Tuesday 15 September 2015

Who is Afraid of the Truth in OROP?



 Why the Government Must Tell 125 Crore Indians
The Simple Truth about One Rank One Pension (OROP)

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"Satyameva Jayate" (Sanskrit: सत्यमेव जयते satyam-eva jayate; literally "Truth alone triumphs") is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad. It was adopted as the national motto of independent India.

On 14th August 2015, the Delhi police, which functions directly under the Central Govt, and the NDMC, by their action provided the much needed media exposure to the ESM agitation. It also united the other ‘sitting on the wall’ ESM organisations.

On 11th September 2015, in Chandigarh, the PM, by those few words re-invigorated the reportedly ‘factionalised’ ESM into protesting with much more vigour. Proof is the attendance at ESM rally on 12th September 2015 and the myriad photographs doing the rounds on social media. Most print media, with the exception of The Hindu, either blanked off or covered desultorily and the usually voluble TV channels did not cover the rally but also did not consider the impact of the social media.

The PM’s words achieved one aim. It may have been a political speech, as some retired BJP supporters amongst ESM said, or it was the PM’s anger at the continuing agitation by ESM in New Delhi or their statements about campaigning in Bihar, but the words reinforced the feeling that the Govt’s professed love and respect for the Jawan conceals disdain for ESM and widows of ESM.

But, all ESM, and their widows to a large extent, are a literate lot, and they ask many questions. They find answers to most questions on the Govt’s websites, but they ask more questions that only the Govt can answer. The ESM and widows ask

Do 125 crore Indians know what OROP really is and why it was being requested, and is now demanded?

Does it mean that two different Governments led by two different political parties, aided by a phalanx of bureaucrats misunderstand the reasons, the concept, the aim, and the implications – financial, administrative, and legal – of OROP?

If approving OROP was a desperate UPA’s electoral death throes, then what was the BJP’s repeated “committed to OROP” about?   

Do 125 crore Indians know how much the widow of a sepoy, or a Subedar Major or of a Brigadier draw as Family pension?

How has the Govt given away Rs 1, 23, 000 crore from the money of the poor (Rs 63, 000 crores as tax exemptions to rich corporates in 2014-15, Rs 20, 000 crores to offset losses of Public Sector Banks (PSB) by their bad loans of poor people’s money to offenders, and Rs 40, 000 crore of the poor to Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) in 2015-16),

If outgo of Rs 8300 crore or Rs 10, 000 crore or Rs 12, 000 crore for OROP will drive India into a Greece like situation, as some learned commentators, editors and retired bureaucrats predict, then what about the amount stated above?

Pension for Government’s Civilian Employees vis-à-vis ESM
Compare that with any retired Class B and IAS officer with equivalent years of service and the truth will be apparent from what is reproduced below: (source: http://www.pensionersportal.gov.in/retire-benefit.asp): -

The minimum eligibility period for receipt of pension is 10 years. A Central Government servant retiring in accordance with the Pension Rules is entitled to receive superannuation pension on completion of at least 10 years of qualifying service (see qualifying service for Defence Forces personnel above) [emphasis supplied].

Compare this with 15 years for ORs and 20 years for Officers of the Defence Forces to be eligible to draw pensions.

In the case of Family Pension for a Govt’s civilian employee the widow is eligible to receive pension on death of her spouse after completion of one year of continuous service or before even completion of one year if the Government servant had been examined by the appropriate Medical Authority and declared fit for Government service [emphasis supplied].

PCDA (Pension) states that a Family Pensioner of the Defence Forces (source: http://www.pcdapension.nic.in/gen/faq.htm), inter alia, states, “No family pension is admissible in cases where the ex-servicemen was not a pensioner on the date of his death.”

Corrected based on advice of Maj Navdeep Singh

Actually the requirement of family pension is exactly the same in the defence as well as the civil services. There is no requirement of minimum qualifying service for deaths in harness to earn an ordinary family pension. What you have done by mistake is, that you have compared an in-harness death of a civil employee on one hand with the death of a military pensioner on the other hand. If a person dies in-harness, then families are entitled to ordinary family pension without any linkage with qualifying service both on the civil as well as military side. If a person dies after release then family is entitled only if the individual had been a pensioner, again both in military as well as civil.

