OROP: Ex-servicemen Warn of Upping Ante
BENGALURU: Around 1,500 ex-servicemen descended on the Town Hall in the city on Sunday demanding that the government implement the one-rank-one-pension (OROP) scheme.
This was the second such agitation by the veterans in the last few weeks.
The veterans were miffed that the government has not implemented the scheme from 1973 when the issue was first raised.
The scheme entitles uniform pension for armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same duration of service, irrespective of the date of retirement. On Sunday, many of the veterans expressed hope that OROP will be implemented soon. Col K D Shelley (retd) told Express that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently said funds were not a problem.
“However, it is appalling that not one government representative visited us during our agitation. We, being a disciplined force, do not resort to arm-twisting tactics like rasta/rail roko. However, we will be forced to take up such measures if there is a delay in implementation of OROP,” added Shelley.
Most of those present blamed the delay in implementation of the scheme on bureaucrats, who they said, are throwing a spanner in the works.
Shelley was also surprised that the city police did not grant permission to the veterans to take out a rally.
Input from http://www.newindianexpress.  | |
Showing posts with label One Rank One Pension. Show all posts
Showing posts with label One Rank One Pension. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
OROP: Ex-servicemen Warn of Upping Ante
latest News OROP - One Rank One Pension Explained in 10 Points
One Rank One Pension Explained in 10 Points
NEW DELHI: One Rank One Pension or OROP, a longstanding demand of ex-servicemen, will grant retired armed forces personnel pension parity with officers and jawans of the same rank who are retiring now. Gandhian activist Anna Hazare has announced an indefinite fast in support of OROP from October 2.
Here is a 10-point guide:
Retired services personnel also expect a year's back pay in pensions at the new rate, which if approved will be a windfall for pensioners.
Unlike the civil services, where the retirement age is 60, 85 per cent soldiers are compulsorily retired between 35 and 37 years of age. Another 12-13 per cent soldiers retire between 40 and 54 years.
Protesters demanding OROP also point out that civil servants cannot be discharged by the government on account of disability until they reach their retirement age. But soldiers can be discharged any time on account of disability.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when they retired. So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws less pension than a Lt. Colonel who retired after 1996.
Implementing OROP will cost the government at least an estimated Rs 8,300 crore annually and the Finance Ministry has to take the final call on it now. One Rank One Pension will benefit 25 lakh ex-servicemen.
One Rank One Pension was an election promise of the BJP. Ex-servicemen are now demanding that it fulfil that promise.
In its last Budget in 2014, months before the national election, the Congress-led UPA government announced that OROP would be implemented, but allocated a meagre Rs 500 crore.
The BJP government says that was grossly inadequate and that it has, since it came to power, been working hard to implement OROP.
The Supreme Court had ordered the implementation of OROP six years ago in 2009, and in February this year, reminded the government that it is yet to do so. In 1983, the Supreme Court said, "Pension is not a bounty nor a matter of grace depending upon the sweet will of the employer."
A group of ex-servicemen leading protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi claim ex-jawans are willing to fast unto death for OROP. With Anna Hazare on board, the ex-servicemen say they will also protest in election-bound states such as Bihar.
Input from http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-  | |
Thursday, July 16, 2015
OROP Latest News - Hazare to go on indefinite hunger strike over land bill, OROP issue
Hazare to go on indefinite hunger strike over land bill, OROP issue
Social activist Anna Hazare has decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike at the Ramlila ground in Delhi from October 2 over the land acquisition bill and the 'one rank one pension' issue.
Hazare met former defence officials at his native village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district on Wednesday and discussed ways in which the OROP issue could be taken up with the government.
Hazare recently said the BJP-led government at the Centre had not shown as much interest towards the implementation of the OROP scheme as it had shown towards the passing of the land acquisition bill, adding the retired jawans deserved to lead a dignified life.
