MoD Clarification on Dual Family Pension i.e. Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) from Military Side, Special Family Pension (SFP)/ Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed Military service

No. PC -2(6)/2013/D(Pen/Pol)

Government of India/Bharat Sarkar

Ministry of Defence 

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

D(Pension/Policy)

Dated 8th July, 2019

To 

The Chief of the Army Staff

The Chief of the Naval Staff

The Chief of the Air Staff

Subject: Clarification regarding grant of Dual Family Pension i.e. Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) from Military Side as well as Special Family Pension (SFP)/ Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed Military service - reg.

Sir,

The undersigned is directed to state that references have been received seeking clarification as to whether Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) is admissible on death of a military pensioner re-employed in military service, and his death is attributable to military service.

2. Prior to 17.01.2013, the NOKs of Armed Force Pensioner who got re-employed in Civil Department/PSUs/Autonomous bodies/Local Fund of Central/State Governments after getting retired from military service were authorized to draw Ordinary Family Pension (OFP) either from military side or from civil side whichever was beneficial to them in terms of Gol, MoD letter No. 10(6)/92/D(Pens/Sers) dated 28.09.1992 and regulation 78 of Pension Regulation Part-I, 2008. Subsequently, vide GoI, MoD letter No. 01(05)/2010-D(Pen/Policy) dated 17.01.2013, two family pensions were allowed w.e.f. 24.09.2012 in the event of death of a re-employed military pensioner.

3. It was further clarified that dual family pension is admissible irrespective of the fact whether the re-employment was in civil or military department vide GoI, MoD letter No. 10(17)/2012-D(Pen/Pol) dated 21.03.2013. Hence, the family pensioners of military personnel re-employed in military e.g. Territorial Army/Defence Security Corps (TA/DSC) are also covered in the ambit of the Gol, MoD letter No. 01(05)/2010-D(Pen/Policy) dated 17.01.2013 for grant of dual family pension w.e.f. 24.09.2012. However, the admissibility of dual family pension was restricted to ordinary family pension (OFP).

4. Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare vide their OM No. 1/3/2016-P&PW(F) dated 24.01.2019 has clarified that the provisions of two family pensions, one in respect of military/civil service and the other for civil service after re-employment, as available in terms of CCS(Pension) Rules, is also applicable under CCS(EOP) Rules.

5. The matter regarding extending the admissibility of Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) in cases of death attributable to military service in terms of Gol, MoD letter No. 1(2)/97/D(Pen-C) dated 31.01.2001 in the case a of dual family pension has been examined. It has been decided that Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare OM No. 1/3/2016-P&PW(F) dated 24.01.2019 would apply mutatis-mutandis to military/civil pensioners re-employed in military service and it is clarified that the provision of two family pensions, one in respect of military/civil service and Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for re-employed military service is also applicable. Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) if any, would be admissible in terms of GoI,

MoD letter No. 1(2)/97/D(Pen-C) dated 31.01.2001 on death of a pensioner who was re-employed in military service and if his death is attributable to military service, in addition to Ordinary Family Pension in respect of the previous military/civil service.

6. Where, however, on death of the re-employed ex-serviceman if the family is eligible for Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) for first service, family pension for second spell of service would be Ordinary Family Pension.

7. Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) shall be granted only in respect of one service and in no case, Special Family Pension (SFP)/Liberalised Family Pension (LFP) will be granted for both the services.

8. The financial benefits in the past cases will accrue with effect from 24.09.2012.

9. Pension Regulation of the three Services shall be amended in due course.

10. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Division of this Ministry vide their ID No. 10(02)/2017/FIN/PEN dated 21.06.2019.

DEMOCRACY CHANNEL BROADCAST INTERVIEW WITH EX-SGT MAHANADA BISWAS

We veterans are very grateful to Democracy Channel lead by Shri Hijam Rajen for highlighting the problems of Ex-servicemen While other channels are ignoring ESM.

FILE PHOTOS FROM JOVA AGM AT TAMBARAM, CHENNAI

PROJECTED OROP REVISION CALCULATION CHART PREPARED BY A VETERAN FOR HAV-Y GROUP USING REALTIME DATA OF 2018

OROP REVISION COMMITTEE FORMED REPLY IN RS- PIB NEWS

Ministry of Defence

Revision of OROP Scheme

Posted On: 08 JUL 2019 4:27PM by PIB Delhi

A Committee has been constituted on 14.06.2019 under the Chairmanship of Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) to work out the modalities & methodology of implementation of next revision of pension under One Rank One Pension (OROP).  The composition of the Committee is as under:-

            (i)  CGDA                                                         :  Chairperson

            (ii)  Joint Secretary (ESW)                               :  Member

            (iii) Addl FA, Defence (Fin.)                             :  Member

            (iv) Representative of three Services             :  Member

            (v)  AddlCGDA                                                 :  Member

            (vi) PCDA (P), Allahabad                                 :  Member

            (vii) Joint CGDA (Pension)           :  Member & Convener

 A Committee has been constituted as above.

