It’s time to analyze OROP with our head, not our heart

Indian Military Veterans

It’s time to analyze OROP with our head, not our heart -

 By Chetan Bhagat

Few government professions in India enjoy as much public goodwill as our defence forces. Mention the Indian Army (for the purpose of this article, Army includes all forces — Air Force and Navy as well) and our chests swell with pride. The Army works well, stays quiet, is apolitical and does a great job protecting our borders from some of our not-so-friendly neighbours. Even in times of domestic trouble, such as riots or floods, the Army is called in and things begin to get better. In times of war, or during terrorist acts, our soldiers lay down their lives or suffer grievous injuries in the line of duty. With all this selfless sacrifice, it is not difficult to see why the Army enjoys so much support from our civilian population. Our local culture, films and songs show the Army in a positive light (unlike the police and politicians). Media coverage, too, focuses on their sacrifice and hard work.

While this positive image is great, it can cloud an objective analysis of how we manage our defence resources in certain situations. One such issue is the OROP scheme. While OROP means ‘one rank, one pension’, it is a bit of a misnomer. It actually means one rank, the latest, highest pension for that rank, irrespective of when you retired. Army veterans essentially want an upward pension revision system for all past veterans or their surviving spouses, estimated to be around 3.2 million in number. There are several reasons why their demand is justified. Pension discrepancy between an officer who retired in 1990, versus an equal-ranked officer who retired in 2015 can be dramatic. A certain consistency was required, especially since the Army intrinsically believes in the concept of rank, and even allows one to keep it after retirement. Most political parties had also promised OROP in their election manifestos, so the government had to deliver at some point. Popular and social media also sided with the veterans, with arguments ranging from “they guard our borders so we should give them what they want” to “how can we disrespect our soldiers?”

Somewhere in all this, things became too simplistic. The Army was good and the veterans were always right. The political class and the government were all stingy, greedy and insensitive. After all, those who protect our borders must be treated well. OROP was seen as something that meant soldiers were treated well. Hence, you better give OROP, and now!

People who wanted to do an objective analysis had to scurry and hide in a corner. For nobody could hear a word against OROP, and with the veterans protesting in the Capital, even the government was pushed to a corner. OROP was announced. The government estimated a liability of around Rs 12,000 crore per year to just implement this one recommendation. However, the veterans were not happy. As you read this, other protests are being organized as the veterans feel many of their demands are not met.

What should we do? Should we still maintain the ‘Army Good, Politician Bad’ argument? Should we still say ‘give them whatever they want because they guard our borders’ (by the way, the Border Security Force, or BSF, does not get OROP)? Or should we now at least look at various aspects of OROP and, dare we say, its pros and cons?

We should. For, in a country of limited resources like India, an expense as big as OROP must be examined carefully, and kept in limits. At present, our defence budget is Rs 250,000 crore. In addition, we pay defence pensions of around Rs 60,000 crore per year. OROP will add another Rs 12,000 crore to it annually. Note that these pensions are, by definition, for services already rendered.These funds are given out with no output obtained in return. While we all agree we should treat Army personnel well, what’s better? To pay the veterans more, or to pay new hires in the Army more? To pay the officers more or the jawans more? To pay more to get better talent, or pay more and create more jobs? Should more money be spent on pensions, or more hospitals for veterans? Should war-affected veteran families be paid differently from those who retired safe and sound? As a solution to increased pension expense, can veterans be re-hired in certain jobs useful to the economy? Also, if we have OROP for defence, why not for our paramilitary and police? Can we afford to pay them all?

All these issues make OROP more complex than it seems, and it is about time we have a sane, objective debate about it  rather than an emotional, army-is-amazing-so-just-give-it-everything one. Forget OROP, many sectors don’t even have pensions. Sure, a certain form of rank and pay equalization needs to exist so things don’t fall too far apart. However, it has to be done in the context of what is possible, affordable, and after analyzing what alternative welfare those funds can provide and the precedent it will set for others. Only then will we reach a good conclusion on OROP. We love our Army with all our heart, but it’s time we also think about issues related to it with our head.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

(Source toi)

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COMMENTS 

Menon - Yes Chetan, OROP should be analysed with our heads – but with those heads that house knowledge and brains.

Surprisingly a Fauji Brat has total disconnect with fauji issues. This is not pulp fiction that can be churned out at a dime a dozen. It affects live people who have given their best to the Nation. It is always better to ascribe facts to ones writings unless it is intended to be a potboiler.

Firstly dear Chetan, OROP is not a ‘Scheme’. There is no scheming plan behind giving a person what is rightly his unless one schemingly tries to deny those dues.

Secondly, being a fauji brat you should know that the Army is not to guard the Borders. You have the Border Guards a.k.a the BSF for that. Ideally only 40% of the Defence forces should be deployed in hot areas where rapid deployment may not be possible. The rest are supposed to practice, and practice, for War. When Hostilities are imminent the Border guards are replaced by the Army and it is the Army that goes into war. The auxiliary forces like CRPF, BSF etc (jointly referred to as CAPFs) hold onto to areas captured by the Army that surges ahead. Just because the Army obliges the incompetent Administration (Babus) and Governance (Netas) by getting deployed on internal security please do not assume that this is their role. 

They (the Army) are doing the job of CAPFs. Would you advocate paying them for this additional task? The role of the Paramilitary or Ardh sainiks is different and that is why the Army profile is maintained young. You cannot have a 50 year old Paramilitary Constable huffing and puffing while attacking through a minefield for a distance of over 800 yards and then engaging in hand to hand combat with the enemy. Didn’t your Dad tell you these tales of Valour?

Now about the costs that the babus have led people like you to believe. Rs 12000 crores is retrospect due to the delay caused by ‘scheming’ babus and not by an OROP scheme. The Govt. did not have to think with its head or bottom to write of Rs 40000 Crores as MAT to Corporates or 4750 Crores as salary hike to10 lakh bankers credited with Non Performing Assets of 3 Lakh Crores. The annual outflow is about 8200 Crores and that is about 2.2 of the Defence Budget. 

In fact as a percentage of GDP, defence Budget has decreased over the years. Also, the conjured Rs 60000 Crores of Defence pension. Maybe you should know that it is actually around Rs 54000 Crores. This includes 22% Civilian paid out of Defence Estimates and 78% Defence personnel.  

However, the payouts are 45% for Civilian paid out of Defence estimates and 55% for Defense Pensioners.

And – stop comparing of apples with orangutans – as in ‘many sectors don’t have pensions’.  Many authors don’t get their books converted into movies for a fat sum so; will The Chetan Bhagat not permit cinematisation of his books?

Lastly – YES- we need to use our Heads – ONLY if the brains that are normally found there haven’t slipped down.

GV NARAYANA AF Veteran

YES MR C BHAGAT. Your OROP essay is akin to ASS's KICK WITH A COW's FACE.

Your homework on the subject is very very poor. 

you would better maintain "Army best, Politician bad and St Fr Babu Worst" argument. Have some research and you will agree with this.

Sir, penning on matters of military is no childplay, unless you have some first hand experience. You are good at fiction, may be better as a judge in a dance competition and best at dancing with those dance comopetitor. And matters of military or civil administration and the intricacies is not your cup of tea. 

And avoid venturing into it unprepared.

Anyway, thanks for dishing out some good works on FOUJIS, though your remarks at best are taunts.

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