OROP 2 - Detailed ANOMALIES written by Hony Lt Ratan Chandra Das

I am greatly honoured, privileged and thankful to Pankaj Sharma for considering me  competent to deliberate upon much hyped issue of 'One Rank One Pension' and deliver a speech and upload on the social media.

The demand for OROP issue by the veterans   was based on two genuine grounds and gained momentum in early eighties. India became victorious in the 1971 indo-Pak war culminating in liberation and creation  of a new state namely Bangladesh. At this time the JCOs/NCOs/ORs ( I deeply dislike and abhor to use demeaning and degraded  terminolog 'PBORs) equivalent ranks in Navy and Airforce were in receipt of 75% of last pay drawn as Retiring Pension. On the other hand, Defence Officers used to be paid 50% and Civilian Central Government employees 33% of last pay drawn as Retiring Pension.

India gained massive victory in the Indo-Pak war 1971 resulting 93 thousand Pakistani soldiers taken as 'Prisoner of War'. The Armed forces should have been honoured with some financial  incentives by the mGovernment for such an unprecedented defeat in any standard  in war history which catapulted  India's image internationally. 

Instead of granting any awards for vanquishing Pakistan, liberating East Pakistan and giving birth of a new country namely Bangladesh, the Armed forces, specially JCOs/NCOs/ORs were punished/victimized/penalized  financially in the THIRD PAY COMMISSION  in 1973  by reducing their pension from  the existing 75% to 50 % of last pay drawn. However, officers  Pension remained unaffected with 50% of last pay drawn hitherto.

However, Ironically and astonishingly the Civilian Central Government employees who were in receipt of 33% of their last drawn pay as Retiring Pension was increased to 50% of last drawn pay. The reasons for such an abysmal and unreasonable reduction in pension of JCOs/NCOs/ORs and enhancing pension to 50% from 33% in respect of Civilian Central Government employees  is best known to the Bureacracy and Indira Gandhi led Government. 

90 % of JCO/NCOs/ORs are compulsorily  made to retire as a policy to maintain young profile in the Defence services. Whereas officers are permitted to serve upto the age of superannuation which is extendable upto age of 58-62 years. Beside this,  re-employment facility is also offered to this officer.

Having being retired at early and prime age, when domestic problems are at their peaks with young school.going  children and aged parents with tremendous financial burden without standardized and compulsory resettlement facility they are made to fend for themselves. 

Being disillusioned, heart  broken and perturbed and a family to maintain, they pick up any odd jobs that come to their way. Only a skeleton numbers are fortunate enough to get absorbed in Government/Government Undertaking and  private sectors in respectable jobs. Though well trained, experienced and with  technical knowledge most of them find jobs as Security Supervisor or Security Guards.  Though these jobs are below their dignity but for the sake of survival and sustenance  they are made  stands as guards at the entrance of hotels and housing societies and compelled to salute every Tom, Dick and Harry.  Is the Government not respobsible for bringing such misery  humiliation, degradation and causing  them enough mental  pain, agony and despairs. 

 JCO/NCOs/ORs are made to retire at early age with shorter length of service with less amount of Basic pay resulting meager pension amount. Had they been permitted to serve upto 60 years like other Central Government Civilian employees, they would have got further promotion, reached at a higher level of basic pay  thereby receiving a handsome pension. In addition  the children would have completed their education, employed and become financially independent. In such a conducive satisfactory  and favourable scenario they would not have demanded OROP.

Under these prevailing adverse, unjustified, humiliation , financial hardship, deprivation, empathy  and deception  by the authorities, displeasure  and resentment started brewing in the minds of veterans.

Compulsory early retirement, meager pension, without guaranteed  job  opportunity post retirement and coupled with other related factors gave birth to the concept of ' One Rank One Pension '.

The justified and genuine demand and struggles  for OROP gained momentum in early eighties with Dharnas, movements, protest, submission of representations and subsequent returning of  Medals enmass by the veterans.

Finally after much dilly dallying and pursuance, Koshiary Committe was formed and the committee accepted demand for OROP,  recommended and submitted it's report to Government. 

However, the 

Committee's report was not implemented and started gathering dust in the Government's files.

When the movement and demand for OROP was  on,  the next general   election fell due in 2014.  In the Election Rally at Rewari  organized by Ex-servicemen Association, our present  Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi promised to implement OROP if voted to power.

Veterans from all over the country believed him, exercised their franchise rights, cast their votes in favor of BJP, won election and formed the Government. However, after taking over the governance of the country,  the Government took considerable time to implement OROP.  On implementation it was observed that  the very concept, definition and soul of OROP was defeated and  came into existence wef 01 Jul 1914 in diluted form. 

OROP as defined and accepted by the Koshiary Committee  is

"One should receive same pension with same rank and same  length of service irrespective of date of retirement '. The actual meaning is that the pension should be constantly revised on yearly basis to equalize the pension of past pensioners with the present pensioners.

The concept of OROP was eroded, altered and brought into force with revision of pension every FIVE YEARY intervals.  

