UNACCEPTABLE DELAY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION

 To
General VK Singh (Retd), Member of Parliament,                
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), 
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation;  Union Minister of State, 
Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
36, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi – 110011
 
Maj Gen Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, AVSM (Retd)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
7, K. Kamraj Lane, New Delhi – 110011
Jai Durga Niwas, 12, Vikas Marg,
Pauri Garhwal-246001 (Uttarakhand)

Col Sona Ram Choudhary (Retd)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
9, Talkatora Road, New Delhi -110001
181/Ajit Colony, Circuit House Road, 
Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Retd)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
C-26, Vaishali Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, 
Member of Parliament
211, North Avenue, New Delhi -110001
Jupiter Innovision Centre, 54, 
Richmond Road, Bangalore -560025

Smt. Kirron Kher
Member of Parliament, BJP
C-191, Defence Colony, New Delhi -110024

Capt Amarinder Singh (Retd)
Indian National Congress (INC)
House No. 1669, New Moti Bagh Colony, Patiala


 Dear All,
1. We write this letter to convey to ESM MPs our serious concerns for the unacceptable delay in implementation of OROP.  You are our representatives and the voice in Parliament and the Govt.  We expected that you all will jointly and strongly take up the cause of soldiers with the Govt to get us due justice which has been denied to us by successive Govts for the past 67 years.  We have no doubt that you have been taking up the veterans issues including OROP at opportune moments at appropriate levels. But it seems that your efforts are not bearing fruit. The most important issue which worries ESM over and above OROP is that credibility of our erstwhile comrades and in particular Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi is under question. 
2. Even after ten months of its sanction on 17 Feb 2014, statements like 80% assurances, 80% ESM will be satisfied, number of years in the rank, Rs 9300 crores are required etc  are being aired to delay or deny us the benefit.  You all have been part of the profession and know the details well. You all must have taken up the issue with the PM and the RM, but the implementation has not fructified. The interview of RM Sh Manohar Parrikar to Head lines today on 12 Jan has further demoralized the rank and file. He has now relegated decision on OROP to 25 July and has also cast a shadow of doubt by bringing the question that civilians will also ask OROP. 
3. You are aware that the definition of OROP has been sealed in May 2009 when UPA Govt ordered a Committee of Secretaries on OROP.  The present definition was projected to the Committee by the IESM which was accepted and is part of the Report of the Committee.  The same definition was accepted by the Koshyari Committee of Rajya Sabha which was presented to RS on 19 Dec 2011.  While accepting the principle of OROP the same definition has been accepted by two Parliaments.  The same is also included in the Executive orders of the Govt dated 26 Feb 2014 for the implement of OROP.   As late as on 02 Dec 2014 the RRM stated the same definition in the Parliament and confirmed the commitment of BJP Government for early implementation of OROP.
4. Based on the Executive orders and the approved definition in the budget and Parliament, the Service HQs had prepared DGL which was presented to the RM on 22 Apr 2014. Does it take ten months for a Govt to take a decision especially when it has been elected on the promise of good governance and with a solemn pledge that the Government will increase India’s security and will take care of its military personnel? You will agree with IESM that present arguments being extended by RM and MOD are only to delay and dilute the OROP definition. This is a very disturbing development and needs to be taken up very strongly by all of you. IESM is getting a feeling that Government is coming under pressure of Bureaucratic politics to delay and dilute the OROP or even to deny the OROP like congress Government did in 2009. A word of caution my friends is that your prestige will go down in the eyes of your comrades in case OROP definition is changed even 1% from approved definition.
5. If you all want to clarify any issue, on OROP, IESM will be privileged to do so at any time and place convenient to you all. 
  6. An ESM Maha Rally has been planned to be held on 01 Feb 2015 at Jantar Mantar from 10.30AM to remind/request the Government of its promises and for early release of OROP notification. You are requested to join in the Rally as an ESM.  It is now upto you honourable gentlemen and the Govt to facilitate us in converting our agitation into gratitude by issuing notification of OROP prior to 1 Feb 2015.
With regards,
Maj Gen Satbir Singh, SM (Retd)
Chairman IESM Mob: +919312404269, 0124-4110570
 Email ID: satbirsm@gmail.com

 

