Piyush Goyal’s claim on OROP misleading, say veterans

 NEW DELHI, February 03, 2019 22:46 IST

They claim several allowances have not been sanctioned

In his Budget speech last week, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said the government had implemented the long-pending One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme and increased other allowances for soldiers. But the remark has not enthused the veterans. A section of them says several other allowances, like Non-Functional Upgrade (NFU), have not been sanctioned yet.
“The previous government announced it [OROP] in three Budgets, but sanctioned a mere ₹500 crore in the 2014-15 interim Budget; in contrast, we have already disbursed over ₹35,000 crore after implementing the scheme in its true spirit,” Mr. Goyal had said.
Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement chairman Maj. Gen. Satbir Singh (retired), who has been spearheading a protest for removing the anomalies in OROP, said the comments were “misleading.” “Mr. Goyal is misleading the ex-servicemen and the nation. He has not given the break-up of the ₹35,000 crore that he said was disbursed.”
As for the other allowances, Mr. Goyal had said the government had also announced a “substantial” increase in the Military Service Pay of all service personnel, and in the special allowances given to naval and Air Force personal deployed for high-risk duties.
The NFU has been one of the core anomalies, raised by the services, in the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations, which are yet to be implemented for the services. The matter is in the Supreme Court.
Maj. Gen. Singh explained that as per the calculations, OROP entailed ₹5,500 crore a year on the government in the current form and ₹8,300 crore if it was implemented as per the accepted definition. As for the arrears, OROP had been implemented since 2014, and the arrears were for only two years. “So the figure of ₹35,000 crore is misleading, and Mr. Goyal should explain it.”

IT SLABS FOR CURRENT AY 2019-2020 & NEXT AY 2020 -2021

1. Tax Rates for an Individuals for the AY 2019-20:

Tax Rates for Individuals
Income		Rates of Income Tax
		Individual (Age less than 60 Years)	Senior Citizen (Age above 60 Years)	Super Senior Citizen (Age above 80 Years)
1.	Up to Rs. 2,50,000	Nil	Nil	Nil
2.	Rs. 2,50,000 to Rs. 3,00,000	5%	Nil	Nil
3.	Rs. 3,00,000 to Rs. 5,00,000	5%	5%	Nil
4.	Rs. 5,00,000 to Rs. 10,00,000	20%	20%	20%
5.	Above Rs. 10,00,000	30%	30%	30%

TRUTH: GOVT DID NOT HIKE THE MSP BEYOND THE RECOMENDATION OF 7TH CPC*

Government announced hike in the Military Service Pay (MSP*) and One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue resolved

The issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been resolved and the Government also announced substantial hike in the Military Service Pay (MSP) of all service personnel and special allowances given to Naval and Air Force personnel deployed in high risk duties.

Ministry of Finance

Defence budget hiked to Rs. 3,05,296 crore

Rs. 3,05,296 crore have been provided in the Budget Estimates for 2019-20, compared to Rs. 2,82,733 crore provided in 2018-19 Budget Estimates. The figures were revised to Rs. 2,85,423 crore in the Revised Estimates of 2018-19. While presenting the Interim Budget 2019-20 in Parliament today the Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs, Railways and Coal Sh. Piyush Goyal said "Our Defence Budget will be crossing Rs.3,00,000 crore for the first time in 2019-20. For securing our borders and to maintain preparedness of the highest order, if necessary, additional funds would be provided."

On the issue of strengthening Defence and National Security, the Interim Budget 2019-20 states that our soldiers protect our borders in tough conditions and they are our pride and honour. The Finance Minister Sh. Goyal said that due care has been taken of their honour. He said that the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) which was pending for the last forty years has been resolved.
He said "The previous Governments announced it in three budgets but sanctioned a mere Rs.500 crore in 2014-15 Interim Budget; in contrast we have already disbursed over Rs.35,000 crore after implementing the Scheme in its' true spirit. The Government also announced substantial hike in the Military Service Pay (MSP) of all service personnel and special allowances given to Naval and Air Force personnel deployed in high risk duties."

