Government Committed to Provide Required Fund to Implement OROP: Antony
The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has assured the Services that the Government was fully committed to implement the One Rank, One Pay (OROP) Policy and that required funds will be made available to ensure its implementation. Chairing a meeting of the top brass of the Services and senior officials of MoD, here, last evening, Shri Antony said the Finance Minister had clarified that the figure of Rs 500 crores made available to implement the scheme was only ‘indicative’.
The meeting was convened by Shri Antony to discuss the modalities for implementation of OROP. It was attended among others by the Minister of State for Defence Shri Jitendra Singh, the Defence Secretary Shri RK Mathur, Secretary Ex- Servicemen’s Welfare Smt Sangita Gairola, Secretary Defence Finance Shri Arunava Dutt, the three Service Vice Chiefs and AG from the Services Headquarters.
It was noted that “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”.
Shri Antony directed that the Controller General of Defence Accounts should initiate immediate necessary steps in consultation with the three Services, MoD Finance and Department of ESW to give effect to the decision. He also emphasized that family pensioners and disability pensioners would be included. Ex-Servicemen may also be appropriately consulted by the Services, Shri Antony said.
It may be recalled that improvements in the pension for Defence Services have been effected by the Government on three occasions in recent times – in 2006, 2010 and 2013. As a result of these changes, the gap in pension amount between pre-2006 and post-2006 retirees has been bridged substantially. However, keeping in view the long- standing demand, the Government has accepted the principle of OROP for Defence Services.
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Manikandan K
The Govt has never been with the soldiers so far. It is only election fear which has now resulted in declaration of OROP. We have not yet got it. Let us wait and see. Even when the Lord gives you something the priest is likely to deny it, so goes an old Tamil saying. Even if the Govt. sanctions OROP, that is only in principle. The money comes to our hands through the orders issued by Finance bureaucracy, which is hell bent on ensuring that the soldiers are not paid. The OROP which was granted by law in 1882, through Nakara case judgement was so much twisted and turned by the minions of Finance ministry that we are yet to get. They have succesfully nullified a SC judgement. Let us wait and see how they nullify the Govt’s intentions.
JOHN SAMUEL, M
Even, Wild animals not only obey human but also love and protect the masters from difficult situations, because the human carefully take care of the needs of those wild animals. Reap what you sow. We loved the nation, we protected the nation, we vowed to sacrifice our life ( many sacrificed) and will continue with the Govt when the Govt is with us.
JOHN SAMUEL, M
We the old Armed Forces pensioners and the serving heartly express our WARM APPRECIATION AND THANKS to the Govt and all honorable ruling authorities for the enhancements made in the past and NOW for consistently accepting the long outstanding genuine need of “the past and present life sacrificers” of India. Long Live INDIA, Jai Hind. We are with the Govt and for the Govt. When the Govt is with us we are with the Govt. We expect a fast movement of papers to the PDAs to effect the payments to the pensioners.