Also, the minimum qualifying service of 10 years is applicable under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 only when a person superannuates and in rare circumstances is released by the Govt on completing 10+ years of service. For example, if a person joins at 45 years of service and retires at 60 years after completing 15 years service, he/she is entitled to pension since he/she had completed more than 10 years. For other cases, including voluntary retirees, the length required for earning a pension remains 20 years on the civil side while it is 15 years in the military for jawans/JCOs and 20 years for officers.

Hope this explains the issues raised by 'Vicky' above too.
The widows (nearly 6 lakh) of ESM are near penury as they are paid just 30% of the last pay drawn by their husbands as family pensions. The family pension for a Group X (the highest paid) Sepoy’s widow is Rs 3672 + 113% Dearness Relief (DR) = Rs 7822 per month (Rs 260 per day) to Rs 6507 +113% DR = Rs 13859 per month (Rs 462 per day) for the widow of a Gp X Sub Maj who served 30 years but whose pension reached the top of the pension table at 28 years?

Compare the above with the MGNREGA daily wages for 2015-16 for unskilled, unemployed labourers for some States: -

Haryana – Rs 251; Chandigarh – Rs 239; Punjab – Rs 210; lowest Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh Rs 159.

(Complete text of F No. J-1011/1/2009-MGNREGA (Pt III) dated 31st March 2015, at nrega.nic.in.)    
 
Widows of Lt Col, Colonel, Brigadier draw Rs 15759, Rs 16677 and Rs 17487 + 113% DR as family pensions, respectively.

The ESM amongst Officers cadre are no better – Lt Col’s pension Rs 21490 at 20 years of service, Colonel’s pension Rs 26265 at 26 years of service and Brigadier’s pension Rs 29145 at 30 years of service. It is all taxable and that is why they have to find employment outside.

(Source: Circular Nos. 501 & 547 for Other Ranks Pensioners and No. 500 & 548 for Officers’ Pensioners issued by PCDA (and updated on 11th September 2015).

Defence Forces Pensioners are Income Tax Payees

Of the 30 lakh ESM pensioners, including family pensioners, a majority pay income tax, and many uninformed (sic?) trolls think defence pension is income-tax exempt.

ESM contributed part of the Rs 63, 000 crore tax exemption & incentives gifted to the corporate sector, and part of the first tranche of Rs 20, 000 to re-capitalise PSBs’ for the irrecoverable loans they handed out, and part of Rs 40,000 crore the Govt has exempted the FII from paying MAT, and the several hundred crore that is paid to Air India for Air India One’s flights and Rs 40 crore spent of the PM’s 15 trips abroad.

Or why the poor are being deprived to pay OROP of Rs 10, 000 crore to ESM but are not deprived when the Govt foregoes Revenue (taxes) of Rs 63000 crore, gives Rs 20000 crore to PSB and Rs 40000 crore FPI of the poor peoples’ money in 2015-16?

In this context it would be educative for all to read what Shri Uttam Gupta, a financial analyst, has written in the Deccan Herald, 14th September 2015, in his comment titled Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT), Don’t Override the Judicial Process, inter alia, “After Justice Shah Committee recommended… He (FM) has also promised to come out with an amendment to Section 115J of the Finance Act to exempt all FPIs nt having permanent establishments in India from levy of MAT…….By giving these assurances the Narendra Modi Govt has not only gone back on the principle espoused by the Govt but also pre-empted the judicial process….”    

OROP Commitments and Implementation Issue

Then PM-candidate, by his now famed his oratorical flourishes, raised the forlorn hopes of ESM in Rewari in September 2013, and with his every subsequent assurances and statements of implementation of OROP, kept those hopes high.

Are 125 crore Indians aware of subsequent and recorded on file statements by the UPA’s Raksha Mantri (RM) and the Finance Minister (FM) that “Rs 500 crore was just a token amount and more would be forthcoming as soon as the amount could be worked out?” 

Those pre-election speeches might also have been the reason for the otherwise slow moving Defence Minister of the UPA to constitute a Joint Working Group (JWG), engrave the definition of OROP (equal pension for those with the same rank and same years of service and automatic future enhancements) in the pages of MoD’s files with alacrity, even haste, and set what now seems to be the OROP fireball on its way.  

Jean Paul Sartre said, “Commitment is not just a word. It is an act.” So, the newly formed NDA Govt had its chance of converting that commitment of OROP into fulfilling a promise in the Budget 2014-15.