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik in a written reply to Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy and Shrimati Ambika Soniin Rajya Sabha today.

MINUTES OF IESM MEETING WITH HON. DM SHRI RAJNATH SINGH

On 1 July 2019, IESM delegation met Honourable RM Sh Rajnath Singh. Following members were part of delegation.
1. MAJ Gen Satbir Singh SM Chairman IESM
2. Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM, Vice Chairman IESM
3. Wg Cdr Vinod Nebb VrC & bar
4. COL RD Sharma
5. Cdr SS Ahuja Gen Sec IESM
6. Hony Lt K Pandey jt SEC IESM
7. Mrs Sudesh Goyat
Meeting started at 1615, Gen Satbir Singh congratulated RM for victory in elections by BJP and his taking charge of a very important ministry. Delegation appreciated the good work done by the Govt in last five years and wished that India will grow in all fields under this Govt.
Gen Satbir then explained that IESM delegation had met him on 6 Sep 2013 at his residence in which he had promised full OROP. Sh Rajnath ji was BJP party President in 2013
Gen Satbir further explained that NDA Govt had approved OROP in 2014 but it had some anomalies. These have not been rectified so for and IESM delegation has come to meet RM with lot of expectation that Sh Rajnath ji as RM would definitely correct these anomalies.
Gp CAPT VK Gandhi then explained that because of fixing basic pensions of past pensioners at mean of pensions of 2013 has resulted in past soldiers getting less pension of around Rs 4500/ less than a soldier retiring in 2019 and a widow is getting around Rs 2500/ less.
Secondly five year equalisation has resulted in many disadvantages to past pensioners. These are
(a) Past pensioners will get less pension for five years.
(b) Past pensioners have not been given full reward of 7 CPC as pension of past pensioners pension as on 2013 has been multiplied with 2.57 to arrive at pension post 7 CPC whereas pension of past pensioners should have been updated to 31 Dec 2015 before multiplying with 2.57. This has resulted in financial loss to all ranks.
(b) Advantage of removal 33 yr rule has not been passed to past pensioners.
(c) Equalisation after five yrs will again result in basic of past pensioners being fixed at mean of 2018. Resulting in loss to them.
(d) Col & Brig tank officers were not given advantage of 2.67 multiplication factor which was given to present pensioners. This was denied on the ground that it will be given in next equalisation that is 2019.
Gp CAPT Gandhi further explained that Past pensioners are not demanding yearly increments as is being propagated by some officials. IESM is only requesting for bridging the gap between past pensioners and present pensioners. Past pensioners will be ever thankful to NDA Govt if their pensions are fixed at par with pensioners who are retiring today.
Gp CAPT Gandhi requested that next date for hearing in HSC for our petition is 6 Aug and hoped that RM will find solutions to the anomalies for OROP.
Gen Satbir volunteered that IESM will be ready to take back 22000 medals deposited with President of India as mark of protest on assurance of RM that our anomalies would be rectified.
Wg Cdr Vinod Nebb explained that he had met Honourable PM Sh Narendra Modi ji in a function and had requested for war memorial for Armed Forces and for declaration of 16 Dec as victory day for INDIA. He thanked the Govt for the magnificent war memorial at India Gate and requested that 16 Dec be declared as victory day in India.
Mrs Sudesh Goyat explained following problems of widows
1. There is a gap of almost six months for widows to start getting their pension on demise of their husband (pensioner). Provisional Pension should start immediately and can be adjusted later but should not take more than three months.
2. Widow of a deceased serving soldier be given a service quarter till completion of service tenure of her husband.
3. DESW and DAV must have women members with authority who can listen to problems of widows and provide swift solutions.
Gp CAPT Gandhi then requested that unnecessary controversy has been created by Govt to discontinue IT exemption for superannuated soldiers on disability pension. RM explained that this is instruction has been issued by MOF and not by MOD. However he will look into it.
Honourable RM heard patiently all the issues and wanted to understand the complications. He assured the delegation that he will do everything to raise the morale of Armed Forces. He assured that he will have replies to all problems and will confirm action taken in our next meeting.
ESM delegation thanked RM and expressed that we have come to him with lot of hope that he would definitely remove anomalies on OROP.
Date for next meeting would be fixed soon.
Regards
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Vice Chairman IESM
1 July 2019

OROP DGL CHART IGNORED EARLIER

EPPO NAIK Y 20 YEARS 1st ACP RETIRED ON 31/12/2008 BASIC PENSION 20034

EPPO HAVILDAR Y 26 YEARS 1st ACP RETIRED ON 31/08/2009 BASIC PENSION 26741

LATEST PPO OF MWO & EQVALENT

CGDA TRIES TO SCUTTLE OROP REVISION TO EX-SERVICEMEN

LATEST PPO OF SGT/HAV/PO 20 YEARS X GP

IESL LODGES STRONG PROTEST WITH DESW REGARDING THE ATTITUDE OF CGDA ON THE REFIXATION PENSION OF ESM UNDER OROP SCHEME

Bureaucracy deny veterans their due? A second struggle for OROP revision by ESM all over the country is in the offing

