IESL353/OROP/201608August 2016
Shri Manohar Parrikar
Hon’ble Defence Minister of India
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
South Block, New Delhi-110011
- The MoD, DESW had issued orders to implement OROP for the Ex-servicemen with effect from 01 Jul 2014, detailed orders for which were issued on 03 Feb 2016.The complete Veteran fraternity is indeed obliged to the Government of the day for implementing OROP in it’s recent avatar. The OROP struggle for the Veteran community has been prolonged and persevering; the struggle had it’s share of positives and at times was denounced by the intellectuals. Veterans at times were appreciated for their determination but at the same time drew flak, which was adequately covered in the electronic and print media.
- It is prudent to mention that OROP has been granted to Defence Forces, primarily to cater for their truncated careers and because of this truncated career tend to draw Abrogated Pension. Today the 7th CPC has recommended and the Government has constituted a Committee on OROP for the Civilian Central Government Employees. It can be well appreciated that the Civilian Central Government Employees do serve till the Government stipulated superannuation age and tend to draw Mature Pension. While recommending the OROP model, the 7th CPC has not inserted any clause or sub clause for fixation of pension amounts,
neither have they restricted the admissibility. The Ex-servicemen community feels wronged as the struggle which they pioneered did not benefit them as much as it benefited the Civilian Central Government Employees.
- The MoD, DESW Vide letter No12(01)/2014-D(Pen/Pol)-Part-II dated 14 Dec 2015, has constituted, a One Man Judicial Committee and has given certain Terms of Reference (ToR). The ToR given in the said notification restricts the scope of the Committee. The purview of this One Man Judicial Committee is restricted to the Measures for the removal of anomalies that may arise in implementation of OROP and any other matter referred by the Central Government on OROP. These ToR do not address any issue on the principles of OROP. The implementation of the altered definition and principles drawn thereof have resulted in evolution of several Cause of Concerns, but due to this abridged and restrictive ToR these cannot be addressed. Ironically the ToR given to the One Man Judicial Committee covers issues which are very mundane and could be addressed by the DESW under it’s sovereign authority.
- Recently, the MoD, DESW vide letter F.No1(4) 2016D(P/P) dated 20 Jul 2016 has notified certain references by the Central Government on OROP related issue. None of the major concerns of the Ex-servicemen find a mention i.e Max Vs Average Formulae, PMR, Periodicity of Equalisation and Future Enhancements. The One Man Judicial Committee, which was constituted on 14 Dec 2015, for a period of six months has been given an extension for another six months. Since it’s constitution the Judicial Committee has heard the Veterans only twice and on each occasion expressed his inability to deviate from the stipulated ToR and it is evidently seen that there would be no change in the scheme other than certain superficial amendments. As per the inputs on the MoD, DESW info portal, Justice L Narshima Reddy,the Head of One Man Judicial Committee is planning to visit various stations all over the country and the aim of the visit presumably is to gather first hand information on the grievances of the Ex-servicemen on the OROP scheme.
- It is humbly requested to enhance the scope of ToR, to enable the One Man Judicial Committee to resolve major concerns of the Ex-servicemen. The efforts of the Government and the One Man Judicial Committee will be fruitful, provided scope of ToR is widened.
Signed
Lt Gen (Dr) Balbir Singh, PVSM,VSM**
President Indian Ex-Services League