations implemented in 2008.
"The union cabinet has approved the recommendations of the committee headed by cabinet secretary (Ajit Seth) for benefits to ex-servicemen on four issues. The financial implications of the improvements made as per the cabinet decision on the four items are broadly estimated at Rs.2,300 crore per annum," a government official said here soon after the cabinet meeting.
"These are expected to largely meet the demands of the defence pensioners on 'one rank - one pension' (OROP)," the official said.
The approved proposals would be implemented "from a prospective date and payment made accordingly," the official added.
The committee, set up on July 13 this year on orders of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, submitted its report on Aug 8 this year.
The government had tasked the committee to look into issues of defence personnel such as common pay-scale for in-service junior commissioned officers and other ranks and initial pay-fixation of lieutenant colonels, colonels, and brigadiers of the army and their equivalents in the other two armed forces among others.
Its remit also included ex-servicemen's issues such as OROP (that all retired officers of the same rank and service tenure should get the same pension), enhancement of family pension, dual family pension, and family pension for mentally and physically challenged children of armed forces personnel on marriage.
On OROP, the demand of the defence forces and ex-servicemen associations is that uniform pension be paid to the 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 the pre-hike pensioners.
The difference in the pension in the same rank occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel in that rank. There is also a difference between the pensioners who retired before and after Jan 1, 2006 when the sixth pay commission recommendations were made applicable retrospectively belonging to a particular rank.
The UPA government, since 2004, has on two previous occasions taken decisions to narrow the gap in pensions of personnel who retired at different points of time, particularly those belonging to the ranks of junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and soldiers (other ranks or ORs).
On the issue of OROP, the cabinet approved bridging the gap in the pension of pre- and post-Jan, 1, 2006 JCO/OR retirees by determining the pension of pre-Jan 1, 2006 retirees on the basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across the three services as in the case of post-Jan. 1, 2006 retirees.
With regard to family pension, the pre-Jan 1, 2006 commissioned officers, honorary commissioned officers, JCOs/ORs would be hiked based on "the minimum of the fitment table" instead of the minimum of the Pay Band. It was also approved to provide 60 per cent of pension to families of retired JCOs/ORs after their death post-retirement. To retired JCO/OR families getting enhanced family pension or special family pension would be entitled for 100 per cent of the personnel's pension.
Dual family pension too would be allowed to those personnel, who had civilian service too post military service retirement.
Family pension will be continued to mentally/physically challenged children of defence personnel even after their marriage.
One pension one rank announcement by Center