Though 125 crore Indians, of whom 30 lakh are ESM and widows of ESM, may think that Budgets are made by the FM and his (sealed up in the North Block) bureaucrats, they are by norm, prepared in consultation with the Prime Minister. FM (also the RM till November 2014) must have been aware of the PM’s priorities when he framed the Budgets 2014-15 and 2015-16.

The Budgets for 2014-2015 & 2015-16 make it clear that Ex-Servicemen (ESM) were led up the commitment path till 5th September 2015 by repeated announcements.

If the 125 crore Indians, the poor and income tax paying ESM & widows, do not believe it, they just need a cursory reading of Demand No. 22, available on the Ministry of Finance website [Source: Notes on Demands for Grants, 2015-2016, MoD, Demand No. 22, and Defence Pensions at indiabudget.nic.in/ub2015-16/eb/sbe22.pdf].

The extract of Demand No. 22 below shows that the FM did not project any demand for OROP and so FM (also the RM) made no provision in Revised Budget 2014-2015, in fact he deducted the Rs 1000 crore he grandly set aside for OROP: -


Budget
2013-14
Budget
2014-15
Revised
2014-15
Budget
2015-16
Total (in crore rupees)

45493.75

50966.95

49959.79

54466.95

 Note: -1. Pensions and Other Retirement Benefits:. Defence Pensions provides for pensionary charges in respect of retired Defence personnel (including civilian employees) of three Services viz. Army, Navy and Air Force and also employees of Ordnance Factories, etc. It covers payment of service pensions, gratuity, family pension, disability pension, commuted value of pension and leave encashment. The increase in BE 2015-16 is mainly due to normal growth in pensionary benefits and increase in provision towards payment of Gratuity, Commuted Value of Pension and Superannuation and Retirement Benefits. Increase of higher provision is also due to increase in number of pensioners and anticipated provisions of Dearness Relief (emphasis supplied).

The Note below the table in Demand No. 22 makes one realise the jumla as it shows a conspicuous absence of OROP in thought, word, or deed, in contradiction, if one needs it, to the repeated “assurances and commitment.”
        So, the FM (also RM from 27th May 2014 to 8th November 2014) did not even plan for the OROP in Budget 2015-16 and hence the misery of depriving the poor to pay the tax paying ESM & widows.
It took the UPA Govt that never works faster sixteen months to realise that it can pay the Class A Services to reward their incompetence with the Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFU), so that performance and promotion of one is presumed to be windfall for the others, even though 2 years later, non-performance notwithstanding! Funnily, no department, the ubiquitous Department of Expenditure included, is aware, in replies to RTI, of how much of the income tax paying ESM and widows and the poor people’s money goes towards that NFU.     

The truth is that in the OROP case, 16 months or so after May 2014, while the Govt gave away as revenue foregone an amount of Rs 62, 398 crores (see Annex 12 on MoF website for more details), the Govt made no realistic provision for OROP either in Budget 2014-15 (wherein the additional Rs 1000 crore earmarked for OROP was deducted in the revised budget when the FM was also the RM. The evidence is there on MoF website but extracted here for ready reference From Implementation of Budget Announcements 2014-15 (pages 33 and 34): -

One Rank One Pension             (Position reported on 30th January, 2015)
S No. Para No. 
125      140                        Budget Announcement      
We reaffirm our commitment to our brave soldiers. A policy of "One Rank One Pension" has been adopted by the Government to address the pension disparities. We propose to set aside a further sum of Rs 1,000 crore to meet this year's requirement [Nodal Ministry/Department: Ministry of Defence] (emphasis supplied).

Status of Implementation

A working Group was constituted under the Chairmanship of CGDA for examining the proposal. The Working Group after deliberation suggested some possible options for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP). Meetings were held on 26.8.2014 under the Chairmanship of Defence Minister (emphasis supplied), with Defence Secretary, Secretary (ESW), FA (DS) and CGDA on the implementation of OROP. The modalities are under consideration.                                                                Work in progress

(Note: FM was also RM from 27th May 2014 to 8th November 2014).  

For 2015-16 the RM must have apprised the FM (who was the former RM) of the funds required for OROP.

Now that the Govt is to implement OROP, a process which will be complete when the implementation orders are issued, there is that bogey of the costs and “at the expense of the poor” that is being spoken about.  

