Has Shri Rajnath’s Panel for Revision Of OROP In 2019 Vanished ?
Defence minister Shri Rajnath Singh had constituted a committee to work out the modalities and methodology for the next revision of pensions to the over 25 lakh ex-servicemen and widows under the OROP (one rank, one pension) scheme.
“The committee, headed by the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) and including representatives from the three services, will submit its report in a month,” said a defence ministry official.
The move had come in the backdrop of the CGDA having asked the department of ex-servicemen welfare in the MoD to clarify “whether any logic exists to initiate the process of OROP revision once the pension of past and current pensioners was equated with effect from January 1, 2016” during the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
OROP was implemented by the NDA-I government with effect from July 1, 2014. The government, however, did not accept the case made by veterans for “pension equalisation or adjustment” every year, and notified that it will be done only at five-year intervals.
The first five-year period ended on July 1, 2019. OROP which basically means payment of uniform pension to personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement, should have been equalized with effect as assured by the Government.
However, an extra Constitutional authority, an Accountant has nullified what the Indian Cabinet had promised to the Armed Forces Veteran. Today is 21 Jan 2020 but the report of the Committee is nowhere to be seen.
The increase in pensions under the 7th CPC is not ‘equalisation’ of pension under OROP. Upward revision of pension due to implementation of the 7th CPC should not be linked to equalization under OROP. This is known and agreed to by everyone but no one seems to be taking any action on the matter.
Will Raksha Mantri take the initiative. Now he also has a Chief if Defence Staff to look into such matters of grave importance.
