Pension hike step towards one rank-one pension: Def Ministry

Against the backdrop of criticism by retired military personnel, Defence Ministry today said the recent pension package of Rs 2,300 crore for the ex-servicemen was a step towards achieving the goal of one rank-one pension (OROP) in future. "One rank-one pension is the goal and this package was a journey towards it. This is a continuous process and the recent announcement shows the sympathetic attitude of the government towards the retired personnel," Defence Ministry sources said here. Ex-servicemen had expressed their unhappiness with the pension hike announced by the government on Monday, saying it amounted to "wrong and deceitful" treatment of their long- pending 'one rank-one pension' demand and vowed to continue struggle for their rights. The sources said this was the third time that the government has hiked the pension of the retired defence forces since the award of Sixth Central Pay Commission in 2008. The exact calculation of the amount of money by which the retired personnel would benefit is expected to be done within next two days, they said. The sources said after the recent announcements, the pension of jawans will increase by Rs 550 to 800 whereas the pension of officers would register a hike between Rs 570 to Rs 3750. The hike in pension of personnel below office rank (PBOR) will be between 9.7 to 13 per cent whereas for officers it would be between 10 to 28 per cent. They said a total of 13 lakh jawans would benefit from the government's announcements at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore per annum. The government announced the decision to address the pensionary issues of ex-servicemen on Monday. "The gap in pension of pre-and post-January 2006 retiree jawans will be bridged by determining the pension of pre- January 2006 pensioners on basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across three Services as in case of post-January 2006 retirees," it had said. http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/pension-hike-step-towards-one-rank-one-pension-def-ministry/61244/

CHEATED EX-SERVICEMEN ROAR OVER BLATANT DENIAL OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION

NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen are unhappy with thepension hike announced by government saying it amounted to "wrong and deceitful" treatment of their long-pending 'One Rank One Pension' demand and vowed to continue struggle for their rights. 

"It is deceiving. Government has wrongly interpreted the term 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP). They have not given OROP, instead they have just merely made an enhancement in pension," Chairman Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) retired Lt Gen Raj Kadyan told PTI here. 

IESM today wrote letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and the three Service chiefs explaining how the government decision does not meet their long pending demand to ensure equitable pensions. 

"Ex-servicemen expect the government to do justice to them. This announcement has further disillusioned the ex- servicemen fraternity who have decided to intensify their protest in a dignified manner on all India basis," IESM Vice-Chairman Maj Gen Satbir Singh wrote in the letter to the Prime Minister. 

"To illustrate, a sepoy, naik and havlidar have been given an increase of only Rs 400 per month, whereas a sepoy who retired on January 2012 draws approximately Rs 4,000 more than those who retired prior to 2006," he explained in the letter, adding that similarly disparity exists in the officer ranks too. 

Government had yesterday announced a decision to address the pensionary issues of ex-servicemen. 

"The gap in pension of pre-and post-January 2006 retiree jawans will be bridged by determining the pension of pre-January 2006 pensioners on basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across three Services as in case of post-January 2006 retirees," it had said in a release. 

The jubilation of the ex-servicemen community waned today after realising that the government announcement does not ensure an equal pension irrespective of the year of retirement. 

"It is a joke. They have cheated. They have announced something even less than the Sixth Pay Commission. How can even they call it meeting the demands of ex-servicemen under the OROP?" Lt Gen (retd) R K Sawhney said. 

Ex-servicemen have been demanding implementation of 'One Rank One Pay' under which personnel retiring at same rank and putting in same length of service should get same pension irrespective of the year of retirement.

As per the present system, ex-servicemen under the 6th Pay Commission get more pension than their counterparts who have retired under previous pay commissions

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/one-rank-one-pension-ex-servicemen-unhappy-with-govts-announcement-of-pension-hike/articleshow/16546608.cms

One rank one pension move too little, too late: Ex-Army Chief

FOLLOW THIS LINK BY DOUBLE CLICK TO SEE THE OPINION OF GEN. OP . MALI K

EX- CHIEF OF ARMY






http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/295212/one-rank-one-pension-move-too-little-too-late-exarmy-chief.html

Armed forces personnel dissatisfied with One Rank, One Pension scheme

Though the UPA government has rolled out the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen, and tried to bridge the gap between pre and post-January 2006 retirees, resentment is brewing among serving and retired armed forces personnel, who have termed it an ‘eyewash’ and a feeble attempt at “rectification” of a fault dating back to 2006.

Several ex-servicemen, as well as serving armed forces personnel, pointed out on Tuesday that after the Government’s Rs. 2300 crore package for pensioners, a sepoy would be entitled to a total increase of Rs. 622 per month in his pension, and the raise would be Rs. 761 for a havildar.