Don’t the 125 crore Indians, deserve to be told why the demands of the ESM for OROP deserves so much of their Govt’s disdain?


ESM hope that the PM will tell the truth about OROP in his future speech(es) and uphold the national motto - Satyam Ev Jayate.

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57 comments:

  1. Sir. Thanks for holistic commentary on sad state of affairs. Hope this finds place in all print and electronic media.

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    1. When there is undeclared emergency, how can this or any news about the ill-treatment to the ESM find place in the media?

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    2. The media has now decided to publish only those articles that are anti OROP. See TOI of today which carries Chetan Bhagat's views.

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  2. Don't wait for this to find place in the print & electronic media;please make an all out effort to see that somehow this reaches the media.Look for sources and use them.On twitter,on face book or where ever you find the rich & famous occasionally are available.Use that occasion to get this fantastic article circulated.I have used a Rajya Sabha MP who is on twitter.Every one could do the same.All the best

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    1. I've shared this article across all my social media accounts--Google, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. The amounts given as monthly pensions to ex-servicemen and their dependents is disgraceful--especially when you think of living expenses (food, clothing, shelter), health care, education for children and caring for dependents. I had thought that the BJP, being a 'nationalist' party, compared to the Congress, would be more alive to the cause of the armed forces personnel. After all, it is this very force that they rely upon to keep our more dangerous neighbours on their toes.

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  3. Sad part is Aacha Din for media also come they have taken 'Mon Vart ', 56 inches declare unofficial media print & electronic emergency to fool the voters of Bihar and country men.

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  4. "...process which will be complete when the implementation orders are issued..."

    Sir, if the Govt is sincere in trying to promote systems that eliminate unnecessary friction, disputes and litigation, then opinions of all stake-holders, not just reps of some ESM associations, could be invited on a draft of the detailed implementation and the final letter issued after considering all valid inputs.

    In this networked age and given recent trends in the online outreach from the Government, such a means of obtaining feedback could help reduce subsequent burden on the judicial commission, whether it consists of one member or five.

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  5. Why Blame the Chiefs (Former & Incumbent)

    This blog provides immense information based on official documents. How many of us have used it?

    Apex & High Courts have ruled in favour of the Ex-Servicemen (ESM) in many of the cases or appeals filed by MoD. Examples are odious but nevertheless required to illustrate the point. The UoI Vs Maj Gen S P S Vains (retd), Maj A K Dhanapalan (retd) Vs UoI/MoD, the UoI/MoD Vs Lt Col N K Nair (retd) & Others, even the Civil Appeals for minimum guaranteed pension and the DACP for AFMS doctors etc.

    If we, the directly affected, are not willing to help ourselves, then why are we expecting the Chiefs (former and incumbent) to help us?

    Why aren’t we asking questions of the Chairmen and members (past and present) of PARC or the respective Services Pay Commission Cells or the DGMP, PPOC?

    Why aren’t we asking those who write on how ‘X’ from one Service tripped up ‘Y’ from the other Service, what did the writer do? Did he/they resign or carried on regardless in some other assignment, and now quote Army, Navy or Air Force Acts and the inherent discipline for their subservience but forget that Regulations forbid obeying an unlawful command and not representing against it.

    IESM, in the forefront of the OROP battle and IESL, the MoD funded ESM organisation with an uneasy conscience about the political overtones, did not protest when it was not included in the meetings of the (abortive?) Joint Working Group (JWG) on OROP though the MoD letter of 26th February 2014 made it conditional on Services HQ to consult ESM. Will some one tell us why IESM was happy to be just meeting the FM/RM or writing those emails to the high and mighty?

    IESM and IESL heads have met the COAS numerous times as they have reported, supported with photographs. And through him met the former COAS now MP and MoS enroute to meetings with the RM and FM. What was really discussed? Are there any minutes of the various meetings? If there are, why are the IESM and IESL placing for our information like they do their frequent letters to the President, the PM, the RM? If there were no minutes kept, what was the use of the meetings? Photo ops?

    How could the RM bowl a maiden over where zero runs i.e. OROP are scored, with his teesra (VRS), his doosra (effective date 1st July 2014), his googly (average of minimum & maximum pension of Calendar year 2013), his off-break (one man judicial commission), his leg break (5 yearly review) and his arm ball (walk away after a staccato reading from the piece of paper in his hand without taking questions)?

