The Narendra Modi government is expected to
deliver on its “one rank, one pension” (OROP) promise, a promise the prime
minister himself made to armed forces veterans when he kicked off his election
campaign in Rewari, a southern district of Haryana with a strong tradition of
sending men into the armed forces. According to a source, defence minister
Manohar Parrikar has approved the policy and payments are to be made with
arrears, which will altogether cost the government Rs 8,000 crore.
The pension payment would be linked to an
ex-serviceman’s last salary drawn and the government has promised to put a
previously retired veteran’s pension at par with that of a freshly retired
ex-serviceman of the same rank and years of service. This will partly assuage a
40-year-old grievance of officers and ranks from the three forces.
The
government is expected to table the proposal during the ongoing budget session
of Parliament, with the release of funds to be announced when the government
marks one year in office. Based on the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations
in 2008, the then government adopted a discriminatory pension policy for
ex-servicemen of the same rank and length of service. Simply put, since 2006,
ex-servicemen of the same rank and number of years in service have been paid
different pension amounts, based on when they had retired.
Ex-servicemen object to this disparity since the cost of living today is the same for everyone, regardless of when they retired. It seemed the government expected that a general, air-marshal or jawan who retired in the 1990s should have a different lifestyle from their successors of the same rank and length of service who retired later with a higher last drawn salary.
Former defence personnel had previously
organised themselves and lobbied with the government at different times. But
the disparity in pension hurt veterans across ranks and they held a protest
rally at India Gate, much to the embarrassment of the then UPA government. A
day after his nomination was announced in September 2013 as BJP’s prime
ministerial candidate, Modi’s first speech was not at a party event. The Indian
Ex-Servicemen’s Movement (iesm) had organised the event in Haryana and with
thousands of ex-servicemen in attendance, Modi had played to the gallery
promising he would implement the OROP policy. A week before that, former chief
of army staff and now Union minister of state for external affairs, General
(retd) V.K. Singh had made the same promise. Both played up the issue because
it affects around 24 lakh ex-servicemen, 6.5 lakh martyrs’ widows and the 14
lakh men and women in uniform protecting the country. Ten days after Modi’s speech,
then Congress MP Rao Inderjeet Singh, from Gurgaon, gave up his Congress
membership and joined the BJP.
After becoming prime minister, Modi had repeated the promise in at least five places, one of them during his much-hyped Diwali visit to Siachen. Due to the high number of veterans from Haryana, Modi had also pitched OROP while campaigning for the recent assembly elections in the state. It had worked before the elections and ex-servicemen had stood behind Modi. Now, the hopeful veterans seem to be a little circumspect about promises of payments, till the dues actually arrive in their bank accounts.
The cynicism is not misplaced. On May 4, 2009,
while polling for the 2009 Lok Sabha general elections that were then in
progress, there was a backdoor message from the then government that it had
constituted not one but two committees to look into the OROP issue. “The
Congress had little or no hope of returning to power. We voted for them,
trusting their intentions,” claims Major General (retd) Satbir Singh, chairman
of iesm.
On May 30, after winning the elections, the UPA
rejected the OROP demand, claiming that one of the two high-level committees
constituted by it had rejected the demand. “The bureaucracy has always aborted
any political attempt to implement OROP. They have used commas and full stops
to distort a lucid policy initiative that would have motivated the army and
invoked soldiers’ faith in the government,” says Satbir Singh.
During
UPA-II’s term, veterans met then defence minister A.K. Antony several times to
lobby for OROP implementa-tion. Antony would give them a listen, but kept the
proposal in prolonged hibernation. After failed attempts to meet then President
of India (who is also supreme commander of the armed forces), veterans had in
fact handed back their medals and
gallantry awards along with a petition signed in their blood.