 

In a letter dated 5 April, addressed to the Directorate of Ex-servicemen Welfare of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Comptroller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), a part of the same ministry, has queried the logic of initiating the One Rank One Pension revision due on 1 July after directions were issued by the government.
The directions of the government on the grant of OROP to military veterans stated this would be equated every five years. The last equation was done with the base of 1 July 2014. Para 3 (a) of the CGDA letter states, “Whether there is any logic to initiate process of OROP revision (equalization) once the pension of past and current pensioners has been equated on 01 Jan 16 by the 7th Pay commission.”
This seems a case of creating confusion where none should have existed. The 7th Pay commission and OROP have nothing in common, nor were they even linked. The pay commission only revises existing salaries and pensions on a common factor, whereas OROP is meant to equate pensions of earlier retirees with present ones.
Revision and equating are vastly different and done in different timeframes. Revision as per the dictionary means ‘correction/ alteration’, whereas equating means to make ‘uniform or equal’. The CGDA seeks to create confusion by mixing up the two words. The defence minister was convinced by his bureaucracy to establish a committee to work out modalities and method of next revision of pensions under OROP.
It is surprising that he was not told the difference between revision and equation and its impact on pensions. The CGDA letter suggests a preconceived mindset of the bureaucracy aimed at delaying and denying rightful dues to veterans. While the letter innocently seeks clarification on the procedure for implementation of OROP, methodology for which formed the basis of the last OROP equation, its wording hints that OROP should not be granted as the pay commission does the needful at regular intervals.
The CGDA is the same organization which three years after the implementation of the pay commission has been unable to fix anomalies in salaries which arose in its wake. It also seeks to offer this as justification to delay equating pensions. In any private organisation, such incompetence would have meant sacking of the top hierarchy, but the MoD defends and accepts it. Will the new rules laid down by the Prime Minister of inefficient bureaucrats being given ‘pink slips’ also apply to the CGDA? If it does, then multiple heads should roll.
There have been many cases in the past when the CGDA has denied rightful pensions to martyrs and war veterans on flimsy grounds, compelling them to approach courts for justice. Nirmala Sitharaman, as defence minister, had on occasions promised to stop fighting wasteful cases of pensions in court, yet the organisation has not reformed.
A recent case is most appalling. The case began in December 1999, when militancy was rising in the valley. An operation to flush out militants, infiltrated into an army unit in Baramulla, was launched. In the conduct of the operations, the company commander was injured in the thigh by a bullet fired by a militant from close range. He survived, but the bullet damaged his nerves leading to a paralysis of his left leg.
The officer, a battle casualty, continued to serve with the injury and is now nearing retirement. His case for grant of war injury pension due to him as a battle casualty was sanctioned by Army HQs and sent to Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, (PCDA) Pensions, a part of the CGDA, in April this year. It was a simple case and should have been cleared. However, bureaucratic blocks began appearing.
PCDA Pensions questioned Army HQs (vide their letter of 12 June this year), stating that unless additional documents including proceedings of the court of inquiry conducted in 1999, injury report and charter of duties of that period were not submitted, the case could not be processed. It has refused to accept that the officer was declared and served as a battle casualty since 1999. For the bureaucrats serving in the CGDA, the injury suffered and difficulties experienced through life by that officer have no relevance.
If the authority to declare war injury pension to an individual is that of Army HQs, which does so after detailed scrutiny of records and analysis of the incident, then does it require another bureaucratic institution to conduct its own inquiry at the time of the individual being released from service, 20 years later? What would the PCDA gain by examining these documents? With a new defence minister sworn in, the bureaucracy and its offshoots have begun playing games once again.
They have tried to mislead the defence minister and the nation by confusing equation and revision of pensions and in the bargain seeking to block release of OROP which was granted after a prolonged agitation by veterans. Are these actions a case of testing waters as the new defence minister settles in? The defence minister should not have been misled and compelled by his advisors to order setting up of a committee but instead given a simple direction to implement government orders.
Unless the defence minister acts firmly, by either sacking the hierarchy of the CGDA for its failure to resolve anomalies even after three years, or for questioning government decisions, he would only face stumbling blocks throughout his tenure. He needs to send the right message immediately. The question is, will he?

Rajnath forms committee to work on modalities of revising pension under OROP

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has constituted a committee to work out the modalities and methodology of the implementation of next revision of pension under One Rank One Pension (OROP), the Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
"Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the working of DESW including the welfare schemes being extended to the ex-servicemen, widows and dependents. A committee was also constituted today to work out the modalities and methodology of the implementation of the next revision of pension under OROP," the statement said.

All three services will have their representation in the committee which will give its report within a month.
According to the statement, the Defence Minister was briefed by various officials.
"In a free-flowing interaction, Minister expressed his general satisfaction but also gave certain directions to the department and sought a response in a time-bound manner," the statement said.