Among the officers, a Lieutenant Colonel, on an average, would get a raise of Rs. 565 per month.

They pointed out that several anomalies still remain, and none of the core issues, raised by the three Service Chiefs in August with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, have been accepted.

Among other things, the three Service Chiefs had asked for the resolution of serving personnel issues, like fixation of common payscales for all JCOs and Other Ranks, grant of non-functional upgradation status to commissioned officers, and one rank one pension to the retired personnel. The Chiefs had also pointed out disparities between officers in uniform and their civilian counterparts.

Citing an example, some officers pointed out disparities in nine organisations of Group A services within the armed forces, where a superintendent engineer was at par with a colonel, but after non-functional upgradation (NFU), had become equivalent to a Major General, whereas the chief engineer, higher in status in that very organisation, was equivalent to a Brigadier.

While pledging to continue their struggle for their rights, ex-servicemen said the pension hike, announced on Monday, amounted to “wrong and deceitful” treatment of their long-pending OROP demand.

“It is deceiving. The Government has wrongly interpreted the term ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP). They haven’t given OROP; instead they have just merely made an enhancement in pension,” Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Raj Kadyan, said here.

IESM on Tuesday wrote to Dr. Singh, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, and the three Service chiefs, explaining how the government decision doesn’t meet their long-pending demand to provide equitable pensions.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/armed-forces-personnel-dissatisfied-with-one-rank-one-pension-scheme/article3936161.ece

UPA GOVERNMENT IS CHEATING THE NATION AS WELL AS THE SOLDIERS BY FALSE PROPAGANDA ON OROP

New Delhi: Ex-servicemen are unhappy with the pension hike announced by government saying it amounted to "wrong and deceitful" treatment of their long-pending 'One Rank One Pension' demand and vowed to continue struggle for their rights.

"It is deceiving. Government has wrongly interpreted the term 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP). They have not given OROP, instead they have just merely made an enhancement in pension," said Chairman, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), retired Lt Gen Raj Kadyan.

IESM on Tuesday also wrote letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister AK Antony and the three Service chiefs explaining how the government decision does not meet their long pending demand to ensure equitable pensions.

"Ex-servicemen expect the government to do justice to them. This announcement has further disillusioned the ex-servicemen fraternity, who have decided to intensify their protest in a dignified manner on all India basis," IESM Vice-Chairman Maj Gen Satbir Singh wrote in the letter to the Prime Minister.

"To illustrate, a sepoy, naik and havlidar have been given an increase of only Rs 400 per month, whereas a sepoy who retired on January 2012 draws approximately Rs 4,000 more than those who retired prior to 2006," he explained in the letter, adding that disparity exists in the officer ranks too.

The government had on Monday announced a decision to address the pensionary issues of ex-servicemen.

"The gap in pension of pre-and post-January 2006 retiree jawans will be bridged by determining the pension of pre-January 2006 pensioners on basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across three Services as in case of post-January 2006 retirees," it had said in a release

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/exservicemen-reject-governments-pension-scheme/295165-3.html

EX-SERVICEMEN ARE CHEATED AGAIN BY UPA GOVERNMENT BY BY GIVING MODIFIED PARITY INSTEAD OF OROP

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Defence

24-September-2012 21:35 IST

Rs.2300 crore approved to meet the demands of Ex-servicemen pensioners 

The Union Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary for benefits to ex-servicemen on four issues.   The financial implications of the improvements made as per the Cabinet decision on the four items are broadly estimated at Rs.2300 crore per annum.  The details are as follows: 

I.             One Rank One Pension: 

On One Rank One Pension, the demand of the Defence Forces and Ex-Servicemen Associations is that uniform pension be paid to the Defence 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 be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.  

            The difference in the pension of present and past pensioners in the same rank occurs on account of the number of increments earned by the defence personnel in that rank.  There is also a difference between the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 retirees belonging to a particular rank.  The UPA Government on two previous occasions has taken decisions to narrow the gap between the present and past pensioners, particularly those belonging to the ranks of JCOs and Other Ranks. 

            On the issue of One Rank One Pension, the following have been approved by the Cabinet: 

(i)         Bridging of the gap in the pension of pre 1.1.06 and post 1.1.06 JCO/OR retirees by determining the pension of pre 1.1.06 retirees on the basis of notional maximum for ranks and groups across the three Services as in the case of post 1.1.06 retirees.  In addition, the weightage of qualifying service in the ranks of Sepoys, Naik andHavaldar would be increased by two years for both pre and post 1.1.06 retirees.

(ii)        The pension of pre 1.1.06 Commissioned Officer pensioners would be stepped up with reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks instead of the minimum of pay band.           