CLARIFICATION SAUGHT BY DM ON OROP

Veteran AVM RP Mishra is a Member of the governing body of the IESL and has been very active in this subject. A part of his letter is placed below for your information.
"I had received a telephone call some days ago (7 Jan I think) from the Hon'ble Minister of Defence. He sought a clarification on a suggestion put up by the bureaucracy that instead of total service, it should be the service in the rank that should be a parameter for deciding OROP. 
My clarification during the conversation was on the following lines:
1. The defence services have a complex structure with a number of different Arms/Services, ranks, Groups, Categories etc. No one formula can remove every single aberration in the over two million pensioners. When we stared the 'Movement', we had given detailed thought to the deciding of criteria. We chose 'total service' because this would give satisfaction to the maximum numbers.
2. Considering 'service in rank' would be unfair because the time of picking up a higher rank depends on many factors, that do not reflect on an individual's capabilities, nor are within his control. I cited the example of Infantry where different battalions in the same Regiment have a vast variation in the number of years taken to become a Naik, Havildar, JCO etc. Since they all retire after completing a uniformly equal length of service, it would be logical that the length of service should be the criterion. 
3. Even among officers, for example, I was promoted Lt Col after completing 15 1/2 years of service, whereas my colleagues in some other Arms would have been considerably delayed as there were fewer vacancies. While deciding OROP at least the latter should get the benefit of equal pension.
4. The proposal of considering length of service in the rank would also have administrative difficulty. While total service is clearly visible in the PPO, service in the rank would need fresh calculations, thus leading to considerable delay in implementing OROP.
The Hon'ble Minister confirmed that he had understood the issue and would not accept the bureaucrats' recommendation.
I had also recommended that the stalled meetings of the Joint Working Group should be recommenced to iron out any other angularity and thus speed up implementation of OROP. This was agreed to.
I had shared the details of above conversation with concerned officials at the Army Headquarters so that the serving and the ESM speak with convergence on this subject.
I could gather that there is urgency on the part of the Defence Ministry to finalise and implement this vexed issue. When implemented, this would give benefit to all future generations of pensioners. "
AVM RP Mishra, Veteran

Dear Members

IESM is emboldened that so many veterans are taking keen interest and giving advise about conduct of Rally on 1 Feb 15 to ensure that it is successful. Please be rest assured that IESM is taking note of all advises and will do what is good for Ex-servicemen in overall context. GB IESM has been chosen by the members to take care of member's interest and please be rest assured that GB members will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that ESM demands are approved by Govt at the earliest. GB IESM is also committed to ensure that Government notification for payment of OROP dues is issued on priority. Having said and confirmed that GB IESM is fully committed to ensure justice for ESM, let me come to the points being discussed on the net.

Why Agitational approach;  Many veterans believed in last 50 years that asking for increase in pay and facilities is below the dignity of Armed Forces. This resulted in down gradation of status of all ranks of Armed Forces viz a  viz civil structure. In pay commission after pay commission status of Armed Forces was systematically brought down viz a viz civil structure. This was first resented by men in uniform and ex-servicemen in 2008. Ex-servicemen got together and decided to form IESM in 2008. IESM then took a considered decision that Government in India does not pay attention to any group unless the group goes on agitations. ESMs will agree that a decision taken by IESM in 2008 has turned out to be well thought of and good approach to present problems of Ex-servicemen to the Govt and to get the OROP approved. IESM was heavily criticized at that time by many senior veterans, IESM did not deter. IESM approach has paid dividend and today our cherished dream of OROP stands approved. It took medal returns, submission of memorandums signed in own blood and many rallies to wake up the conscious of citizen and politicians to get OROP approved. 

Undue delay in issuance of OROP notification;  OROP has been approved by two Parliaments, Commitment of two PM, present PM Mr Modi at Siachin and on a Navy frigate has announced loud and clear that OROP is his personal commitment to Armed Forces, Passing of OROP in two budget. But even after seven months of approval, OROP notification has not been issued. IESM has written numerous letters  to Government but there was no reply from the Govt, not even an acknowledgement. On the contrary some negative statements were deliberately leaked by Govt circles to test the reaction of ESM and ESM organisations. Confronted by wall of silence by the Govt, IESM decided to resume agitation mode and announced relay hunger strike from 3 Dec to 16 Dec, with a rally on 7 Dec and return of another tranche of medals. Immediately on announcement of agitation there were murmurs in the ESM circles and all those ESM who were silent all these months, and did not ask a question on delay in OROP notification, suddenly became active and started advising IESM to cancel/ go slow on agitation approach. IESM agreed to defer the agitation on personal intervention by sh Rajeev Chandrashekhar (sympathizer of ex-servicemen) only after he promised to arrange a meeting with the Honorable RM. Details of IESM delegation meeting have already been sent to environment. Despite the promise of RM there was no news from MOD/DESW about the early issuance of notification, on the contrary some negative statements came out of RM/MOD. IESM thought that these are incorrect reporting by the media/newspaper. IESM asked for clarification but none came. On the contrary unconfirmed messages were received that MOD/CGDA/DESW combine are exaggerating the expenditure of OROP and are making all out attempt to dilute the OROP ( Now they are attempting dilution when they realized the Govt is now committed to give OROP and they can not stop it any further).