"The current government, during the elections had said that they will implement One Rank, One Pension, but it has been more than a year, they have not done it. They have so much interest in land acquisition bill, but why are they not showing similar kind of interest in OROP," Hazare had said.
The OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of ex-servicemen's associations and relates to payment of uniform pension to defence forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
"Jawans in the Army face a lot of difficulties. Whether is it desert of Rajasthan or the freezing conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, they serve the nation. They deserve to lead an honourable life after retirement. People who dedicate their lives to the nation should get the chance to spend their lives with dignity," he added.
Hazare had protested against the controversial land acquisition ordinance earlier in February, saying the Narendra Modi-led government was acting as a property dealer for corporates. He had accused the Modi government of being indifferent towards farmers.
He had hinted at a bigger agitation at the Ramlila ground during the February protest.
Hazare had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to implement the OROP scheme at the earliest, failing which, he would launch a countrywide agitation for the same.
(With PTI inputs) Courtesy:http://www. | |
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
OROP Latest News - SC gives Centre 6 more weeks to implement OROP
SC gives Centre 6 more weeks to implement OROP
The Supreme Court has given the Centre six more weeks to comply with its 2008 judgment ordering the implementation of the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) principle for retired armed forces personnel.
On Wednesday, a bench led by Justice T S Thakur posted the matter after six weeks on a request made by Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, who asked for some more time to enable the government to do the needful.
This may be the final opportunity for the government to ward off initiation of a possible contempt proceeding over its failure to comply with the seven-year-old judgment.
On February 16, the court had reminded the NDA government of its promise to implement OROP in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “This was part of your manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. You must keep your word,” the bench had observed while hearing a contempt petition, filed by retired Major General S P S Vains.
Vains has dragged the Defence Ministry to the court, demanding immediate implementation of the OROP scheme.
While posting the matter after three months, the bench had in February said: “We make it clear that no further time will be granted for the purpose of implementation of the impugned judgment.” However, on Wednesday, the bench accorded yet another opportunity to the government after the ASG said modalities of the implementation of the OROP were being devised. The court will hear the case next on August 24.
Source:http://indianexpress.  | |
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
ORAP Latest News - Will Prime Minister Modi keep his word on One Rank One Pension?
Will Prime Minister Modi keep his word on One Rank One Pension?
And far more importantly, should he?
On September 15, 2013, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi spoke passionately at a rally in Rewari to honour retired members of the armed forces:
“Today, I publicly demand from the government of India on behalf of the army men and ex-service men of this country, to publish a white paper on the status of the ‘one rank, one pension’ scheme.”
A year into being Prime Minister, he has pleaded that the government be given more time to implement the One Rank One Pension, or OROP, scheme given the complexities of the issues involved. If he fails to implement the scheme, he will not only invite the ire of army veterans and renege on a campaign promise, but will be in contempt of the highest court in the land.
Equality of treatment
In the landmark case of DS Nakara, the Supreme Court declared that any legal dispute relating to pensions would have to be considered in the milieu of a welfare State. The petitioners in the case had retired from the civil service and the armed forces respectively in the year 1972.
In 1979, the government liberalised the formula for computing pensions. Under the new formula, only those who retired on or after March 31, 1979, in the case of civil servants, and September 23, 1979, in the case of armed forces personnel, would receive the benefit of the liberalised pension scheme.
What this essentially meant was that those who retired before the aforementioned dates could conceivably receive a lower pension than those who retired after this date, despite having retired with the exact same designation or rank. The petitioners contended before the Supreme Court that the differential treatment accorded to those who had retired prior to the specified date clearly violated Article 14 of the Constitution.
Article 14 mandates that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. In the case of Maneka Gandhi v Union of India, the Supreme Court held that Article 14 strikes at arbitrariness in State action, thereby ensuring equality of treatment.
The Supreme Court has however clarified that this “equal protection” does not mean that all laws must be general in character and have universal application. The State retains the power to distinguish and classify persons or things for the purposes of legislation.
