29 Jan 2018
JANTAR
MANTAR PROTEST MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE TO JAWANS
Dear Friends,
1. 960
days today since we launched Protest Movement at JM & at other locations
across the country to get Justice to the Soldiers. Actual OROP
as our first objective remains far away. Govt has not fulfilled its
assurance given to the soldiers by PM. Instead of correcting the
OROP Anomalies which have cascading effect on our Pay, Pensions and Status,
Govt has set out to defame, degrade and destroy our Protest
Movement.One Man Judicial Committee Report on OROP which was
submitted to the Govt on 26 Oct 2016 has neither been made public nor
implemented. After making claims for over two years that OROP has
been implemented, Govt has now accepted that full OROP has not yet been
given. What the Govt has implemented is one time increase in pension
and not full OROP.
2. A Sepoy
with 17 years of service and his widow are getting, Rs 4296 and Rs 2548 per
month less pension respectively than what should be entitled to them if full
OROP is implemented. These figures will keep on increasing since the
OROP anomalies have cascading effect on our pensions and status viz other Govt
Services. It is for interest to everyone that other democracies of
the world pay 15-20 percent more salary and pension to their soldiers than what
India pays to it soldiers. International Kaleidoscope of pay and
pensions is under:-
Edge
in Pay and Pensions of defence Forces vis-a-vis Civilian Employees
|
Ser No
|
Countries
|
Notional Edge in salary
as service pay or special allowance for military service
|
Pension Scale with
notional edge for military service
|
|
(a)
|
U.S.A
|
Approx 15 to 20%
|
50 to 75% of last pay
drawn fully protected against inflation. For civil services the
scale is 33.75% of pay as pension.
|
|
(b)
|
United Kingdom
|
10%
|
Uniform pension as
revised irrespective of rank and date or retirement.
|
|
(c)
|
Australia
|
#2608 PA military
allowance
|
76.5 percent of day
|
|
(d)
|
Japan
|
12 to 29% on graded scale
|
70 percent of pay
|
|
(e)
|
West Germany
|
5 to 10%
|
75% of pay
|
|
(f)
|
Yugoslavia
|
15%
|
85 % of pay
|
|
(g)
|
Nigeria
|
5%
|
80% of pay with national
edge of 10% over civil scales.
|
|
(h)
|
France
|
15%
|
75% of pay.
|
|
(j)
|
Iraq
|
10%
|
70-75% of pay.
|
|
(k)
|
Pakistan
|
10-15% with other
allowances
|
50-75% of pay with
service element military pension
|
|
(l)
|
India
|
Nil
|
50% of pay and same is
depressed by 6 to 24% in respect of Lt Col & below ranks constituting 90%
of the manpower strength of the Armed Forces.
|
3. Not only this
serious disparity, the Govt has restricted financial assistance for education
including professional education to the Children of Martyrs to Rs 10000/- per
month, a schemes which was introduced after the 1971 WAR of full
financial assistance for their education including professional and higher
studies. This is retrograde step for the pay and pensions of
soldiers.
4. We
thankfully accept that the present Govt has accepted the Concept of OROP;
however, there are anomalies in its execution which remain to be
corrected. The present Govt would have got the credit of honouring
its assurance to the soldier, had it implemented full OROP as per the
definition given in the Govt Executive orders dated 26 Feb 2014.
5. The
approved definition of OROP by two Governments is given below:-
(a) One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform
pension be paid to the Armed Forces 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 to beautomatically passed on to the past
pensioners. This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the
current pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the
rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”.
(b) Shri Bhagat Singh
Koshyari RAJYASABHA COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS DATED 19 DEC 2011 - "One Rank
One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces
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
to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This
implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners
and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the rate of pension to
be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”.
(c) Report
of Committee of Secretaries on OROP-30 Jun 09. Relevant Extract is as under :-
“One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension be
paid to the Armed Forces Personnel retiring in the same rank with
thesame length of service irrespective of their date of
retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to
be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”
(d) Minister
of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to Shri Rajeev
Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha dated 02 Dec 2014 (Release ID :112372)
“The
principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the
Govt. One Rank One Pension (OROP) implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed
Forces 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 to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This
implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners
and the past pensioners, and also future enhancement in the rate of pension to
be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.”
5. I
had the opportunity to meet the present RM on 15 Nov 2017 in her office in a
very cordial environment and briefed her in detail about the anomalies in the
implementation of OROP and other important Issues of Welfare of Defence
Personnel are as under.
(a) Implementation of Actual One Rank One
Pension (OROP).
(b) Pensions of Defence Widows.
(c) Pensions of Defence Reservists.
(d) Ensuring Second Career for the early
Defence Retirees till the age of 60 years through the Act of Parliament.
(e) Improvements in Medical care Scheme
ECHS. The medical procedures which have been introduced in the
Country be on ECHS Procedure list within, six months of their being operational
in India.
(f) Dire need to have Veterans
Hospitals on the line of other Democracies.
(g) Need to enhance ECHS Budget to
efficiently manage Super Specialty Care for the Defence Personnel and their
dependents.
(h) Need to have Covenant Act of Defence
Forces on the lines of UK & other countries.
(j) Need to expedite construction of
Martyrs Memorial at India Gate. Long delays have already been
caused.
(k) Need to enhance rates of Disability
Pension for Defence Personnel.
6. Having
given the details, I would request all members of the defence Family to “Join
in” to continue our struggle to get “Respect and Justice” to the soldiers and
for restoration of status in all respects as existed on 26 Jan 1950.
7. You
are aware that the Govt has to implement Actual OROP and the opposition has to
raise the issues of disparities and shortcomings that exist. We had
supported BJP in 2014 when the party had assured us of implementation of full
OROP if it came to Power. Now, since BJP has not implemented full OROP, we have
requested opposition ie (Cong and other Parties) to assist in getting actual
OROP for the Welfare of Soldiers. We neither joined BJP in 2014 nor
we have joined cong now. Some ex- servicemen for the reasons best
known to them are making subjective comments that the IESM Leadership has
joined Congress. It is for from truth. IESM and Jantar
Mantar Protest Movement is for the Welfare of Defence Family and not for
joining any Political Party.
8. We
appeal to all Ex-Servicemen to strengthen the Protest Movement at Jantar Mantar
and other locations in the Country by Continuing to be part of
it. Every Ex-serviceman in and around NCR is requested to visit
Jantar Mantar atleast once a week to Showcase Solidarity to the Cause of
Soldiers. Likewise, ESM at other locations are requested to conduct
meetings at their respective places in support of Respect, Justice, Status,
Actual OROP and Removal of Anomalies of 6th & 7th CPCs.
With regards,
Yours
Sincerely,
Maj
Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)
Advisor
United Front of Ex Servicemen and Chairman IESM
Mobile:
09312404269, 0124-4110570
(Source : Via e-mail)