Holding of Rally on 1 Feb 15;  On getting the news that there is an attempt to dilute OROP definion and on getting no clarification from MOD, GB IESM decided to hold a rally on 1st Feb 2015 Sunday to remind and request the Government about their commitment to Ex-servicemen and nation. IESM is very clear in its thought process that IESM wishes to remind the Government of its commitment and does not wish to have confrontation with the Govt. IESM is of firm opinion that the Govt will live upto its promise and manifesto. However the question why is the Govt is taking unduly long time to overcome bureaucratic politics is bothering IESM? Hence IESM planned this rally and demonstration. IESM condemns misinformation campaign undertaken about the purpose of rally by few veterans. This misinformation campaign is being initiated by few politically inclined veterans. IESM is not aligned to any Party and is not involved in party politics. Some veterans who fought the last election and miserably lost are the leader in this misinformation campaign.

Reasons and Effects of the Rally; Few veterans have been expressing that this rally may annoy Government and Government may refuse to give OROP. IESM firmly believes that this Government is committed to OROP and will definitely honor its commitment to Armed Forces and ESM. However ESM are exasperated to wait for more than 8 months to get OROP and do not understand the compulsion of Government of this undue delay (In-fact the letter should have been out and payments of OROP should have been in our banks latest by Oct 14, but it did not happen). IESM has done brain storming and have decided to go ahead with the rally on 1 Feb 2015 Sunday at Jantar Mantar new Delhi  because of following reasons.

1. IESM wishes to only remind the Govt of its commitments to Armed Forces and ESM.
2. IESM wishes to request the Govt to overcome the bureaucratic pressure and release full OROP as approved by the Parliament at the earliest. Let this be a Republic day gift to Armed Forces. 
3. IESM confirms that IESM will accept the DGL sent by the Armed Forces Hq to Govt for approval as full and final OROP.
4. IESM is unable to understand any logic of this undue delay in issuance of Govt letter for OROP.
5. IESM is apprehensive that Government may come under bureaucratic pressure and may not issue full OROP
6. IESM will not accept any dilution of the OROP definition.

Preparation  for rally; IESM is thankful to members who have wished good luck and advised to be prepared for rally. Ground work for the rally has been done and IESM expects veterans to attend the rally from 10 states. Telephone of GB members is constantly ringing confirming support for the rally and confirming that ESM will come from all states. A very large number of Ex-servicemen and sympathizer are expected to attend the rally. IESM has also instructed its state conveners to hold meetings and pass a resolution for full OROP. IESM members in state capitals/Dist level have been advised to go to Governer/CM/DC and hand over the memorandum to be sent onwards to President and PM of the India. The memorandum will be signed by lacs of members to convey our exasperation on this undue delay by the Government for issuance of notification for OROP. The meeting to be held in Secunderabad is part of that plan and some of the members of GB are expected to attend the meeting. This should not be seen otherwise on the contrary this meeting is planned accordingly.  

However some well meaning veterans have been asking question what if Govt refuses to issue the full OROP. Dear Veterans IESM is sure that MODI Govt will definitely fulfill its promise given to Armed Forces and ESM. IESM has full faith in promises made by Sh Narendra Modi honorable Prime Minister of India and there will be no need to plan further action. However GB IESM has plans ready in case of any exigency. IESM HAS SELECTED THE AIM AND IS DETERMINED TO ACHIEVE IT. 

IESM REQUESTS ALL ESM TO COME TO JANTAR MANTAR AT 1030H ON 1 FEB 2015 SUNDAY AND BE COUNTED IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR OROP. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO GOVT THAT ESMs ARE AWAKE NOW AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY MORE DOWN-GRADATION IN THEIR STATUS. OROP IS OUR RIGHT AND WE WILL TAKE IT. 

DEAR VETERANS RALLYS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE EVENTS AND LARGE FUNDS ARE REQUIRED TO ARRANGE A RALLY. IESM REQUESTS VETERANS TO CONTRIBUTE FUND TO OFFSET THE EXPENDITURE ON THE RALLY. 

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE FUNDS LARGE HEARTEDLY FOR SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT OF THE RALLY PLANNED FOR 1 FEB 2015 SUNDAY AT 1030H AT JANTAR MANTAR IN NEW DELHI.