Tests for valid classification
In order, however, to pass the test of permissible classification, the Supreme Court has held that two conditions must be fulfilled:
(i) the classification must be founded on an intelligible differentia which distinguishes persons or things that are grouped together from those that are left out of the group; and
(ii) the differentia must have a rational relation to the objects sought to be achieved by the legislation.
The constitutional scholar MP Singh uses Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, to illustrate the point. According to Section 11, minors cannot enter into a contract. Can minors claim that this is a violation of their Article 14 right to equality? Section 11 differentiates between two classes: adults and minors. The basis of the classification is age. The object of the classification is the “capacity” to contract. This classification is valid as an individual’s age has a direct bearing on his or her capacity to contract.
In the backdrop of this two-fold test, the Supreme Court in DS Nakara set out to answer the following questions: Is the date of retirement a relevant consideration for eligibility when a revised formula for computation of pension is ushered in and made effective from a specified date? Would differential treatment to pensioners related to the date of retirement via the revised formula for computation of pension violate Article 14?
A distinction without a difference
According to the Attorney General, the Government of India’s position was not that the date of retirement was the basis of the classification. As the Supreme Court put it:
“What is suggested (by the Government) is that when a pension scheme undergoes a revision and is enforced effective form a certain date…those who retire prior to that date form one class and those who retire on a subsequent date form a distinct and separate class…”
The Attorney General contended that this differentiation was grounded on a rational principle and it had a direct correlation to the object sought to be achieved by liberalised pension formula. The Supreme Court strongly disagreed.
The Government conceded that the pre-liberalised pension scheme did not provide adequate protection in old age and that further liberalisation was necessary as a measure of economic security. The Government also took into account rising inflation and the diminishing purchasing power of rupee in devising the upward revision of pension.
According to the Court, if those who were to retire subsequent to the specified date would feel the pangs in their old age, of lack of adequate security, by what stretch of the imagination could the same be denied to those who retired earlier with lower emoluments and yet were exposed to the vagaries of rising prices and the falling purchasing power of the rupee.
The Court ruled that all pensioners were entitled to pension as computed under the liberalised pension scheme’s new formula, irrespective of the date of retirement.
Contempt of Court
In the case of SPS Vains, the Supreme Court had to consider whether there could be a disparity in payment of pension to officers of the same rank in the armed forces, who had retired prior to the introduction of the revised pay scales effective from January 1, 1996, with those who retired thereafter.
This anomaly had arisen as a result of the acceptance by the Government of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. Those Major Generals who had retired prior to January 1, 1996, would now get a lower pension as compared to the other set of Major Generals who retired after that date, since they would not be entitled to the benefit of the revision of pay scales.
Relying on DS Nakara, the Court held that the object sought to be achieved was not to create a class within a class, but to ensure that the benefits of pension were made available to all persons of the same class, namely all Major Generals, equally. They held in favour of Major General Vains and stated emphatically that individuals who retired with the same rank should get the same pension.
In February, some six years after obtaining a judgement in his favour, Major General Vains filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, requesting it to order the Government to implement the OROP scheme. The Court obliged and stated in no uncertain terms that the Government would face contempt proceedings:
“This was part of your manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. You must keep your word.”
So, will the Prime Minister keep his word? And far more importantly, should he?
Roll of honour
A leading financial daily has called the OROP scheme unconscionable, stating that it will add Rs 8400 Crore annually to the budget, with this amount set to rise drastically in January 2016 once the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations are implemented. Proponents of the scheme claim that the three-decade long wait for the OROP, since the judgement in DS Nakara, is hurting army morale. For supporters of the scheme, this is the least that we as a nation can do for the brave soldiers who “gave their today for our tomorrow”.
One would think that former US President Grover Cleveland would agree with such sentiments, as he considered the pension list of the republic “a roll of honour”. But Cleveland himself vetoed hundreds of pension Bills, as he fully understood the need to draw the line between sentiment and fiscal responsibility.
