WAS IT A FALSE PROMISE MADE TO WIN AN ELECTORAL BATTLE?

 Ashwatthama Hata:ha Iti, Narova Kunjarova
OROP is solemn promises made to soldiers of the nation. It is no more a question of money. It has become a matter of prestiege & honor for them. It hurts to be misled and taken for a ride. Unfortunately, BJP has failed to appreciate the sensitivities of the soldiers. The masive mandate given by veterans & masses have made them arrogant. How else can one interpret the advice given by Defence Minister Jaitley to ex-servicemen to lower their expectations? Would he have dared to say so before the elections? Modi promised OROP and not sham-OROP.

National interests are supreme to soldiers. It would have been far better for the government to state that – “We accept the established definition of OROP but are tight on finances at present. We will implement it for JCOs and OR immediately with the available resources. Give us some time to implement it for the officers.” Most soldiers would have accepted such a suggestion. It is again proved that grace and compassion are not the qualities that generally associates with the politicians.

It is better to be late than never to watch the writing on the wall.The results of three bye-elections in Uttarakhand are out and BJP has been trounced, with Congress bagging all the three seats. It has taken less than 60 days for Modi euphoria to disappear. A buoyed and rejuvenated Congress must be thanking BJP for its failure to deliver. Inapt handling of the issue of OROP is symptomatic of the poor performance.  The NDA government had succumbed to the pressure of the bureaucrats after the budget speech of 10 July,and it became apparent with the diluted the concept of OROP. It was a breach of faith to almost all soldiers, both serving and retired, – A promise broken and a Great Betrayal.

 According to the reports, all soldiers and their families voted for Congress in the recent bye-polls in Uttarakhand. BJP and Modi should see the writing on the wall. They must realise that they are shooting in their own foot by losing the backing of the solid support base of soldiers and ex-servicemen. Time is fast running out. Elections to Haryana, and may be Delhi, are due shortly. One will not be surprised if BJP loses in all assembly segments of Ghaziabad which elected General VK Singh with over 5.67 lakh votes. Disillusionment with BJP is spreading rapidly amongst the soldiers and the veterans. 

courtesy:Sanjha Morcha  

A BETRAYAL IN THE OFFING CLIK BELOW LINK 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/chandigarh/one-rank-one-pension-a-betrayal-in-the-offing/article1-1244341.aspx  

PRE2006 PENSIONERS CASE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

HEARING OF 3 SLP's AGAIN POSTPONED

Hearing of 3SLP'S (C)   36148-50/2013 filed by UOI in supreme court against the judgement by DHC in WP(c) 2348-2350/2012 granting full parity to pre-2006 pensioners, which was listed to be heard on 24/07/2014 is now rescheduled to to be heard on 07/08/2014.Please note that these are the SLP'S in which the UOI has contested the payment of 50% pension to pre-2006 pensioners after 20 years service.Since these SLP's are pending for disposal in supreme court, UOI is not likely to release the arrears to pre-2006 pensioners of above category

 IESM Letter to FM Sh. Arun Jaitley on 19 July 14

Sub: IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)

Dear Sh Arun Jaitley,                                                          19thJuly2014

We are grateful for granting us the meeting with you on 16 July 2014  with regard to issue of Implementation letter for OROP. 

 Regarding your contention that the gap between the calculations made by the various stake holders(Service HQs and the officials of MoD namely CGDA, PCDA, Secy DESW) is very large, due to which there was delay in issuing the Govt Letter; Since, there is only ONE Definition of OROP as approved by the Parliament and therefore, there has to be only ONE calculation, irrespective of small or large gap.These gaps have been designed to find a way to deny full benefit of OROP to ex-servicemen. A point to be noted here is that had OROP been granted 25 years back there would not have been any gap now. 

Sir, in case X and  Groups are to be granted OROP as per their respective Groups, the funds required will be 4500 – 5000 Crores, as per calculations correctly carried out by the Service HQs.  And in case all Defence Employees are to be granted ‘X’ Group rates of pensions, then the amount required would be 6500-7000 Crores as per the calculation made by PCDA.The funds required for the two options are not too large for the Nation to pay justified pensions to the Retired Soldiers, who have given their life and comforts of life for national security.

The CGDA/PCDA/DESW should not be allowed to dilute the definition of OROP or coin their own definition or understanding of OROP. Their calculations, based on datum line 01.01.2006 pensions rates, are totally against the  approved definition which requires the OROP to be calculated based on the rates of pensions as on 01.04.2014, the date from which OROP has been sanctioned and future enhancements are to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This was duly discussed in the meting chaired by you on 12^thJune 2014. 

Sir, ex-servicemen are fighting for a principle, any dilution of definition of OROP will not be acceptable to the Ex-Servicemen. It has to be full OROP as per the definition already approved by the Parliament.

