To
Date: 15 May 2012
Shri A.K. Antony
Defence Minister
104, South Block
13, Parliament House,
New Delhi – 110001
ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) : DEFENCE MINISTER’S
STATEMENT MISLEADING
STATEMENT MISLEADING
Dear Shri. A. K Antony,
1. Every time the issue of OROP was raised in Parliament or during our meetings with you, your stark reply was, “We are in phases “BRIDGING THE GAP”. It seems that the bureaucrats instead of briefing you properly and presenting the actual facts have misled you. Instead of ‘Bridging the Gap’, the gap has further increased and it is a travesty of justice that a junior individual retiring after 2006 is getting far more pension than his seniors. Also for post 2006 retirees, a junior officer will now get more pension than his senior. This is against the tenets and the ethos of the Defence Forces. The following will elucidate this:-
(a) The current pension of the pre-2006 retirees are well known. But I repeat them for ready reference:
· Army Cdr : 40,000
· Lt Gen : 36,500
· Maj Gen : 26,700
· Brig : 26,150
· Col : 26,050
· Lt Col : 25,700
· Maj : 14,100
(b) On 1 July 2012, after the grant of the annual increment, the pensions of officers who retire after 01 Jul 2012 will be as follows:-
- Army Cdr : 40,000
- Lt Gen : 39,500
- Maj Gen : 38,500
- Brig : 37,649
- Col : 35,841 (The TS Col will also receive the same pension. And no regular officer shall retire as Lt Col)
2. With the grant of the next increment in 2013, the pension of Brig will EXCEED the pension granted to Maj Gen and therefore, the 'one-below' protection clause will have to be applied. In due course, by 2016, the pension of Brig and Col (including TS) will be 40,950 and 40,850, and unless the MSP is extended to the general officers, the pension of even the Army Cdr will need protection!!!.
3. The above is the mess created for post 2006 retirees. Now compare this with the pre 2006 retirees. While pre 2006 retiree Major General gets Rs 26700, the pension of Col both selection grade and Time Scale of post 2006 retiree who is two ranks junior will be Rs 35841. So where is bridging of the Gap? Honble Raksha Mantri jee, the Gap has increased further. It has created an unacceptable situation. Here, the example of officers has been given, for JCOs and NCOs, the picture is equally dismal.
4. The Govt has played around with the sanctity of the rank structure of the military for a very long time. We request you to kindly ignore the prejudice advice of the bureaucrats and take decisions based on the sane advice of the service Chiefs. The following are requested on operational immediate basis:-
(a) Accept recommendations of Rajya Sabha Petition Committee Report on OROP, grant and implement OROP in perpetuity.
(b) Appoint an Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) as it exists in the UK and some other countries with a clear mandate to submit its report within six months. Within three months thereafter, implement the recommendation of the AFPRB, removing all existing anomalies and ensuring the pay & pensions of Defence Forces are 10-15 percent higher than their civilian counterpart.
(c) Restore status of Armed Forces as it existed in 1950 in all respects ie order of Precedence, interse equation, pay and pension etc.
5. Please act now and don’t pass on this important and urgent need to the next pay commission.
With regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian Ex Servicemen Movement
Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570
Email: satbirsm@gmail.com
Copy to :-
Gen Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC-With request to take up the
Chief of the Army Staff issues with the Govt for
Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Army) early redressal please.
South Block, New Delhi-110011
Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC -do-
Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, PVSM, AVSM, VM -do-
Chief of the Air Staff
In my view the main cause of pay anomalies affecting soldiers is internal to the Armed Forces and that is selfish attitude of General rank officers. These two and three star officers always focus on their (two/three stars) status and perks, which in turn gets the civilian bureaucrats back up. Because they see this lot as the ones who are already enjoying huge privileges at the cost of subordinates. This focus on welfare of star ranks also dilutes focus on the needs of soldiers and junior officers. Result is there for all to see.
ReplyDeleteTo IESM Fraternity.
ReplyDeleteSirs, pls reconsider your strategies for getting AFs' veterans' grievances redressed. Clearly writing letters does NOT serve the intended purpose ANYMORE in today's India.
The above is certainly NOT the first letter on AFs' grievances to Shri Antony and will NOT be the last either. But what has this longest-serving-at-a-stretch-RM done about it? JUST NOTHING! Typical Indian mentality at play here, STRONG TO THE WEAK (or perceived incapable of resorting to strong arm tactics which force Govt to genuflect) and WEAK TO THE STRONG!
Regards,
Harry
this is the problem with the Gens. they think about themselves only.
ReplyDeleteWell written and just views offerred to RM by you sir. The struggle must go on till it reaches finality of OROP for veterans ( Officers & Jawans )and the standards existing prior to 3rd CPC should prevail and implemented. Veterans should get 20-30% more than Civilian pensioners. Please keep fighting for just cause sir.
ReplyDelete