Unfortunately, the Prime Minister does not have the luxury of “drawing the line” that Cleveland did. He finds himself in the unenviable position of being hemmed in by a Supreme Court order and a disillusioned group of army veterans who expect him to fulfil his election promise. A far cry from those heady days on the campaign trail in Rewari.
Source:http://scroll.in/ | |
Friday, June 19, 2015
One Rank One Pension Latest News - Implement of One Rank One Pension immediately
Centre should implement One Rank, One Pension immediately: Congress
Congress asked the Union government on Monday to immediately implement 'One Rank One Pension' for ex-servicemen who have been protesting over delay in implementing the policy.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to implement the scheme, Congress spokesperson P L Punia asked when it would done.
"During (2014 Lok Sabha) poll campaign, they asserted they will allow One Rank, One Pension. But what happened now? In his radio programme Mann Ki Baat he says he will do it. Do it, but when? He should tell or whether this too will remain mere announcement? The ex-servicemen today find themselves cheated. Then UPA-II Government's decision should be implemented and we support the ex-servicemen's agitation. We are part of their fight," Punia said.
He also came down heavily on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's reported remarks that importance of Indian Army has gone down because it had not fought any war in past 40 years, saying the BJP leader should refrain from making such statements.
"Defence Ministry is a very sensitive Ministry. And the Minister must think well before speaking. He keeps giving such statements which are irresponsible and he should refrain from making such statements," he said.
Referring to the attack on a journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit yesterday, Punia said the situation the state was "grim" and demanded Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to "sternly" act against culprits.
The journalist, Haider, was allegedly attacked by four persons while he was working on robbery report.
Reacting to media reports that 53 per cent of accounts opened by Centre under Jan Dhan Yojana have become inactive, Punia said it has been dumped into cold storage by BJP.
"They launch any programme with lot of fanfare and dump it in cold storage. They opened 10 crore accounts with much fanfare. But according to media reports, 53 per cent of it have become inactive due to non-transaction. The accounts will work only if there is arrangement for transaction," he said.
Source:http://www.dnaindia.  | |
One Rank One Pension Latest News - Retired Defence Personnel Protesting Over One Rank One Pension Begin Relay Hunger Strike
Retired Defence Personnel Protesting Over One Rank One Pension Begin Relay Hunger Strike
NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen across the country began an indefinite relay hunger strike today, demanding that the government announce a date for the introduction of the 'One Rank One Pension' policy.
Hundreds of retired defence personnel held protests yesterday too, and sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured them the "promises" made would be kept and that they should be "patient".
The OROP was a key poll promise of the BJP-led government, but its introduction has been delayed. What made it more difficult was that it involved various departments. Sources told NDTV that the file is shuttling between the finance and defence ministries.
The Narendra Modi government has said that it is committed to the policy but has refused to specify a timeline for its implementation. Last month, the Prime Minister touched upon the issue during his monthly radio address, Mann ki Baat, saying, "You have been patient for 40 years, wait for some more time. This is a complex issue... I promise we will hold discussions and resolve it."
"The Prime Minister's voice still echoes in our minds when he roared at the ex-servicemen rally on September 15, 2013, in Rewari and demanded a white paper on OROP from the UPA Government. He did not stop there, but declared that had there been BJP government in 2004, OROP would have been a reality by now," read a statement released by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, which is spearheading the agitation.
The scheme seeks to ensure that defence personnel who retire at the same rank and with the same length of service, will get equal pension, irrespective of when they retired. Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be its immediate beneficiaries.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when he or she retired. So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws less pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.
Source:http://www.ndtv.com/  | |
Thursday, June 18, 2015
FLASH NEWS - 'One Rank One Pension' scheme likely to be rolled out ahead of Bihar polls: Report
'One Rank One Pension' scheme likely to be rolled out ahead of Bihar polls: Report
NEW DELHI: The long-pending 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen is likely to be rolled out ahead of the Assembly polls in Bihar later this year, top government sources indicated today.
The government is working out the modalities for OROP and the announcement will be made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said.