OROP DEMONSTRATION AT JM

EQUAL MSP IS ONE OF THE DEMAND FOR UFOESM

Demand 18 is for Equal MSP

REPLY BY VETERAN MP KARAN TO TO GEN SATBIR SINGH LETTER REGARDING RALLY AT JM

Dear sir,
The way you have written gives an impression that you are the saviour of ORs and JCOs. No doubt, the protest by IESM in which I too took part for two days after a long travel from Bangalore, did help us to get the so called OROP. But it does not mean that you are for the welfare of ORs and JCOs. We know how royally we have been used by our own officers and cruelly cheated by them. You came in all TV debates and argued that forces need OROP bcoz they are made to retire at an young age of 32-35 years and with no assured second career outside,  in order to keep the forces fighting fit and young, their pension was reduced from 70% to 50%  in 1972 and so OROP is the only option for them to survive etc. But when OROP was announced, it is those old gentlemen who have served until superannuation and beyond and held the higher ranks were the most beneficiaries and got arrears in millions. We got peanut and that too rotten ones.
Sir, can you honestly tell me what was your age when you retired from Army and what was the difference in your monthly pension after implementation of OROP? I was only 33 when I got discharged after 15 years of service in IAF and you know what is the difference in my pension, a mere 600 rupees.
You are still fighting in the streets to get more pension for those old gentlemen who royally used and continue to use us  left, right and centre. If you have a sense of justice and fairness still left in you, please ask the government to include the age of retirement as a factor for grant of Early Retirement Compensation Pension (ERCP) and not OROP, a term coined for the exclusive benefit of officers and that too who served longer and higher while the nation was told that we are fighting for the younger and the lower. It is high time that this bluff is called off. It is not the governments which have cheated us it is the officers like you, sir who shot us from the back.
If any conscience is still left in you and your team sir, stop this drama immediately and get back home. Please do not insult the 95% the veterans community by telling all lies and acting innocent. We are so meek and weak that some ORs and JCOs are still with you in this fight only because they do NOT  WANT TO LOSE THOSE PEANUTS that the governments might throw at them at times. Please dont treat us as monkeys any more. If you are really interested in the pensionary benefits of younger soldiers , call me for a presentation. I will prove with data that  how the ORs and JCOs have all been taken for a ride merely for the officers to get windfall benefits.
If you continue this fake fight for our pension benefit for a day more, even the Heaven will not forgive you.
Jai Jawan; Jai Hind!
Your sincerely,
Air Veteran M.Prabhakaran
Bangalore.

DoPT Order for 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections in Central Government Jobs

F No.36039/1/2019-Est(Res.)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi

19th January, 2019

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) in civil posts and services in the Government of India

Reference is invited to Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment O.M. No. F.No.20013/01/2018-BC-II dated 17.1.2019 on the above mentioned subject, which, inter-alia, reads as under:-

“1. In pursuance of insertion of clauses 15(6) and 16(6) in the Constitution vide the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 and in order to enable the Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, to receive the benefits of reservation on a preferential basis in civil posts and services in the Government of India and admission in Educational Institutions, it has been decided by the Government to provide 10% reservation to EWSs in civil posts and services in Government of India and admission in Educational Institutions.

2. Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and whose family has gross annual income below Rs. 8.00 lakh are to be identified as EWSs for the benefit of reservation. Family for this purpose will include the person who seeks benefit of reservation, his/her parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his/her spouse and children below the age of 18 years. The income shall include income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession etc. and it will be income for the financial year prior to the year of application. Also persons whose family owns or possesses any of the following assets shall be excluded from being identified as EWSs, irrespective of the family income:

• 5 acres of Agricultural Land and above;
• Residential flat of 1000 sq. ft. and above;
• Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities;
• Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.

3. The income and assets of the families as mentioned in para 2 would be required to be certified by an officer not below the rank of Tehsildar in the States/UTs. The officer who issues the certificate would do the same after carefully verifying all relevant documents following due process as prescribed by the respective State/ UT.

5. Instructions regarding reservation in employment and admission to educational institutions will be issued by DOPT and Ministry of HRD respectively.”

2. In pursuance of the above Office Memorandum, it is hereby notified that 10% reservation would be provided for Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) in central government posts and services and would be effective in respect of all Direct Recruitment vacancies to be notified on or after 01.02 2019.

3. Detailed Instructions regarding operation of roster and procedure for implementation of EWS reservation will be issued separately.

(Gyanendra Dev Tripathi)

Joint Secretary to the Government of India