However,  on implementation of OROP  wef 01 Jul 14,   pension was upwardly revised for Other  Ranks with very minimal amount which was below the expectation.  The arrears was paid in four half yearly installments. 

Being disappointed  and aghast with the five yearly revision, Veterans Organization approached Apex Court requesting yearly revision of pension and redressal of other grievances associated with the present form of OROP.  There were four anomalies in the OROP granted by the Government. 

After number of hearings in the Supreme Court (TAARIKH PE TAARIKH) spanning over  two years,   the Apex Court found no wrong in Government's  decision and finally  pronounced verdict in favor of Government and issued   orders for payment of arrears wef 01 Jul 19 and to be paid before 15 Mar 23.

Now let us ponder and deliberate upon issue which sparked a row of movement and struggles against injustice, disparities and anomalies in the revision of OROP.  The Tables for revised OROP wef 01 Jul 19  formulated, designed, calculated and prepared by CGDA/PCDA (Pension) Prayagraj became a bone of contention and matter of controversy. 

On implementation of OROP wef 01 Jul 14, the increase in pension was 

 very minimal and JCOs/NCOs/ORs though unhappy but did not resort to any resentment hoping better results in the revision  revision.

 

On the  2nd Revision of OROP wef 01 Jul 19, JCOs/NCOs/ORs and equivalent ranks in Navy and Airforce are utterly disappointed, despaired, remorseful, saddened and angst because of grave anomalies in calculation of pension as shown in the Tables.

Pensions  from the rank of  Sepoys to Havildars and their equivalent in sister services have been upwardly revised with paltry sums which is below  their expectations. Naib Subedar to Hon. Captain  and the equivalent ranks in the Navy and Airforce have been kept beyond  the ambit of OROP. Instead of increase in pension in the revision of OROP,  their pensions have nosedived in negativity.  Though five  years have elapsed from it's first  revision, the pension is calculated and  shown lesser than the existing pension. The decrease in pension after 5 years is beyond anyone's imagination. 

On the other hand, pension on revision of OROP in respect of officers has increased remarkably and in manifolds.  All ranks from the rank of Major to Lt. General and equivalent ranks in the Navy and Airforce have been immensely benefitted financially in the second revision of OROP. The Government has sanctioned 

Rs. 23000 crore for payment of OROP arrears. Officers who constitue only 3 % of strength of defence forces will grab 97% of Rs. 23000 crores allocated for OROP and the other ranks who forms 97% of the strength will have to be satisfied with 3% of the sum allocated.  What an irony and ridiculous state of affairs.

The JCOs/NCOs/ORs are deeply grieved, saddened and disappointed with abysmal anomaly and disparity in the revision of pension. They have severed their ties with the officers and  decided to fight and protest independently for their welfare and wellbeing.

They believe that the officers are respobsible to an extent  for receiving raw deal in the revision of OROP. So far the officers have been firing salvos taking the help of ORs shoulders  

and reaping all the benefits doled out by the Government. 

The OROP is actually meant for JCOs/NCOs/ORs since they are forced to retire at early age with pittance pension as policy to keep the Army young and fighting fit.   Officers are permitted to serve upto the age ranging from 58-62 years depending on the ranks. The  rise in ranks with the length of service, basic pay reaches to a higher level, determined pension is handsomely attractive at the time of retirement.  When officers retire after superannuation, 

 all the domestic issues are resolved, children married/well placed having no family obligations.  Whereas in case of JCOs/NCOs/ORs the story is different since they retire at a very early age with meager pension, family obligation without any  resettlement facilities/opportunities. 

For the anomalies and disparities in the revision of OROP and towards redressal of grievances, Veterans (excluding oficers) have been protesting and staging Dharnas at Jantar Mantar, Delhi since 20th Feb 23. There was massive turn out and  assembly of veterans on 20 Feb 23  whose number is estimated to be approximately 50 thousand. 

 Dharna and Protest Rally is being organized at Jantar Mantar daily since 20 Feb 23 with few veteran volunteers. 

However, a huge Rally will be organized by the Voice of Ex-servicemen Association and veterans and Veer Naris from all over in India will assemble at Jantar Mantar to press their demands. In an collective demand and bargain, number counts.

Let us lend our support in various ways by our presence at the Rally or by donation to meet expenditure towards organizing Rally and to fight court cases. 

Judiciary is our last resort to get justice. Case for equal amount of MSP is heading towards finalization and awaiting verdict very soon.  Payment of arrears of payment on account of revisions of 2nd OROP was ordered by the court.  The Government decided to pay arrears in 4 six monthly installments.  

Let us keep our hope alive on judiciary. To

 fight case in the court we need finance in Lakhs.

Sant 

There are hundreds of videos uploaded in the social media on the subject of OROP.

In the videos floated on the YouTube, Facebook, Whats App, Instagram and Twitter all the issues on OROP have been highlighted and there is anything left to add.

I have hurriedly jotted down few aspects on the issue of OROP for the information of group members.

By Ratan Chandra Das

Hon LT