These are expected to largely meet the demands of the defence pensioners on one rank one pension.  

II.                   Enhancement of Family Pension : 

(i)                   The pension of pre - 1.1.2006 family pensioners(Commissioned Officers, Honorary Commissioned Officers, JCOs/ORs ) be stepped up based on the minimum of the fitment table instead of the minimum of the Pay Band; 

(i)            Establishing linkage of the family pension with the pension of JCOs/ORs, in those cases where the death takes place after the retirement of the JCO/OR since such a JCO/OR drew a pension based on the maximum of the pay scales, 60% of the pension applicable to JCO/OR pensioners would be granted to the family pensioner in case of normal family pension calculated a 30% of last pay drawn. Accordingly, based on the rank, group and length of service of the deceased JCO/OR pensioner, his pension would first be determined on notional basis. In cases where death of JCO/OR took place after retirement, the family pensioners in receipt of normal family pension would become entitled to 60% of the said pension determined on notional basis and those in receipt of enhanced family pension will be entitled to 100% of this pension. Similar entitlements would be determined in the case of Special Family Pension; and 

(ii)                 The family pensioner of the JCO/OR would be granted pension arrived at on the basis of the family pension worked out as per the formulation at (i) above or the pension on the basis of stepping up with reference to the minimum of the fitment table, whichever is beneficial. Further, the linkage of family pension with retiring pension beapplied in the case of post 1.1.2006 family pensioners of JCOs/ORs also. 

III.           Dual Family Pension:

Dual family pension would be allowed in the present and future cases where the pensioner drew, is drawing or may draw pension for military service as well as for civil employment. 

IV.          Family pension to mentally / physically challenged children of armed forces personnel on marriage: 

Grant of family pension to mentally/physically challenged children who drew, are drawing or may draw family pension would continue even after their marriage. 

The above recommendations made by the Committee on pension issues of Ex-Servicemen may be implemented from a prospective date and payment made accordingly.***

SH/SKS

"NO'" TO OROP Govt enhances pensions of retired soldiers, 'one-rank, one-pension' still distant

NEW DELHI: Faced with huge discontentment among military personnel over their long-standing pay and pension grievances, the government on Monday finally announced an annual Rs 2,300 crore additional pension package for ex-servicemen but stopped short of granting them full one-rank, one-pension (OROP).
The government also maintained silence on the fate of the five main demands of serving officers and jawans, who contend they were given "a raw deal" in the 6th Pay Commission as compared to their civilian counterparts.
Their demands, which were also considered by the high-powered committee led by cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth, ranged from common pay scale for junior commissioned officers/other ranks (JCOs/ORs) and enhancement of grade pay to placing all lieutenant generals in the HAG + (higher administrative grade-plus) scale and grant of non-functional upgradation to armed forces personnel.
But the 23 lakh ex-servicemen, many of whom have been holding regular rallies and returning their medals as a mark of protest for the last four years, have something to cheer about. For one, the Union Cabinet approved the "bridging of the gap" between the pensions of the JCOs/ORs who retired before January 1996 and those who superannuated after that date.
It was also decided to increase the "weightage of qualifying service" for pension by two years in the ranks of sepoys, naiks and havaldars for both pre and post January 1996 retirees.
Moreover, the pension of pre-January 1996 retired officers will also be stepped up "with reference to the minimum of fitment table for the ranks instead of the minimum of pay band" as it exists now. Officials said these steps "are expected to largely meet" the demands of ex-servicemen for OROP, which incidentally has been promised by virtually all political parties over the years.
For another, the government has approved enhancement in family pension, allowed dual family pension (where the pensioner was drawing pension for military service as well as civil employment) and family pension to mentally challenged children of armed forces personnel even after they get married.
"But all this is modified parity and not the OROP we have been demanding," said a retired major general. OROP basically implies that uniform pension be paid to the personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any further enhancement in pension rates be automatically be passed on to past pensioners.
The argument is that unlike civilian government employees, who retire at 60 years of age, military personnel retire by rank at comparatively younger ages. "All jawans retire in their mid-30s, all JCOs in their mid-40s and the bulk of officers in early-50s to keep the armed forces from greying. Only a handful of officers like lieutenant generals serve up to 60 years," said an officer."Since the date of retirement also determines the quantum of pension, with each Pay Commission every 10 years, the military veterans who retire early receive lesser pension compared to those who retired later with the same rank and service," he added.
But the defence ministry in the past has contended that full OROP is not financially, legally or administratively feasible. Full OROP implementation would mean an annual outgo of another Rs 1,200-1,300 crore, apart from payment of arrears in the range of Rs 4,000 crore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-enhances-pensions-of-retired-soldiers-one-rank-one-pension-still-distant/articleshow/16533548.cms