Email from Lt Gen Raj Kadyan (retd) and my clarification

OROP propaganda against senior officers

Raj Kadyan    14 May

to Raj, bcc: me

Dear Colleagues,

          A falsehood is being spread that since Army Commanders and other Lt Generals are already getting OROP, they are not taking interest in pursuing OROP. Let me give the correct picture.

1.    Army Commanders.  The Army Commanders were on a fixed scale of pay of Rs 80,000/- (and thus a pension of Rs 40,000/-) till 7^th Pay Commission. However, with implementation of the 7^th Pay Commission from 1/1/2016 onwards, their pension was multiplied by 2.57 and their basic pension thus came to Rs 1,02,800 (40000X2.57). However, the post Seventh PC Army Commander are getting a higher basic pension of Rs 1,12,500/-. This anomaly was brought to my notice by my old Army Commander Lt Gen RM Vohra, MVC. On my checking, the Army authorities, confirmed this difference and said a case has been projected to the govt for resolution.

2.    Lt Generals.      The Lt Generals NEVER had OROP. Nor are they getting it now. Prior to 1/7/2014, the pre-1/1/2006 Lt Generals were getting a basic pension of Rs 36,500/- while post 1/1/2006 retirees were getting 39,500/-. After implementation of Seventh PC report also there is a difference. As on date all Lt Generals that had commanded a Corps and retired after 1/1/2016 are getting pension based on HAG+ pay scale whereas the earlier retirees as Corps Commanders are not getting it. There is therefore, no question of Lt Generals ever having got OROP.

The myth is being deliberately propagated by someone not holding the rank of Lt General and trying to mislead everyone by projecting himself as a Messiah of junior ranks. The sad fact today is that a handful of agitators have tarnished the image of the entire veterans’ community.

With best regards,

Lt Gen Raj Kadyan

 262, Sector-17A

Gurgaon - 122 001

Sharad Savur <sysavur@gmail.com>

to vijay, Indian, Raj, Raj

Dear General,

The correct position as available from GoI documents is given in subsequent paragraphs. You may wish to forward to the others, if you deem it fit.

The 7th CPC proposed two options for implementation of the recommendations. Both were accepted by the Govt of India vide Resolutions 1 E and 2E dated 5.9.2016.  These were modified by Army and Air Force Pay Rules 2017 and Navy Pay Regulations 2017 dated 3.5.2017. The Pay Rules 2017 for Army and Air Force Officers and Regulations 2017 for Naval Officers were amended on 6.7.2017 by incorporating more levels of the pay matrix for officers up to the rank of Brig (and equivalent) and increasing the Index of Rationalisation (IoR) or multiplication  factor for Lt Col, Col and Brig (and equivalents) from 2.57 to 2.67.

The IoRs are - 2.57 up to Maj (and equivalents), 2.67 for Lt Col, Col, Brig (and equivalents), 2.72 for Maj Gen and Lt Gen (and equivalents) 2.81 for VCOAS and Army Cdrs (and equivalents) and 2.78 for the COAS/CNS/CAS.

The two options provided by the 7 CPC were: -

Option A - INTERIM PAY AND PENSION For Immediate Implementation: -  The 6th CPC Pay in the Pay Band (PIPB) + Grade Pay + MSP as on 31.12.2015 would be multiplied for all ranks (and civilians employees) by a IoR of 2.57 and arrears of pay and pension paid immediately.

Therefore, VCOAS/Army Cdrs (and equivalents) who were drawing Rs 40000 (half of Rs 80000/- which was their pay) had their pension multiplied by 2.57 and were paid Rs 1,02,800 as INTERIM PENSION. 

Option B - LONG TERM: -  An Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECOS) would examine the proposal of notional pay as on date of retirement/death earned through the 4, 5, and 6 CPC, as applicable. This was recommended by the ECOS in May 2017 and approved by the Govt in May 2017.

 MoF has issued through Dept of Pension & Pensioners Welfare for Civilians on 6.7.2017) determining the pension.

The Concordance Tables are based on the existing formulae for transition from pay commission to pay commission. They are as follows: -

From 4th to 5th CPC: Total of Pay + Rank Pay + Stagnation increments + DA as on 31.12.1995 multiplied by 40% and added to derive 5th CPC Pay

From 5th to 6th CPC: Total of Pay + Rank Pay + Stagnation increment + DA + Dearness Pay (50% of Pay) as on 31.12.2005 multiplied by 1.86 (erroneously mentioned as 1.84 in the email) to derive 6th CPC Pay  

From 6th to 7th CPC: Total of Pay in Pay Band + Grade Pay + MSP + DA as on 21.12.2015 multiplied by 2.57 and placed in the Pay matrix at the next higher level.

Pensions in 7th CPC

Therefore, the Notional Pay for VCOAS/Army Cdr (and equivalent) being Rs 9000 in 4 CPC, Rs 26000 in 5 CPC and Rs 80000 in the 6 CPC, their pensions are fixed as 50% of the VCOAS/Army Cdr (and equivalents) as on 1.1.2016. The pay of VCOAS/Army Cdr (and equivalents) as on 1.1.2016  is Rs 2,25, 000 (Rupees two lakh tenty five thousand). Therefore, the pension of VCOAS/Army Cdr (and equivalents) is fixed as Rs 1,12,500.      

The PCDA (Navy) and JCDA (Air Force) have issued several new PPOs for retired CNS, VCNS/FOC-in-C and CAS, VCAS/AOC-in-C (my e-PPO was attached for ready reference of Lt Gen Kadyan but deleted here).

Pensions for Lt Gen (and equivalents and below) await approval of the Concordance tables prepared by O/o CGDA, which are undergoing vetting by the MoD (Def/Fin)

Further, Lt Gen (and equivalent) progressed from HAG to HAG+ On Non-Functional Basis subject to a maximum of not more than one third who could not be appointed Army Cdr (and equivalent) because they did not have residual service. It is not just Corp Cdrs . You may wish to read Para 4 (ii) of the SAI 2/S/2008 (reproduced here but not in the reply to Lt Gen Kadyan) "Lieutenant Generals who are fit for promotion as Army Commanders, but overlooked due to lack of residual service of two years will be granted scale of Army Commanders (Rs 80000-fixed) on a non-functional basis. AHQ in consultation with Ministry of Defence will issue detailed guidelines to be followed for granting such non-functional upgradation."

With Best Wishes

Air Mshl S Y Savur PVSM  AVSM (retd)