One Rank One Pension
A status report

Government of India notified the OROP scheme vide order dated 7th November 2015 delineating the principles of OROP scheme and the implementation process. This was followed by detail order on CROP scheme dated 3rd February 2016 enclosing 101 tables of revised benefits under the scheme, which were made available to various categories of Defence forces pensioners and family pensioners. A circular was also immediately issued on 4th February 2016 to all pension disbursing authorities containing detail instructions for making revised payments under the scheme.

2. The Defence Accounts Department was closely associated with the OROP scheme and undertook the following activities in the entire process-Collection, collation and presentation of variety of data and records of Defence pensioners for working out the financial implications.

Assisting the DESW/ MOD and PMO in finalizing the principles for rolling out the CROP scheme.

Working out more than 100 tables of various categories of pensioners revising the rates of pensions under OROP and formulation of government letter on the OROP.

Issue of detailed payment instructions to all payment authorities for time bound payments.

Initiating a dialogue with Banks who account for 75% Defence pension disbursements and closely monitoring release of payments well before the prescribed timelines.

The DPDOs became the first disbursing agency to have credited the revised benefits under OROP in a record time to the accounts of 2,21,205 Defence pensioners on 29th February 2016 amounting to Rs. 354 crores.

3. All the offices dealing with pension matters right from PCDA(P), PCDA (Navy), CDA/JCDA(AF), CDA (PD), CDA Chennai, the Aashraya team and the DPDOS rose to the occasion and carried out the tasks assigned to them in the most professional manner and well within the times-lines so prescribed. The agencies in the department worked as a well-knit team in a collaborative effort.

4. Another first was the dialogue, which was initiated with all the Public Sector Banks in advance taking them on board in the massive exercise of ensuring that time bound payments are made to lakhs of Defence pensioners. The mandate could be achieved successfully by advance planning, concerted follow up action and continuous dialogue with all stakeholders.

The latest update on release of pension benefits under OROP is enclosed.

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Opposition to notification of OROP

(a) Government vide Ministry of Defence letter No. 12(01)/2014/D(Pen/Pol)-Part-II, dated 7.11.2015 has issued orders for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for the Defence Forces Personnel. Salient features of the OROP are as under:-

(i) Pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 01.07.2014.

(ii) Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retired in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.

(iii) Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.

(iv) Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of Special / Liberalized family pension and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

(v) In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3) 1(i)(b), 13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.

The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

Government has accepted the demand of ex-servicemen associations to implement OROP, payment of arrears w.e.f. 1.7.2014 and coverage of PMR cases under the scheme upto 7.11.2015. However, Certain ex-servicemen associations have been demanding for changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision, coverage of future PMR cases, etc.

The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on 1st December 2015.

Authority: Rajya Sabha Official Website

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Defence Forces of India have a rich history and tradition of bravery and gallantry. Defence forces have not only defend our borders with exemplary courage and valour but have also performed with fearless attitude and empathy in natural calamities and other trying circumstances. Government of India recognizes and respects their contribution.

The issue of One Rank One Pension was a long standing demand. Defence Forces had been demanding it for almost four decades but the issue could not be resolved. However, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had made a commitment to implement it for the welfare of the ex-servicemen. Accordingly the Government had announced modalities for implementation of OROP on 05.09.2015. The Government Order by Ministry of Defence, which could not be issued due to model code of conduct, has been issued today.

Salient features of the OROP as stated in the Order are as follows:

I. To begin with, pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 1.7.2014.

II. Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retiring in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.

III. Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.

IV. Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special/Liberalized family pensioners, and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

V. In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

4. Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3)1(i)(b),13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.

5. The Govt. has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.

6. Detailed instructions along with tables indicating revised pension for each rank and each category, shall be issued separately for updation of pension and payment of arrears directly by Pension Disbursing Agencies.

The previous Government had made a budget announcement to implement the OROP and made a provision of Rs 500 Crore. The present Government undertook the task earnestly and realized that the actual additional annual expenditure would be eight to ten thousand crore at present and will increase further in future. Notwithstanding the financial constraints, true to its commitment the present Government has issued the Government order to implement the OROP in true spirit.

Source: PIB News

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Implementation of ‘One Rank One Pension’ After Bihar Polls: Manohar Parrikar

The One Rank, One Pension for retired military personnel will be implemented after the Bihar elections, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday.

He also said that contentious issues including those related to premature retirement had been resolved, conceding that the inclusion of the phrase Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) in the declaration announced by his ministry in September had triggered confusion.

“I think I will have to wait up for the Bihar elections. Because Election Commission is in no mood to give permission to actually issue the order. This is my understanding. I will not like to be in part of controversy,” Mr Parrikar said during a public interaction near .

Read more at: NDTV

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“After the centre’s announcement of implementation, all ex-servicemen are curious to know about their likely increments and arrear in pension revision.”

Despite the fact that the Central Government has announced the implementation of OROP, which has been the long-standing demand of ex-servicemen for more than 40 years now, anti-government protests and rallies continue to rock New Delhi. The ex-servicemen have made clear their disappointment over certain important demands and expectations related to the OROP, including the amendments in the pension revision, date of implementation, constituting a one-man commission, fixing of the base year, and the case of those who chose to retire early. These are also the reasons why protests have resumed.

According to the Ex-servicemen statement, 46% of ex-servicemen are PMRs(Pre Mature Retirement). So, this is the very important aspect in this scheme and we cannot compromise, veterans said. The relay fast that was started at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in order to demand the immediate implementation of OROP, continues even after 83 days. Finally some of the war veterans launched a fast-unto-death protest. These protests, that were carried out in order to get the government to take some concrete action, instead of just making promises, succeeded. But, instead of celebrating the success of their protests, the ex-servicemen forced to declare that their protests will continue.

On the other hand, however, the Centre has also splashed pictures of ex-servicemen delegates greeting the Prime Minister with bouquets, congratulating him for implementing the OROP scheme. But, there is no denying the fact that the announcement has brought cheers to all the ex-servicemen in the country.

Meanwhile, the big question among ex-servicemen now is – how much will the actual increment be? What is the arrears amount? When will it be delivered?

Understanding the OROP scheme is getting more and more complicated with new demands and clarifications being raised with each passing day. Only by debating and discussing on these issues can they be understood clearly. It is difficult to predict the increments and arrears of each and every pensioner accurately. There is no fixed age of retirement for all. The arrears and increments have to be calculated on the basis of their ranks, the number of years that they had served, and the year of their retirement. It would be easier to calculate this if the Government releases a detailed PROJECTED OROP TABLE of revision of pension for all categories. But, everyone, right from the Jawans, up to senior officers, is assured of enhancement of approximately Rs.2200 to Rs.22,000 pm.

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