ALL VETERANS MUST COME AND PARTICIPATE TO MOUNT UNBEARABLE PRESSURE ON THE GOVT. 

MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION WHAT IF GOVERNMENT ISSUES THE GOVERNMENT LETTER FOR PAYMENT OF OROP DUES TO ESM BY 26 JAN AS REQUESTED BY IESM.

DEAR VETERANS RALLY WILL STILL BE HELD AS PLANNED ON 1 FEB 2015 AND IESM WILL PROFUSELY THANK MODI GOVERNMENT FOR LIVING TO ITS PROMISE AND HONORING THE 30 YR OLD DEMAND OF ESM AND ARMED FORCES. IESM WILL REQUEST GOVT TO HONOR OUR OTHER DEMANDS ALSO.

LAST WORD FOR ESM. COME ONE AND COME ALL AT 1030H ON 1 FEB 2015 SUNDAY AT JANTAR MANTAR FOR ESM RALLY AND BE COUNTED, COME WHAT MAY.  

IESM REQUESTS ALL VETERANS NOT ISSUE ANY MORE STATEMENTS FOR CANCELLATION/DEFERMENT OF RALLY. VETERANS ARE ALSO REQUESTED NOT TO BE MISLEAD BY SUCH CALLS AND COME AND ATTEND THE RALLY IN LARGE NUMBERS.

 Regards

Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Gen Sec IESM

Government will keep its promise of one rank, one pension: Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

If social media enhances and expedites reach, it also exposes people twice as fast. I recently came across an online article on 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) written by a suave former diplomat-turned-politician, which had little thought and no action behind it. To counter the breakout of Modi sarkar (military lingo for rapid expansion), the self-styled generals of Congress have been scoring countless self goals. As I write, I look up intermittently to skim through the TV news channels, and see the Congress taking the contrarian view on the 'Pakistan boat issue' demonstrating a decade-old mentality -- wait for Delhi to sanction action. Old habits die hard.
That is not how the Indian military and paramilitary have been trained. Being one of the best and most selfless in the world, a warrior's code of conduct is driven by his 'farz' or duty, honour of his 'Paltan', and his nation's 'izzat'. The monthly remuneration can in no way compensate these sacrifices, as a soldier routinely and regularly goes beyond the call of duty for the 'izzat' he holds so dear. And this fact is closest to the heart of the BJP.
BJP has a common thread with the armed forces -- that of the ideology of nation first. Narendra Modi declared his commitment to stand by servicemen, veterans and OROP at a rally in Rewari in 2013. Congress, sensing a potential vote bank did not want to miss the bus so they hurriedly announced OROP and dished out a meagre sum towards it. Therein lies the difference, the uniformed forces are not a vote bank but a value bank for us. Our defence minister went on record, committing to deliver OROP and the finance minister did so in his budget speech. Assurances on the floor of the House are sacrosanct and only in rare circumstances does their completion go a little beyond the financial year. The departments involved in OROP are defence, defence finance, finance and personnel. To get them to speak in one voice and have one view may take time but it will be done. This in itself may lower the satisfaction levels of a few impatient ones and that's when the defence minister spoke of delivering 80% satisfaction he did not say 80% pension. When we have waited for decades, what's a few months more? The armed forces can rest assured that the OROP is perfectly within the credible sights of the PM, FM and 'RM' of this government.
So what's taking time? OROP implies an officer of the same number of years of service and same rank gets the same pension irrespective of the year of retirement. But officers with the same years of service and same rank do not usually get the same salary. This is due to the number of years spent in each rank, or in other words, because of staggered promotion. For example, one colonel could spend more time in the rank of 'colonel' while another colonel may take longer to reach the rank, thus getting less time in the rank of colonel itself. Both may have the same number of total years of military service, but their salary itself will be different.
The one reaching colonel first gets a higher salary. Since pension itself is a derivative of salary, pensions will be different too. There will be thousands of variations in each rank, and we have not even begun counting. This is just one of the many challenges but the government is committed to finding a solution and, without penalising anyone, bringing in a harmonious and simple methodology for calculation of pensions as prescribed in the spirit of OROP. Will my honourable colleagues from the Opposition show some patience and wait for the end of the financial year or will they play spoilsport?
It is in this government that the service chiefs have direct access to the political leadership. In the first 200 days itself, meetings between civil and military leadership far outnumber the total number of meetings held in the last decade of UPA. Protocols are for formal occasions; when the tigers meet, the lambs have no place. Supremacy is of leadership; military and then political, period.
This government has faith in every field commander and soldier to do what's right for the country. Congress weakened the armed forces, reduced fighting capability. Its political indecisiveness and hesitation dulled the sharpness and led to beheadings, embarrassment and lowered morale. In 200 days, critical procurements stuck for the last several years have been cleared. Our responses on the border are with befitting ferocity. War memorial ordered. OROP will be delivered. Modi was also the first PM to celebrate Diwali with soldiers in field.
Congress needs to stop doubting the veracity of the very forces that protect us. They are indeed the wall between heaven and hell. It's thanks to social media that citizens pay rich tributes to our warriors in uniform. And it's from the social media I quote for the benefit of my Congress colleagues: "If you cannot stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them".
Source Click This Link :-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ 