    We must be fair and ask every one for transparency and accountability not just the past and present Chiefs.

    Please publish if you consider it appropriate to ask such questions.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please go through 'Report my signal' where the outcome of the meetings were put up by IESM. Unfortunately we had a Gaddar in IESM till recently who was shunted out. He had done the damage

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  6. Truth and absolute facts.bare. No mincing of truth or words.
    Disparity of NFU , in mily from other equal and lower service grades is to be rectified and resolved.
    True orop is after factoring, NFU since 2006 as squeezed by civil services from National Treasury. Or ,withdrawal NFU and recover NFU payments with interest from civil services who are arguing against orop for mily.
    Now see the difference between - orop factoring NFU - orop as per dgl from service hq- circari orop at 2013 level , fr om July 2014 ,on some averaging new concept and re -vision in 5 years or after 5 yrs - all in fluid state and yet to be clear /crystalized /specified.
    It looks like jadu mantar and the puzzle has to be solved and resolved at jantar jantar !

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  7. Sir, Please insert Not in the sentence to read "....why are the IESM and IESL NOT placing......"

    Apologies for inconvenience,

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  8. Pse,add to...jadu jantar -jantar jantar.
    If ,issues remain unresolved or partially resolved ,SATAM EV JAYETE flags will keep on raising. esm are watching and waiting !

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  9. Sir,We are fortunate to have people like you who have such a deep,clear and concise knowledge about OROP and other issues concerning the Armed Forces.And you provide timely information for benefit of everyone.Thanks and Regards.

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  10. I have written a couple of articles in support of OROP. These are available on NarainD.blogspot.com.

    (1) One rank, one pension - Part I, A simple problem deliberately created and confounded. 17/8/2015.

    (2) One rank, one pension – Part II, Prime Minister must act like a leader. 18/8/2015.

    (3) Ex-servicemen should ask the government to produce all records concerning one rank one pay. 20/8/2015.

    (4) One rank one pension, Prime Minister should act like a leader. 24/8/2015.

    (5) An open letter to veterans of armed force. 01/9/2015.

    (6) Bureaucrats mishandled OROP issue.

    My first article was also carried by a news portal ‘newsmobile.in’ under the title “Who sabotaged OROP’.

    One can read all these articles on internet.

    Devendra Narain
    September 17, 2015

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  11. SIR, ESM ARE MUCH AWAITED OROP IMMEDIATELY PLEASE.

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  12. Thank you so much for elucidating this! Much needed to educate people who don't understand why the OROP agitation is still on. Thanks again...daughter of '71 veteran and active OROP supporter

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  13. All along the Govt either the UPA or NDA ever had intentions of giving the ESMs their due. I can only say what once my father once told me "Never believe what a politician speaks, since he has a very verbose mouth but a very weak arse. Promises leak out faster than words which come out of his mouth.

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  14. Sir, very elaborate and in-depth knowledge on OROP. We shall take definitely it to many people. Thanks. Capt RJ Pandey

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  15. The actions of the Government's (past as well as present) reflect a situation where it is harming its main strength - the armed forces - in the mistaken motion that only economic strength is enough to ensure our prime position in the emerging global scenario. Nothing could be more detrimental for India than this situation.

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  16. very good information, sir
    .PM 's" acha din"will come after the death of all veterans

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  17. The actions of the Government's (past as well as present) reflect a situation where it is harming its main strength - the armed forces - in the mistaken motion that only economic strength is enough to ensure our prime position in the emerging global scenario. Nothing could be more detrimental for India than this situation.

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  18. The BJP government is a pro-business , pro-industrialists and pro- uber-rich
    Government. In the name development and progress , make-in -India etc they have totally ignored the suffering masses of poor , Ex-servicemen etc. They abolished the wealth tax , WHICH IS A net worth TAX AND INSTEAD DUMPED IT ON THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY HONEST TAXPAYERS who are EARNING for A LIVING as SURCHARGE !!!! Irrespective of the quantum of wealth Tax , it WOULD HAVE augmented Govt revenue and , it would never have hurt the pockets of those stinkingly rich !!! So how can we expect justice and fairplay from them ????? All tha above facts and figures must be released through the TV for public awareness ...either through Aaj thak or IBN etc. But will the media which felt shy to telecast the ESM protests be willing to do this in the welfare of serving and Ex-servicemen ?????,
    WE CAN GARNER the SUPPORT and PUBLIC SYMPATHY only by involving the media who boast about their ethical credibility !!!!!
    This is a yeoman's service rendered to our cause , which candidly presents the facts and figures vis-a-vis the propaganda of the two-timing Government , in painting the legitimate demands in the pipeline for over 40 years , as a burden on economy and trying to incite the public apathy towards our just demands !!!!

