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.