NEW DELHI, Sept 5:
Ex-servicemen, pressing for ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) for nearly four decades, today won a partial victory with the Government announcing that it would implement it.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters here that OROP, that implies uniform pension for armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with a same length of service, would be implemented from July 1, 2014 on the basis of calender year 2013.
The pension would be revised every five years and defence personnel who take voluntary retirement will not be covered, Parrikar said, adding that a one-member judicial committee would be constituted to report within six months after examining various aspects of the “complex issue”.
Arrears, estimated to cost between Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore, would be paid in four half-yearly instalments. However, all widows, including war widows, will be paid in one instalment.
Ex-servicemen, who have been on an agitation for the past 84 days, took no time in rejecting the Government’s announcement and declaring that they will continue the stir. They also announced a massive rally on September 12.
What has riled the ex-servicemen is the decision to review the pension every five years instead of two years for which they were willing to settle. Another objection pertained to leaving out ex-servicemen who had gone for premature retirement.
Another sticking point is the setting up of a one-member judicial committee which will examine interest of retirees of different periods and different ranks. It will also address inter-service issues.
Instead, ex-servicemen want a committee with five members, including three of them, to report within 30 days.
Top Defence Ministry sources said interest of those armed forces personnel who had to take VRS due to injuries will be protected.
The Defence Minister said the cost to implement OROP would be Rs 8,000 crore to 10,000 crore and it will increase further.
“Despite the huge fiscal burden, given its commitment to the welfare of ex-servicemen, the Government has taken a decision to implement the OROP,” Parrikar said.
Close to 26 lakh retired servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be immediate beneficiaries of the scheme.
Explaining the provisions, he said pension will be “re-fixed for all pensioners retiring in the same rank and with the same length of service as the average of minimum and maximum pension in 2013. Those drawing pensions above the average will be protected.”
He said the the one-member judicial committee would examine various issues including interests of retirees of different periods and different ranks and other inter-service matters.
“We also disapprove of setting up of one-member judicial committee. It should be under Defence Minister and not given more than one month,” said Singh.
Defence Ministry sources said Government will come out with a detailed order on OROP within next one month.
Parrikar said the Government has held extensive consultations with experts and ex-servicemen and decided to implement OROP despite the huge financial burden.
“The previous Government had estimated that OROP would be implemented with a budget provision of mere Rs 500 crore. The reality, however, is that to implement OROP, the estimated cost to exchequer would be Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore at present and will increase further in future,” Parrikar said.
Meanwhile, leaders of agitating ex-servicemen over OROP met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar tonight after which they said the Government was likely to come out with a “clarification” on its applicability to those who have opted for premature retirement.
Maj Gen (retd) Satbir Singh, who met the Minister along with few others, for the second time today, said the veterans would take a call on continuance of the agitation, that entered its 84th day, after a core committee meeting of the veterans.
“Defence Minister has confirmed that there is no VRS in defence services and so OROP will be applicable in PMR (Pre-mature Retirement). An official note would be given in a day or two after having a word with the Prime Minister. Parrikar has confirmed that he would give a clarification tomorrow evening or day after tomorrow. As far as Defence Minister and we are concerned that clause goes,” Singh told reporters.
Singh said he was “satisfied” with the Minister’s statement. However, he said,”..There are other issues which are yet to be done but the major issue is PMR which unnecessarily got put in. It was not required to be part of the note. How it has come we do not know.”
“We will take any decision on the agitation after talking to the core group. The decision would be taken tomorrow morning. For now the clarification has been taken from the Defence Minister. If the VRS is not applicable to armed forces then there is no question of retrospective (impact),” he said.
Following the meeting with Defence Minister, Satbir Singh went to the protest venue of ex servicemen at Jantar Mantar and briefed the hunger strikers about the meeting.
Final decision on hunger strike will be taken tomorrow, he said.
The Government said the benefits of ‘One Rank One Pension’ will be applicable in case of ex-servicemen whose premature retirement was valid and legal.
“Any premature retirement which is valid and legally acceptable to the armed forces will be given ‘One Rank One Pension’,” Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said here.
Rathore, a retired Colonel himself, added that the issue was complex and one should wait for the fine print to understand it better.
He said he feels that ex-servicemen across the country would be happy with the Government’s decision and lauded the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Before Lok Sabha elections, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised this issue and the UPA Government faced so much pressure that they were forced to announce Rs 500 crore,” Rathore said.
“I have heard their (Congress) spokesperson saying that Rs 500 crore was announced because the budget estimate of Defence Ministry had mentioned it so. Because they were confused by recommendations of the Koshiyari committee. Congress would have gone ahead by it and given Rs 1,300 crore.
“But we have given Rs 8,000-10,000 crore annually which is in true nature ‘One Rank, One Pension’. And therefore, we all must compliment Prime Minister’s leadership to stand up in today’s difficult times to fulfil commitments and promises,” Rathore said.
He said a one-man enquiry committee should be set up so that if any section that feels it had not got justice, could be heard. (PTI)
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