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  19. What I intend to do to recommend closing of all URCs selling CSD stores. ESMs are in fact are weakened here for a few bottles of Rum but allowing the serving chiefs to have its Roman Empire. Once the Canteen Stores Department is disbanded or auctioned to Walmart the money saved can be claimed for OROP.

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    1. Sir, the CSD canteens supply not just rum, as you believe, but also groceries, toiletries, provisions like oil etc in places like FDL (Forward Defended Locality ) - 405 accessed after a steep climb of 1500 feet from 9000' AMSL with 22 soldiers, and in Siachen where a few thousands survive etc.Do you really believe your Walmart will open stores there? Time you updated your information. I can help you.

      Delete
    2. Sir, you have touched on an extremely important issue. Even in peace locations, due to the remote location of armed forces units, away from civilian areas, URCs perform a function of delivering essentials to serving personnel, as well as ESMs, in a manner that would be difficult, if not outright impossible, for a commercial organisation to replicate.

      However, I feel that due to their need for this valuable service, the armed forces have created a grossly unmanageable system of storage and supply and created a not exactly productive civilian manpower establishment that, in places, instead of meeting requirements, has created a typical governmental staff work-to-rule environment. Precious manpower assets in uniform also have to be deployed on the system.

      The whole matter needs a careful analysis from a customer( in this case armed forces personnel and ESM)-focus perspective. Perhaps there is room for a more productive way of designing customer access and delivery, with a much greater quality of service.

      Co-operative ventures with the likes of Walmart, reliance or even Amazon may enable a dismantling of a needless super-structure which can be replaced with a leaner, effective system of performing the same function in more efficient ways.

      Delete
    3. Please don't digress by bringing in CSD facility to Soldiers and ESMs and dilute the effect of such a well researched and well worded article on OROP.

      Delete
    4. @Balvinder Singh:"..Please don't digress.."

      I agree comments should not be off-topic. But, here, the blog owner was responding to a comment, which was strictly not "off-topic" as it was related to OROP, even though not directly. A point was then raised in response to blog owner's observation. It is the blog owner's discretion what manner of comments get published, even those, like yours, that seek to regulate what others should or should not mention.

      I saw another comment just now instructing the blog owner himself how he should reformat the blog-post, a comment the blog owner has graciously permitted to be published.

      My take is, no one forces anyone to read comments they don't like or view as "digressions". How can a comment, permitted by the blog owner, serve to digress from the main body of what you rightly observe to be a "a well researched and well worded article on OROP"?

      When and if you ever start a blog, and if someone takes the time to read it and then comment on it, you would be well within your rights to tell others not to "digress" and hasten their egress from your own blog.

      Delete
    5. @corona8, this blog is for providing verifiable information. I was wrong and I corrected myself.
      @Balvinder Singh is expressing his opinion. So be it.

      Delete
  20. how about legal course- Go to court and sort out the matter

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  21. Highly informative article. God only can see and ensure justice to defence personnel if the government ditch us in impending notification. Though things appear really bad
    Col sp singh, veteran

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  22. One full page booked for this article to appear in prominent news papers will do the trick...........many corporates do it ..so..why cant we do it? We have to find ways and means of getting prominent people to voice their opinion ..tiME FOR BIG ACTION BOSS.....Dear Satbir...you have impressed us big time.....now the time for blitzcreig...we have to let the people of India know...........Invite some top class P R people.........Phir dekho rang kase badalta hai.........sirf bhookh hartal se kaam nahin chalega............Take the intelligent road.....................

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  23. It is most researched article on OROP and on perfidy being displayed against the veterans. It also highlights the stepmotherly treatment being given to the veterans.In addition to the above, every year, the Govt and the Public Sector Banks write off lakhs of crores due to NPA's.Whose money is that and why that is not snatching livelyhood of poors but pension to veterans, which in any case is DEFERRED PAY,in H'ble PM's view , would affect the welfare schemes for the poor. As per a poet," MAIN DEVTA JISE SAMJHA THA, WOH AADMI NIKLA "

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    1. MAIN DEVTA JIASE SAMJATHA WOH GADHA NIKLA. KYOUN Ki Gadha can not understand the sufferings of the soldiers. The pension is earned by us and it is not a charity nor it is at the cost of poor of our country.