"It (OROP) is being worked out. We will need to have a separate category so that it cannot be legally challenged later on and nor do others stake claim. This would be separate from other government pensions," the sources said.
Asked when it will be rolled out, they indicated that the scheme is likely to be announced ahead of Bihar election if all modalities are worked out.
Mounting further pressure on the Modi government, ex-servicemen have decided to hold a huge rally in Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls to demand the "promised due" of 'One Rank One Pension'.
The decision came even as groups of ex-servicemen went on a relay hunger strike in about 20 cities across the country starting yesterday.
Assembly polls in Bihar are likely in September/October this year. BJP has a tough fight on hand against the JD(U)-RJD combine, which is likely to have a poll pact with Congress in the state.
The Modi government has said it is committed to OROP, a key promise made during Lok Sabha polls. It has, however, not implemented it till now.
Even though the government has said it is committed to implementing OROP, there has been no official word on why the scheme is getting delayed.
Defence ministry sources said the OROP file is with the Finance Ministry for a final budgetary approval.
Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be immediate beneficiaries of the scheme, which envisages a uniform pension for the defence personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations of the time when he or she retired.
So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws a lower pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.
Source:Economictimes
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Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Latest News One Rank One Pension (OROP) for Ex-Servicemen – Will the Dream Come True?!
One Rank One Pension (OROP) for Ex-Servicemen – Will the Dream Come True?!
We all know very well that one of the important and unresolved pleas of ex-servicemen for a long time has been the One Rank One Pension (OROP).
We cannot compare other central government employees with army personnel who do a noble job of protecting our mother nation. Some people work in a dangerous environment. For others their work itself can be extremely dangerous. Our Army personnel come under the second category. The natural topography in which they work is very rough, extremely snowy and rainy with deadly shells fired anytime from the tanks of the enemies. Our Army constantly endures all these dangers.
Our army men risk their live and work in order to help us live peacefully. So they have be given the highest regard and honoured by us all. It is the crucial service of our army that helps us in times of natural calamities like unforeseen earthquakes, floods, landslides and hazardous times like riots. It can never be the right thing to make such noble people plead for their rights or provoke them to protest just to get their fair demands fulfilled.
The Employees’ Federation and Industry Associations of various departments of the Central Government have to announce their open support for the One Rank and One Pension (OROP) demand of Ex-servicemen. We have to exert pressure on the Central government and force them to make a suitable Government Order in this regard at the earliest possible.
Through this, we can attract the attention of the 7th Central Pay Commission which is going to be implemented from 1/1/2016 and certainly influence its secretive stand related to pension related matters to the maximum extent possible.
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Saturday, March 28, 2015
One Rank One Pension to cost exchequer Rs 7,500 crore-10,000 crore
One Rank One Pension to cost exchequer Rs 7,500 crore-10,000 crore
CHANDIGARH: Implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' scheme, the long-standing demand of Armed Forces veterans, is likely to cost the exchequer Rs 7,500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said today.
The government has already made it clear that One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2014, the Minister of State for Defence told reporters here. He said that the Defence Ministry had recently forwarded to the Finance Ministry the cost which the scheme's implementation would entail. "It is likely to cost us somewhere between Rs 7,500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore," he said, adding that the previous UPA government had made a mere announcement with regard to OROP. "During the past four to five months, we have gone deep into this. We have calculated the entire cost now," he said. | |
Sunday, March 15, 2015
One Rank One Pension Scheme
One Rank One Pension Scheme
The principle of One Rank One Pension for the Armed Forces has been accepted by the Government. The modalities for implementation have been discussed with various stakeholders and are presently under consideration of the Government. Financial implication could be calculated, once the modalities are finalized and approved by the Government.
Possible amendments to the pension policies are being examined with a view to reduce litigation for removing disparities in pension of various ex-servicemen. This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri Mullappally Ramachandran and others in Lok Sabha today. Source:http://www.pib.nic.in/  | |
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