The government on Saturday (07-11-15) night notified the OROP scheme for over 24 lakh ex-servicemen and six lakh widows around the country, which will entail an additional out go of around Rs.8,000-10,000 crore every year.
The government has also decided that personnel who opt for discharge henceforth on their own request will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. In other words, while soldiers who took pre-mature retirement earlier will get OROP, fresh cases will not. It will be effective prospectively.
The arrears are to be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. Widows and gallantry award winners to get arrears in one go.
OROP will be given with effect from July 1, 2014. The veterans wanted from April, 2014.
The base year for pension fixation is to be 2013 calendar year. The veterans wanted it to be March 31, 2014
According to the notification, pension will be re-fixed for all retiring at the same rank with same length of service as the ‘average’ of minimum and maximum pension in 2013. The veterans wanted it from top of the pay scale.
But the veterans said they would continue their agitation since the government has failed to resolve any of the main anomalies in the ‘diluted OROP’ that has been notified.
The veterans said they wanted “pension equalisation or adjustment” at least once every two years, while the government has stuck to its stand that it will be done at five -year intervals because of the huge administrative work involved.
The veterans are also opposed to the setting up of a one-man judicial commission to resolve the anomalies arising out of OROP implementation in six months. The veterans wanted a five- member panel , with three of their representatives, to submit its report within a month.
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA , NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 8, 2015, PAGE 12