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  24. As a layman, I find it extremely difficult to understand why the present B.J.P.Government with Modi as Prime Minister is reluctant to fulfill its election promise of implementing OROP sincerely and to the fullest satisfaction of all those concerned. If the MPs could enjoy all the benefits imaginable including the heavily subsidised food in the Parliament canteen and if they could think of having a 100% increase in their salary, surely, the members of the armed forces who risk their life in their line of duty certainly deserve more. The Government should act immediately and fulfill its promise fully.

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  25. Good educative details/data. Pass it to maximum people in the country. I will do it at my end . more & more people should let the country know about the truth.

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  26. super . god bless you . as a septuagenarian veteran i am thrilled to read your piece.
    blessings

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  27. Let the truth be told . We are not begging but seek justice. Pl do not delay the orop. We need it now and not later .
    Ramaiah

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  28. The truth is there for the world to see how the government treats defence forces and its happening over the years to reach such a lowly stage that esm had to take to streets

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  29. Realistic view expressed by the author It must be brought to the notice of all Indians

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  30. Sir - Excellent insights in the real mind set of the babus and politicians towards Armed Forces, ESMs and widows.
    In a country where masses fight for being backward, contempt for merit is hardly surprising...
    Thanks for such a scholarly study.

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  31. Boss please check your facts before writing. you may please the reader who is an ex army man or his family but will antagonise the others specially the govt servants. An example is 1. that pension is available to a govt servant only after 20 years of service, 2. the pension is taxable for all and not just armed forces pension. 3. How much do you think a gazetted officer get pension after 20 years of service? please compare. My idea is not to disparage the right of the armed forces, but to point out that such anomalies will alienate a large chunk of people from your cause.

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    1. Sir, because of such doubts I provide the source or link so that one/you can verify whatever I write.My aims are to provide information from GoI sources and not cook up what pleases me.

      The GOI website has been quoted below the pensionable service of civilian employees. Please access and re-assure your self.

      If you can give me a link where I can find how much pension a gazetted officer after 20 years service gets, please provide me the link so that I am more informed.

      The object of informing people that pensions are taxed is because many trolls believe the pensions and much else ESM get is free of taxes, VAT, service tax etc.

      Delete
  32. Sir,
    The article is very informative and is a detailed write-up.
    However, it is felt that adding alongside the pension figures of ESM of different ranks, corresponding pension figures of Civillian Government Servants (Groups A,B,C & D), for similar lengths of rendered service would be appropriate, for proper Impact on any reader. Request re-draft the article with these figures.

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  33. We are yet to see the light of the day regarding arrears of pay arising out of anomaly in fixation of pay in the 6th Pay Commission Report. The bureaucracy even submitted a false affidavit in the Supreme Court when the case was heard. In spite of the SC ruling to compute the arrears from 2006, the babus again paid the dues from September 2012, the date of judgement! This was again contested and won in favour of ESM. The court/ the Govt should have admonished/ punished the concerned Officers in the level of Secretaries for Contempt of Court. They were let off without even a warning. More than the politicians, it is the bureaucrats who are hell bent in ensuring that as when OROP sees the light of the day, the financial benefit will be so low that it was not worth fighting for. The misguided the DM on VRS when no such thing exits in the Armed Forces. Surprisingly, the three Chiefs who shared the dais with the DM during his briefing did not even utter a word of protest. It was left to ESM to raise a war cry making the PM to clarify that very evening that ESM who took Premature retirement would be eligible. The bureaucrats have ensured that if at all OROP comes into operation, the financial benefit will be paltry and all ESM will be shocked to realise that they have been fighting for this paltry sum. A recent calculation as per the terms and conditions specified now entails only an increase of about only Rs2000/ in the case of a Colonel who retired prior to 2006 after 30 years of Service. I would suggest if this paltry sum is going to be awarded, all ESM may come to an understanding to contribute this to the PM relief fund! The moot question is whether the country is run by the elected representatives or by the bureaucrats? If , as the goings on in OROP reveal that, it is run by the babus as per their whims and fancies, we may as well scrap the parliament and let the country be run bty babus! But what is more worrying is if the Defence Minister can be misguided deliberately on VRS ( on OROP) by the babus to announce a totally irrelevant point, similar deliberate misguidance can happen while briefing the Minister of External affairs on foreign policy issues, the Minister of Finance on financial issues, the Minister of Trade and Commerce on issues related to them by their respective bureaucrats.. It portends very serious repercussions in the running of the country.

