Chandigarh, December 22
Recommending grant of one rank-one pension (OROP) to retired armed forces personnel, Parliament’s Committee on Petitions has said that it is not convinced with the hurdles projected by the Ministry of Defence in implementing the proposal. Observing that the financial liability for implementing OROP is Rs 1,300 crore for 20110-12 "which is not a very big amount for a country of our size and economy and also considering the purpose for which it would be utilised", the committee said it is not convinced with the version of the Finance Ministry that implementing OROP would generate similar requests from civilian employees because the terms and conditions of service of the two are vastly different and much harsher and difficult for the military.
The committee, in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha yesterday, also found to be incorrect, the financial liability of Rs 3,000 crore per annum put forth by the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare (DOEW) for OROP. Nixing financial, administrative and legal hurdles projected by the DOEW, the committee observed,” The defence services serve the nation with utmost devotion and selflessness but their demands are consistently being ignored, not by the heads of the Armed Forces, but by bureaucrats. It’s a typical example of bureaucratic apathy.” The Committee observed that the demands of veterans, including OROP, were included in the election manifestos of various parties but not given effect.
“The findings of the committee were appreciable and pro-veteran,” said Maj Navdeep Singh, a High Court lawyer dealing with service matters. “Even the legal difficulties expressed by DOEW have no legs to stand upon. It claimed that the Supreme Court had upheld the implementation of cut-off dates in pensionary matters in various cases. However, what DESW did not mention is the fact that there are many more decisions, including very recent ones, where cut-off dates have been deprecated,” he added. Further, the committee did not accept DOWS’ claims on legal issues and held that on the contrary.
(Source- The Tribune)
Recommending grant of one rank-one pension (OROP) to retired armed forces personnel, Parliament’s Committee on Petitions has said that it is not convinced with the hurdles projected by the Ministry of Defence in implementing the proposal. Observing that the financial liability for implementing OROP is Rs 1,300 crore for 20110-12 "which is not a very big amount for a country of our size and economy and also considering the purpose for which it would be utilised", the committee said it is not convinced with the version of the Finance Ministry that implementing OROP would generate similar requests from civilian employees because the terms and conditions of service of the two are vastly different and much harsher and difficult for the military.
The committee, in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha yesterday, also found to be incorrect, the financial liability of Rs 3,000 crore per annum put forth by the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare (DOEW) for OROP. Nixing financial, administrative and legal hurdles projected by the DOEW, the committee observed,” The defence services serve the nation with utmost devotion and selflessness but their demands are consistently being ignored, not by the heads of the Armed Forces, but by bureaucrats. It’s a typical example of bureaucratic apathy.” The Committee observed that the demands of veterans, including OROP, were included in the election manifestos of various parties but not given effect.
“The findings of the committee were appreciable and pro-veteran,” said Maj Navdeep Singh, a High Court lawyer dealing with service matters. “Even the legal difficulties expressed by DOEW have no legs to stand upon. It claimed that the Supreme Court had upheld the implementation of cut-off dates in pensionary matters in various cases. However, what DESW did not mention is the fact that there are many more decisions, including very recent ones, where cut-off dates have been deprecated,” he added. Further, the committee did not accept DOWS’ claims on legal issues and held that on the contrary.
(Source- The Tribune)
I think the same will be implemented in this budget session of parliament in INDIA
ReplyDeleteu can not trust this GOVT
ReplyDeleteThis Govt. can increase the pay/perks of the members of parliament within a day. No one protested against that increase. The Finance Minister and Defence Minister appears not well aware about the service conditions of the jawans that why they are making comparison with the civilian who after doing their duties return home every day in the evening. Civilians never know how our jawans are save gaurding the fronteirs of the country in High Altitude and in Glaciers. The politician are making crores in defence deals for which the Govt have enough money as the big chunk of these commission is going to the vested interest but govt cannot spare 1300 crore for the ex-servicemen who rendered their prime time of their lives and most of them laid their lives in defending the borders of the countries. They took the bullets in their chest as and when enemy forces attacked India. They are those Jawans who fought for the nation during 1962, 1971 and during Kargil War. I appreceiate the parliamentary committee for recomending the cause of the ex-servicemen in the parliament, but it is not enough as it needs rigorous followup to shake awake the slept government. I hope the good sense will prevail and the govt. will sympathetically consider the one rank one pension demand of the ex-servicemen. Thanks. Mahesh Sharma
ReplyDeleteWhy all are commenting on the blog as Anonymous? They are veterans/xservicemens who are afraid of writing their own names. Silly and ungracious to the soldiers died for the country.
ReplyDeleteWhy all are commenting on the blog as Anonymous? They are veterans/xservicemens who are afraid of writing their own names. Silly and ungracious to the soldiers died for the country.
ReplyDelete