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

Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha speaks for the Honour of Soldiers

RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR
A MESSAIAH OF THE SOLDIERS AND MILITARY VETERANS
HAIL RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR
THREE CHEERS TO RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR
Military Veterans are proud of the fact that Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar is son of Veteran Air Commodore MK Chandrasekhar, VM, VSM, an ace transport aircraft Pilot.
RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WHO HAS EVER SPOKEN SO UNEQUIVOCALLY IN SUPPORT OF SOLDIERS:

URGING THE GOVT TO CONSTRUCT A NATIONAL MILITARY MEMORIAL IN THE CAPITAL

IMMEDIATE GRANT OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION TO MILITARY VETERANS & DEFENCE FAMILY PENSIONERS AS PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE FOR DEFENCE AND THE PARLIAMENT’S PETITIONS COMMITTEE

NOMINATION OF DEFENCE SERVICES PERSONNEL AS MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO THE RAJYA SABHA
Please hear Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar speak forcefully in support of the Soldiers, in the Rajya Sabha in Video above
Webpage: click here
Military Veterans who wish to thank and express their gratitude to Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar may email Shri V Anand PS to RC
Regards,
Col Rajan
Convenor, Military Veterans INDIA
Bangalore, 9449043770
Brig V A Subramanyam (Retd)

Corps of Signals Veteran, Bangalore
Dear Veterans and would be veterans sooner or later!!
The speech by Mr. Chandrasekhar in the Parliament is so powerful, to the point and crisp. One has also seen Mr. Chandrasekhar on TV Channels very ably articulating soldier's points of view. Time and again he has been peaking in the Parliament and writing to the PM and the RM supporting the cause of the soldiers and in support of the Defence Forces issues.
While quite a few veterans will and have sent messages to him individually, it would be befitting if thousands of us append our signatures to a communication thanking him and appreciating his efforts for his concern for India's Defence Forces and its personnel. May be Lt Gen Kadyan/ Maj Gen Satbir Singh the Adhikaris of IESM can take the initiative. Jai Hind
Harbhajan Singh
Lt Gen
Former Signal Officer-in-Chief

Hereditary Members of Indian Parliamentary Monarchy

India a Democracy or a Monarchy? Heading towards a Hereditary Monarch and Indian Princelings
India: A Portrait by Patrick French – review
Patrick French's affectionate portrait of modern India hymns the tiger economy but ignores the country's contradictions and complexities

French retells the story of Ramanujan, the brilliant young Tamil mathematician who died in England before he could fulfil his promise. The suggestion is that the talents of 1.2 billion Ramanujans – all of them tremendously multicultural and supremely talented – are on the verge of exploding. The leading historian of modern India, Ramachandra Guha, chose to end his magisterial work, India After Gandhi, on a more sombre note: his countrymen, he pointed out, could be legitimately proud of their democracy but they had to remember that the task of lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty still lay ahead of them.

Patrick French offered this startling revelation about the Indian Parliament:
"Every MP in the Lok Sabha under the age of 30 had in effect inherited a seat, and more than two-thirds of the 66 MPs aged 40 or under were HMPS [Hereditary Members of Parliament]. In addition, this new wave of Indian lawmakers would have a decade’s advantage in politics over their peers, since the average MP who had benefited from family politics was almost 10 years younger than those who had arrived with ‘No Significant Family Background’. In the Congress, the situation was yet more extreme: every Congress MP under the age of 35 was an HMP. If the trend continued, it was possible that most members of the Indian Parliament would be there by heredity alone, and the nation would be back to where it had started before the freedom struggle, with rule by a hereditary monarch and assorted Indian princelings."

He has divided his book into three parts: Rashtra (nation), Lakshmi (wealth), and Samaj (society). While that's a neat division, a multi-everything nation like India can be sub-divided in many different ways. The deeper question is: does it hold together and form a coherent narrative? That depends on the reader's expectations.
Read more: India: A Portrait by Patrick French – review
Another Review: India: Click here

One Rank One Pension: Rajya Sabha Press Release

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)
*****
click here to access Rajya Sabha Press Release

Does the Indian Army have a monitoring system for the war wounded and disabled?

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
08-December, 2011 18:17 IST
Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)
Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), undertakes standardization, regulation and monitoring of the training of professionals in the field of rehabilitation and special education, promotes research, maintains register of rehabilitation professionals, prescribes code of conduct and ethics for these professionals etc.
RCI has developed training courses, organize Seminar/Workshop/Conference to update the knowledge of professionals dealing with the persons with disabilities. RCI has also recognized different courses through distance mode. The details of budget provided and the actual expenditure made is as under:
(Rs. in lakh)- Year/ Budget Provided (Grant)/ Actual Expenditure
2006-07- 317.19/ 334.07
2007-08- 332.30/ 270.40
2008-09- 417.00/ 352.20
2009-10- 410.00/ 445.82
2010-11- 404.00/ 512.85
This information was given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri D. Napoleon in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today. (Release ID :78335)
Rehabilitation Council of India

