This story is from May 14, 2016

Veterans still unhappy over OROP

Statement ofthe Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar when he visited Dehradun last month thatOne Rank One Pension (OROP) has been paid as promised has raised variousquestions amongst the veterans as they feel that they have been denied theirdue.
Veterans still unhappy over OROP
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
DEHRADUN: The statement of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar when he visited Dehradun last month that One Rank One Pension (OROP) has been paid as promised has raised various questions among the veterans as they feel that they have been denied their due. The veterans are of the opinion that the government has changed the very definition of OROP and has not served the purpose for which OROP was being demanded for such a long time.
This has not been taken well by some ex-servicemen since they feel that they have not got what they should have got as per Koshiyari Committee Report.
Brig K G Behl (Retd), patron, Dehradun Ex Services League, told TOI,”No doubt they have tried to bring pension closer to the demand but it is less than the demand which has been approved by Parliament as per Koshiyari committee report. As worked out by our experts it is less by 5 to 22 % from actual demand. Moreover, it has not served the purpose for which OROP was being demanded for such a long time. We are told that we should go to courts if we have a problem but that’s not easy especially for people sitting in remote places.” Behl further explains that those who were getting maximum of the pension after serving for 33 years, by adding weightage of 5 years have now been reduced to 28 years of service have been given less pension than before introduction of OROP and the government cannot reduce the pension by framing such rules which work out to the disadvantage to the individuals.
The Parliamentary Committee on Petitions on Grant of OROP, named after its Chairman, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari consisted of ten Members of Parliament (MPs) drawn from all the major political parties. It states that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces Personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners.
Major Gen Lalji D Singh (Retd) seconding the thought said,”We are not happy because it has become one rank 5 pensions. Widows and honoury rank holders have been neglected but if they get the equalisation correct a lot of the problems will be solved. We are waiting for government to take the next step now.” Pension equalisation has been decided for every 5 years and not in one year as the retired employees had wanted.
Meanwhile, there are others who feel differently and are satisfied with the way OROP has been implemented. ”OROP has been executed well but it is not easy to include all the conditions and the defence minister has promised that all minute will be sorted out at the earliest," said Brig V K Aggarwal (Retd).
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