war veterans march on to Delhi for OROP

CHANDIGARH: More than 10,000 restless ex-servicemen from across the country will hold a massive protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 1 to pressurize the Centre into keeping its promise on the one rank one pension (OROP) demand.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, both the BJP and Congress had pledged to implement the scheme. But the new government has not implemented it even after completing 200 days in office. Several ex-servicemen welfare organizations have come under the banner of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) for the protest.
The veterans are also unhappy over defence minister Manohar Parrikar recent statement that he would try to implement 80% of OROP.
"It has to be implemented 100% as promised by the Prime Minister on a number of occasions. Any dilution will not be OROP," said Major General Satbir Singh (retd), chairman of IESM. He also wants a white paper from the Centre on OROP, given that Narender Modi had pledged to implement the scheme in his first election rally at Rewari in September 2013 after he was declared BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
"If it is short of funds, the government should openly say so. We are even ready to accept bonds but give us our 100%," Gen Satbir said.
Brigadier Harwant Singh (retd), president of the all India Defence Brotherhood, said, "As soldiers, we never thought of performing 80% while guarding the nation. We are feeling dejected and restless because of the delay."
Brigadier Kiran Krishan (retd) of IESM said OROP was sanctioned on February 17, 2014. "Ten months have passed since. The BJP government enthusiastically promising to implement it had raised our hopes. But the party seems to be dragging its feet."
In its last budget in February, the UPA government had provisioned for Rs 500 crore for OROP. The BJP government had announced Rs 1,000 crore in its interim budget in July. However, army authorities estimate that Rs 5,000 crore would be required, whereas the accounts department of the defence ministry says Rs 9000 crore would be needed to implement OROP.
Out of 30-lakh ex-servicemen in the country, Punjab alone has around 3 lakh, Haryana has nearly 2.8 lakh, Himachal Pradesh (HP) has around two lakh. Around 10,000 retired ex-servicemen live in Chandigarh.
OROP implies uniform pension to personnel retiring on the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/OROP/ 

WHAT RM REALLY INTENTED

It appears he (RM) has talked about "if not 100% satisfaction then 80% or 90% satisfaction" and NOT 80% of OROP as has been stated by many.

"I think I have just understood exactly what it means about OROP. Now the second round which I have started is to identify exact financial implication.  Kai Bar elections mein assurances diye jaaten hain assurances ka detailing aur analysis nahin hota hai. To main uska analysis kar raha hoon. 

Mai itna aswasta kar sakta hoon mere side se to main full pressure daalne wala hoon or more or less what is acceptable to the armed forces. Why I am saying more or less because nothing is 100% but satisfaction 100% nahin hua to 80% ho sakta hai 90% ho sakta hai. Yahan tak laane ki meri koshish hai ki most of the issues are sorted out, agreed by everyone.

Thode main usme nahin jaaunga jyada details mein Kyonki maine last time economic times mein jo kaha uske upar bhi kai logon ne kuchh comments dal diye without understanding what I was meaning. We cannot express everything in short 20 minutes or 30 minutes interview. What I have in my mind I try to express it maximum but though I am quite articulate I probably was not able to put it in short way.

But I can assure you this much ye issue main jyada din khinch kar nahin jaunga. I will sort it out at the earliest and though I promise for major satisfaction. 100% satisfaction to everyone ye kabhi zindagi mein reality mein aati nahin hai. But jaise mai bola 80 % 90% tak agar satisfaction level le ke jaaun toh that will be good enough solution because from my side I will be always 100% 
but there are questions raised for various issues some minor corrections minor question marks may remain ultimately. But probably 4 to 8 weeks this should be resolved for once.

Coming out with the comprehensive solution so that next budget ke liye iske liye jaana nahin pade. Uske liye solution aa jaye next budget mein keval paise ke liye jaana pade

NEW YEAR BRING PROMISES

Source :-http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com