Grant of OROP- Continued delibrations by the Petition Committee

Dear Colleagues,
The latest interaction with Shri Bhagat Singh Kothari, Chairman Rajya Sabha Petitions Committee on OROP reveals that that they are still working on the petition and expect to submit it to the government in November 2011. He assured me that he wants to make it a thorough job and is putting in it whatever ideas he himself has on the issue. Among other things he mentioned that the expenditure on OROP is not around Rs 3,000 Crore as earlier estimated. According to him it should be only 1200 to 1300 Crore. This is good news for us.
Having assured me that they would submit a convincing report he added the perpetually worrying clincher; ‘it is up to the government whether to accept it or not’.
You would recollect I had written a letter to the COAS on 19 August suggesting telecasting of Heroes-like programmes in Hindi too. (‘Heroes’ was an English language programme telecast by Times Now on 15 August for our gallantry awards winners). Some days ago I received a positive reply from the Army PIO- confirming similar broadcast in Hindi.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Report from Dehradun Ex Services League

22 July 2011 11:15
Subject: Dehradun Ex Services League Governing Council quarterly meet held
DEHRADUN EX SERVICES LEAGUE GOVERNING COUNCIL QUARTERLY MEET
A meeting of Dehradun Ex Services League (DESL) governing Council was held on 21 July 2011 at 61F Subash Road(Opposite CMI- Haridwar Road
Dehradun) under Brig K.G.Behl, President DESL and was attended by the following:
Lt Col B.S,Chhetri- Senior Vice President, Lt Col R.K.Arya- Vice President, Lt Col B.M. Thapa- Secretary, Lt Col R.P.Jairath - Treasurer, Col G.R.Bharadwaj, Lt Col U.S.Thakur, Sub B S Thakur, H/B S Thapa, H/Capt Neel Kumar Thapa Harrawala, H/Capt S S Thapa, Jaitanwala, H/Capts B.S.Thapa, Sub Maj P S Gurung, Hav R.S.Gurung, and Hav B P Sharma.
Lt Col B.M. Thapa welcomed the members and read the salient features of last meeting report. Lt Col Thapa told members about the writings of the President Brig K.G.Behl on different topics and how the hasbeen honoured by the Intellectuals and Technocrats guild of India affiliated with UNESCO, appreciating hid association with a number of social societies and his work of projecting various social topics with solutions to create awareness in public and prompting concerned officials to take action. This was appreciated by one and all and gave him a standing ovation and presented a flower bouquet in their appreciation.
Brig Behl welcomed the participants and thanked them for their gesture. He said that he had been working on social uplift from 1993, when he retired and it gives him lot of satisfaction. Through out our lives we take help from society but we must try to pay back, after retirement, in whatever way we can.
Brig Behl told about the coming Kargil Day on 26th July, which is being elebrated by the Govt. of Uttarakhand as Shauriya Divas. Acultural Programme is being is being arranged by their cultural Directorate in the Auditorium of Survey of India, Hathibarkala on 25th July from 6 to 8 PM. The entry is through pass due to limited accommodation and those who are keen should give their names. On 26TH July wreaths will be places at the Kargil War memorial by the CM and other senior dignitaries only between 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs. in a solemn ceremony with full Military Honours. However the main function will start at 1100 hrs at Venkateshwara wedding Hall where the Kargil War Heroes/ Veer Naaries and other Gallantry award winners will be honoured by the Chief Minister. It will be followed by lunch.
Those who wish to participate must give the numbers attending to the secretary so that necessary arrangements could be made for their
seating and transport.
Brig Behl pointed out that we are celebrating AGM on 31st July at 0930 hours at Gurkhali Sabha Hall, Garhi Cantt. Transport is being arranged for which necessary data be provided to officers concerned. We will be honouring one person from each Shakha and the name be give by the president of Shakha. Desired material for publication of Annual News letter be supplied in time.
Brig Behl gave salient features of their presentation made before the Rajya Sabha Petitions Committee on ‘One Rank One Pension’ where he was called to make a presentation. He was accompanied by Brig R.S.Rawat and Col MMP Kala.
Brig Behl said that our Sr Vice President had resigned when he was to fight election to the post of chairman of Gorkha Sudhar Sabha. He congratulated him on his election but asked him to continue till next election, if it does not interfere with his duties.
Lt Col B M Thapa,
Gen Secy DESL

Presentation: Petitions Committee on OROP

Hello All,
Here is an update of the meeting that Sanjay Prabhu, Rohit and myself had with Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions on OROP last week:
Presentation to the Petitions Committee on OROP, May 04th, 2011 – Highlights of the Meeting
Rajya Sabha Members Present

Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chairman

Ram Vilas Paswan

P Rajeeve

Nandi Yelliah

Paul Manoj Pandian

Avinash Pande
From our side

Sanjay Prabhu

Anand

Rohit Nair (Bangalore Patriots Society)
Highlights of the Meeting

The Meeting started with a brief invitation by Chairman of Committee and purpose of the meeting. He acknowledged that the role and sacrifices made by the defense personnel.