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  34. Sir, I think it is not clear, b,coz it is only way to win the bihar election to the BJP govt.

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  35. It is eye opener for anyone. The discrimination between soldier and civ in all section of pension rules there is no parity. PM is busy on matters best known to him to handle the situation at National level. However, it appears that PM is not interested to know anything about OROP or else he would have called ESM for briefing(No Talks) on the subject. This would have enabled him to take right decision and release the OROP in right spirit.

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  36. Media has been purchased by the present Govt. How can they report such stupid action by Police

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  37. A brilliant article bringing out all the facts of the case. I only hope the President, (As the Supreme Commander), PM, Finance Minister, the Defence Minister & the rest down the line in the present government realise their folly with playing a waiting game with the three Services & the Veterans. It showed glaringly during the last 42 years. If OROP is delayed further the chances are no one will join the Services in the future and the country will suffer a set back, which will be hard to recover from in the future, as it is the country is suffering from a shortages of citizens wanting to join the services. Jai Hind .

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  38. Sad. India has taken Yoga to the UN and got it's rightful place. In the country of Yoga, there are some Yogis in India who are all out to establish only ADHARM,,.but talk DHARM. History can not be forgotten and it repeats at the right time. Life is a circle and not a straight line. Every single well informed Indian is aware that we are not being treated well, it will go back to those who caused this.

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  39. Sir,

    Actually the requirement of family pension is exactly the same in the defence as well as the civil services. There is no requirement of minimum qualifying service for deaths in harness to earn an ordinary family pension. What you have done by mistake is, that you have compared an in-harness death of a civil employee on one hand with the death of a military pensioner on the other hand. If a person dies in-harness, then families are entitled to ordinary family pension without any linkage with qualifying service both on the civil as well as military side. If a person dies after release then family is entitled only if the individual had been a pensioner, again both in military as well as civil.

    Also, the minimum qualifying service of 10 years is applicable under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 only when a person superannuates and in rare circumstances is released by the Govt on completing 10+ years of service. For example, if a person joins at 45 years of service and retires at 60 years after completing 15 years service, he/she is entitled to pension since he/she had completed more than 10 years. For other cases, including voluntary retirees, the length required for earning a pension remains 20 years on the civil side while it is 15 years in the military for jawans/JCOs and 20 years for officers.

    Hope this explains the issues raised by 'Vicky' above too.

    Regards

    Navdeep.

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    Replies
    1. With your permission, am inserting the correction.

      Delete
  40. Perhaps we should demand complete parity with civil servants and justice to the Military by abolishing OROP/NFU/APEV SCALES/DORMANT SERVICE UPTO 60 YEARS,BY REDUCING IT BY TEN YEARS. Surely the Nation's Treasury will save considerably and the Tax-Payer happy his contribution to the Nation's exchequer is spent wisely.

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  41. the article is well written . very informative, it opens our eyes to the fiendish way the babus are working to negate good things for we chaps. all that is fine. we all protest . yes we have no guilt feelings. but what is the use of our protest like shouting in the wilderness !! any care takers !! shout shout !! well will the PM or RM or even FM of BJP or even Congress even move an inch for our betterment. Present RM is an titian but even he has gone by the babus. yes the downtrend motion was set in by Nehru himself who saw no use of Defence force leading to the 62 debacle !! The RM was put to test and thrown out but we never learnt any thing but are questioned now and then by audit in service and later by babus for pension legitimate though . in 71 we won the war hands down but the general yes the field marshal was humiliated. his arrears were paid when he was near death bed by Dr Kalam !.it reads poor reading. so do not whine but demand yes we are doing it in a democratic way in a disciplined way but even then we are scoffed at !! I can only Time will Tell by and by when we are the graves !!!

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  42. You have ripped the babuz n the netas ....indepth info ....its a right they are doing no daya daan ....the most important lot for the country being humiliated for years just because they chose to be humble ...Grow up ....N mellow down your egos ...give the Services their right

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