In view of the foregoing, please expedite issue of Govt Letter for the implementation of OROP as per the DGL prepared by the Service HQs.

With regards,

Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Chairman IESM
Mob: +919312404269,                      

Email ID: satbirsm@gmail.com

 IESM Delegation Met FM Sh. Arun Jaitley on 16 July 14
I would like to inform you that yesterday, 16 Jul 14, I along with Maj Gen Satbir, IESM and Col Handa, DIWAVE and some others from IESM met the RM on the subject of OROP, due to the kind courtesy of Gen VK Singh. The gist of the meeting was that the RM emphasised that he was-

a)  committed to granting OROP, as it has been repeatedly promised by the PM and stated by him in his budget speech.

b)  the definition of OROP as stated by KoshiyariCommittee is not sacrosanct as politicians are prone to make populist commitments.

c)  wanting a definite figure of the financial effect OROP would have. He said that he wants the CGDA and DESW to work out the amount. We offered him the various figures given by different committees and that the maximum amount was in the region of Rs 9,000 crs.

When he repeated that the CGDA and DESW will form a committee along with service reps to take on this task, we clearly told him that we had no trust in the desire of the two civilian reps to resolve any matter in favour of soldiers. 

When we told him that if the pensions are paid as per the accepted definition of OROP for three months the expenditure for the year can be extrapolated. He was not willing to do even that.

Finally, when we took leave of him as a parting shot he said that we should lower our expectations.     So the mind of the RM is now known to us. 

Therefore, unless you three show a united front the ESM, current and future, can keep whistling till they turn blue.

Lt Gen SK Bahri (Retd)

Chairman 

Alliance Of Ex Servicemen Organisations.

 

IESM Delegation Met FM Sh. Arun Jaitley on 16 July 14

Dear Veterans,

IESM delegation met with FM Sh Arun Jaitley  on 16 July 14. Following members were part of the delegation.

1              Maj Gen Satbir Singh                 Chairman IESM

2              Lt Gen SK Bahiri

3              Gp Capt VK Gandhi                     Gen Sec IESM

4              Wg Cdr CK Sharma                     Treasurer IESM

5              Col Handa                                     Diwave

6              Hony Lt K Pandey                       Mem GB IESM

  Gen Sabir Singh impressed upon FM that ex-servicemen thank the Govt for granting OROP, however despite a lapse of five months since approval of OROP on 17 Feb 14, Government order for implementation is still not issued. We request that the implementation order may please be issued soon. Moreover Rs 1,500 crore allotted for OROP is not adequate for full OROP and more funds may please be released for OROP.

FM replied that the DGL is under active consideration of Govt and it will be issued once consultations are completed. He hinted that funds required for OROP is much more than expected. 

The issue was discussed for good 15 min but FM did not give any commitment about time frame for issue of implementation order. He opined that it seems he would need to order a meeting between Armed Forces HQs and Govt deptts (DESW, CGDA) to iron out the differences. It was suggested that IESM should also be consulted and permitted to give its views but FM remained noncommittal on this.

End result is that FM did not give any commitment and time frame of approval of DGL put up by Armed Forces HQs. He also did not give assurance of involving IESM and ex-servicemen in the discussion of DGL.

IESM will continue to discuss the issue with all authorities for release of implementation letter for full OROP. IESM will not accept any dilution in definition of OROP as approved by Parliament.

  It seems DESW and CGDA  have succeeded in delaying implementation of OROP for veterans but have had no objections for approving bureaucrats treatment abroad along with an escort on Govt expenses.  What a pity this is how India takes care of soldiers and veterans.
IESM is of the opinion that veterans will need to tighten their  belts for another long battle with the Govt for OROP, your Izzat and status.

 IESM           

One Rank One Pension - Update

Informed sources indicate the following: -
1. CGDA Kum Vandana Srivastava is reportedly of the opinion that the decision to call one or more meetings of the Joint Working Group, of which she is the Chairperson, is now with MoD (DESW) as there isn't any agreement on the methodology to be adopted.
2. CGDA's calculations allegedly have 1.1.2006 as the bottom line and they have produced calulations that make the initial figure of Rs 500 crore the final figure. It appears that repeated and recorded assurances of the former FM and RM that more funds would be provided have either been ignoredor misunderstood.
3. Hopefully, to factor in the Rs 1000 crore more allotted in the budget 2014-15 not perplex the CGDA's thought and calculation process.
4. PPOC has reportedly met and decided that CGDA would be requested to convene the Working Committee so that the OROP matter would/could proceed further.
5. It is also reported that Chief of Air Staff has met the Prime Minister a couple days ago and briefed him on OROP and other matters agitating the Veterans.
6. Service HQ maintain that OROP as on 31.3.2014 to be implemented from 1.4.2014 is estimated to require not more than Rs 5000 crore.

courtesy: Ariel View