This was followed by our presentation which lasted about 10-12 minutes.

The theme of the presentation was emotional highlighting the courage, bravery and sacrifices of the Armed forces personnel and how this was an affront to the brave soldiers.

It also focused on how there was strong support for OROP from all sections of society – citizens, Parliamentary Committees, Political parties etc ( we read out quotes by past PMs and current political leaders who favoured OROP, Supreme Court and the Parliamentary Committee )

The Members were in agreement on slides which showed how other countries treated their soldiers in a far more dignified manner than India; and when support of politial parties was assured for OROP
Feedback from Members

There were 3-4 innocuous queries from the Committee to us – about how many veterans will be benefitted ; will civilians officers object etc – which were part answered by Chairman himself and us as per the presentation.

P Rajeev and Ram Vilas Paswan were the members who raised queries. Others were quiet and made notes.

Before the meeting concluded, Chairman thanked us for a “fine and excellent presentation” that “conveyed out points clearly” and said they will call Veterans, Government and other petitioners to hear their points of view.
Additional Opportunity

We landed an excellent opportunity to interact with the Chairman and Members of the Committee when they joined us for Tea.

We spent quality 20 minutes of informal interaction about OROP and related issues with the Members.

Chairman Koshyari seemed particularly happy with our presentation and said the Committee is keen to do justice to veterans and will arrive at a consensus on that. He will also be inviting Ex-servicemen, Serving Defense personnel and the Civilian bureaucracy.

Nandi Yelliah said there were no issues to implement OROP, except perhaps the financial obligations.

Rajeeve said he will support OROP.

Ram Vilas Paswan was the most emphatic of the lot. He said “he is aware of the issue and hurdles put by babus who don’t see the bodies of soldiers arriving at Palam”. He said the “Committtee will not make recommendations but ensure fulfillment.”
What Next
Anand will brief Lt Gen Kadyan on the meeting details so that they can depose with the knowledge of expectations and the kind of reaction to expect from the Committee. Regards,
V. Anand
Principal- Public Affairs,
Office of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Member of Parliament

Common law for all three defence services drafted

3 May 2010 Statesman News Service
New Delhi, 3 May: The government today said it has prepared a draft common law applicable to all three defence forces to ensure coordination in operations and functions and its enactment was under the active consideration of the defence ministry.
In a statement laid on the table of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, defence minister Mr AK Antony said the work on the common law, to be called the Tri Service Act, had begun in 2002 and the draft submitted to the ministry after approval from the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) in August 2009.
The Tri Service Act was “under consideration in consultation with the three services,” Mr Antony said on the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Unified Command for Armed Forces submitted to the Lok Sabha in February 2009.
With regard to the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as recommended by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC), the Minister said the proposal was “under examination”, though the institutional support and infrastructure had already been created in the form of the Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters to support the CDS, whenever created.
He said the case for finding consensus on appointment of CDS, as suggested by the KRC, had been taken up with political parties, but a number of them were yet to respond.
On setting up of Indian National Defence University, the minister said the draft cabinet note, after inter-ministerial consultation, had been submitted for approval of competent authority.
He also said that the process of internal review of security threats and challenges and restructuring of the IDS headquarters had been completed, and the case for external review through a high-powered expert committee was under examination and approval of COSC Chairman.
Gratuity ceiling Bill
A Bill to raise the ceiling of gratuity for employees to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 3.5 lakh was passed by the Lok Sabha without discussion today.
Common law for all three defence services drafted

IESM: Jaswant takes up case of ex-armymen in RS

Mail Today, Wednesday, February 18, 2009
FEW DAYS after former soldiers, including three- star generals, returned their gallantry medals to President Pratibha Patil to press for a one rank- one pension system, the issue resurfaced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President’s address to Parliament, the leader of Opposition in the House, Jaswant Singh, said the government’s failure to meet the demand went against the izzat (honour) of the ex- servicemen. The BJP leader said it was a “complex” issue but the government should have addressed it.
“It is unfortunate a Lt Colonel retiring today gets a pension equal to a Lt General who retired a few years ago,” he said. Jaswant compared the “shortcoming” with the “equal pension system” applicable to the MPs irrespective of the term during which he was a member. Jaswant also said there was “confusion” galore because the pension system of former soldiers was open to “a variety of interpretations” by the CDA, the pay and pension disbursement authority for the armed forces. He also pointed out the misuse of the uniform by civilians, especially security agencies.
Jaswant takes up case of ex-armymen in RS

Comment: Rampant misuse of non- pattern Uniforms by Security Agencies poses an Internal security threat. Security Agencies employing ESM are exploiting them with shabby and fancy uniforms and dishonouring their status, rank with meagre wages.