An MP finally raised the issue directly with the
famously reticent Manmohan Singh to ask what they would do about OROP. “The PM
simply said if he allowed OROP for ex-servicemen, the administrative services
would also ask for similar pension benefits,” claims the MP. Just before the
2014 Lok Sabha elections, the UPA made another audacious attempt to seduce
ex-servicemen, acknowledging their potential as a vote-bank. On February 17,
2014, the government announced ‘one rank, one pension’ as a budget
announcement. It was however too little and too late: Modi had won the
allegiance of ex-servicemen.
The veterans last met Parrikar on April 14.
After much fidgeting with the government calculator, the minister assured them
that the government would announce the policy any day now. The OROP arrears
calculations by iesm are nearly Rs 12,000 crore but they are ready to begin
with the disbursement of around Rs 8,000 crore.
In 1973, the Third Pay Commission had cut ex-servicemen’s pension and increased that of civilians. The armed forces veterans did not agree to this inequity, citing the life risk and “supreme sacrifice” (of life) involved in serving the armed forces.
In 1973, the Third Pay Commission had cut ex-servicemen’s pension and increased that of civilians. The armed forces veterans did not agree to this inequity, citing the life risk and “supreme sacrifice” (of life) involved in serving the armed forces.
There is sufficient
pressure on the Modi government not just due to its pre-poll promises, but also
due to the demotivating effect not implementing OROP will have on those still
serving. Only time will tell if Manmohan Singh’s apprehension was totally
unfounded. If the central government accepts the OROP principle, it may well
have to be extended to all government employees both at the Centre and in the
states. While the Centre may be able to afford the extra expenses, no figure
is available yet of the impact it might have on states’ finances.
(SOURCE- OUTLOOK)
Dear sir,
ReplyDeleteOnly indian soldiers are paid very pittance in the name of pension. The babus in the third pay commission reduced the pension from 70% to 30 % of the gross salary and the civilians are upgraded because policy matters are in their hand. this manipulation of pension formula was better known to the politicians but they observed silent akin to the cunningness of babus. if any civilians claim OROP depute them to serve in the border area for a period of 5 years and then make them eligible to draw OROP. conscription legislation shall be brought whether central and state employee regardless of their position make it mandatory for them in indian army for period of 5 years field particularly high altitude area. none will object to it. even MP and MLA before filing nominations a column should be in the application form they should serve in indian army border area for a period of one year. we the most disciplined soldiers though we are less paid and belittled and looked down up on by the babus and politicians, we will maintain high standard of discipline and dignity . the first soldier upraising took place in vellore in the year 1807 and then in the year 1857 against britishers. many INA soldiers sacrificed. that is the first freedom fight now you people are enjoying the fruit of my forerunners sacrifice. when timid revolts no power can contain
Dear sir,
ReplyDeleteIt is a mind set problem, who said it is insufficient money with GOI. Dear sir, look at every Govt. Deptt day to day or monthly bills of expenditure passed. Actualization and realization has never done. I am sure one thing that one day god will make them to feel what mistake they done with poor Ex servicemen for not finalization of correct OROP .
Every time making fool and giving name of " Bridge the gap of OROP "
See every effective date has been changed First were 01/07/2009 against 01/01/2006 Second were 24/09/2012 against 01/01/2006 now third are planning 01/04/2014 against 01/01/2006. See how much money were saved by decided man to GOI. My dear sir it is not called cost reduction by cutting poor ex servicemen priviliage / entitlement. Pl show your effort to cut cost cut in your Deptt where false bills passed even though all Government utilities were misused. Ask your self how much cost has been reduced by yourself which can be utilized in other productive area.
Dear it is very easy to burn ex servicemen finger pl try burn one day your finger and feel how much pain happen.
Day by day delayed and not paying from 01/01/2006 Why ?
My humble request to you all kindly do the needful.
Regards
CP Singh
ek mazdoor ki mazdoori matkar tumko kuchh nahi milega, apna ghar bharkar apke provar ko shanti nahin milegi is lie retired jcos/or ke bare mein thande dimak se sochhkar pheshala le nahin to upper wale ke yahen deir nhin hain Jai Hind.
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