Prime Minister Modi Inspecting Guard of Honour

Prime Minister Modi Inspecting Guard of Honour

Monday, December 29, 2014

PIB release on below circular

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
12-August-2014 12:46 IST
Payment of DA on Pension of Ex-Servicemen
Guidelines issued by the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare for payment of Dearness Relief to re-employed pensioners have been extended by this Ministry to the ex-servicemen re-employed in civil posts. These guidelines are as under:-

• The pay of re-employed pensioners who held posts of the ranks of Commissioned Officers at the time of their retirement is fixed at the same stage as last drawn before their retirement. These pensioners are not entitled to any Dearness Relief on pension on their re-employment in civil posts.

• The pay of re-employed pensioners who held posts below the ranks of Commissioned Officers (PBOR) at the time of their retirement is fixed at the minimum of the pay scale of the post in which they are re-employed. Such pensioners are entitled to Dearness Relief on pension on their re-employment in civil posts.

• If the pay of re-employed pensioners who held posts, below the ranks of Commissioned Officer (PBOR) at the time of their retirement before attaining the age of 55 years, is fixed at a higher stage because of advance increments and no protection of the last pay drawn is being given, the pay is treated as fixed at a minimum of the pay scale for the purposes of ignoring the entire pension and allowing Dearness Relief on pension.

It is expected that the aforesaid guidelines are being implemented by all banks uniformly without prejudice to the ex-servicemen category. This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Arun Jaitley in a written reply to ShriMahendra Singh Mahrain Rajya Sabha today.

DM/RK


RE-EMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN TO GET DA ON PENSION EVEN IN BANKS &PSUs

Circular 166


Sunday, December 28, 2014

‘One rank, one pension’ scheme before next Budget: Parrikar

The Tribune

Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister
Panaji, December 26
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said the ‘one rank, one pension’ policy would be implemented in the defence forces before the next Budget.
“One rank, one pension policy will be implemented. We are right now working on its detailing,” Parrikar said. The implementation has lot of financial implications which are being worked out, he said.
“It has a lot of financial implications. Details would be available only once we work it out,” Parrikar said.
‘One rank, one pension’ policy means soldiers of the same rank and same length of service get the same pension irrespective of their retirement date. Parrikar said the announcement to implement the policy was made in the last Budget.
“Now we will have to implement it. I have kept a target that it will be implemented before the next Budget. My effort is to ensure that it should be implemented as soon as possible. My target is that it should not wait for the next Budget,” he said.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha recently, the Congress had accused the government of delaying the implementation of the scheme. The OROP had been announced in the Interim Budget in February, but was yet to be implemented, Congress MP from Rohtak, Deepender Hooda, said in Parliament.
Deepender Hooda accused the bureaucracy of trying to dilute the original meaning of OROP as defined by the Koshiyari Committee, which was the petition committee of the Rajya Sabha. Hooda had asked the government to come out and announce the implementation of OROP. — PTI


Thursday, December 18, 2014

One Rank, One Pension: Is the bureaucracy back to the same old game of delay dilute and deny?

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December 2, 2014, 6:58 pm IST V Mahalingam in In Search of Propriety|India| TOI
The entire military veterans’ community which includes the war disabled and the widows are dismayed and feel betrayed at the inordinate delay in implementing the One Rank One Pension (OROP) by the government.
The Koshyari committee, a multi-party parliamentary committee recommended OROP in its report presented to the Parliament on December 19, 2011. After procrastinating over the report for more than 3 years, the erstwhile UPA government announced the grant of OROP on the floor of the Parliament as a part of the interim Budget presented on Feb 17, 2014.
Immediately thereafter, the then defence minister convened a meeting to discuss the modalities for the implementation of OROP. The meeting was attended among others by the minister of state for defenceJitendra Singh, the defence secretary RK Mathur, secretary ex-servicemen’s welfare SangitaGairola, secretary defence finance ArunavaDutt, the three service vice chiefs  and the adjutant generals or equivalents from the services headquarters.
A Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing) release issued after the meeting stated that the defence minister “assured the services that the government was fully committed to implement the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) policy and that required funds will be made available to ensure its implementation”. It further went on to define OROP thus:
“OROP implies 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. This implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of the current pensioners and the past pensioners, and also future enhancements in the rate of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners”.
This definition is in conformity with the Supreme Court’s judgment in the famous Major General SVS Veins Vs Union of India case.
The defence minister had also during the meeting directed the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) to initiate immediate steps in consultation with the three services, ministry of defence finance and department of ESW to give effect to the decision. He had also emphasized that family pensioners and disability pensioners would be included.
The BJP government reaffirmed their commitment to OROP in their Budget 2014 – 15 presented at the Parliament on 10 July 2014 (paragraph 140). Prime Minister Modi too had promised OROP in his very first election rally besides echoing his resolve on the issue subsequently during his visits to various defence establishments.
Despite nine months having gone by, the bureaucracy is still sitting in audit of the Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations and the Prime Minister’s announcements and perhaps attempting to redefine OROP. If nine months are not good enough for an organisation to work out the details with a clear definition of what they ought to be doing, those in authority in the organisation have no business to continue in service.
It now appears that the CGDA has come out with a projection of 9000 crores as the additional burden on the exchequer to implement the OROP whereas the service headquarters have estimated a requirement of 5000 crores. The CGDA has not provided the details of their calculations to the Service Headquarters. The projection by the CGDA, the veterans’ community therefore believes is flawed and meant to mislead the defence minister. If the calculations are genuine, why keep it a secret ask the veterans. Even if the expenditure is as projected by the CGDA, is it too much of a price for the nation to pay to those who risk their life at the cost of their family’s welfare and their children’s future development at their old age?
Veterans also point to the alacrity with which the bureaucracy implemented the non-functional upgradation (NFU) to officers of organised group ‘A’ services. The report of the Sixth Central Pay Commission was submitted to finance minister P Chidambaram by Justice BN Srikrishna on March 24, 2008. The cabinet approved sixth pay commission recommendations with some modifications on August 14, 2008 and the NFU proposal was implemented on April 24, 2009 vide ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions department of personnel and training 0M No.AB.14017/64/2008-Estt.(RR) dated 24.4.2009 barely 13 months after the report was submitted to the government by the commission.
It is an irony that while 100 % officers of the Organised Group ‘A’ Services are covered under the NFU and thus eligible to draw the salary of a Joint Secretary at a service of 19 years, only 0.8 % of the Defence Services Officers would be eligible for a similar treatment after 28 years of service. The system has been so engineered that it places 100% officers of the Organised Group ‘A’ services under the ambit of OROP. Where is the parity between the Civil and Military now, a plea under which the military was brought within the civil services pay and pension system? How can two streams of services with diverse service conditions and terms of retirement have the same pay and pension structure? Where has justice and fair play gone?
The Veterans point out that before the Government had made the announcement regarding implementation of OROP on 17 February 2014 in the Parliament, the financial effects of implementing the scheme would have been worked out and a green signal given to the proposal by the very same bureaucracy which is now sitting in judgment of the Government’s announcement in the Parliament and blocking its implementation. Is the Government being run by the political leadership or the bureaucracy?
Veterans allege that the bureaucracy acts as a stumbling block in every issue that has a positive impact on the soldiers even going to the extent of challenging court verdicts providing minimal financial benefits to Veterans, war disabled and widows in the Supreme Court. The government is prepared to spend money, time, and effort fighting cases even where the financial implications are insignificant but supporting the soldiering community is a total No No. The aim is to frustrate the community and make them run around lawyers and courts at their advanced age spending their valuable time and money fighting a legal battle with the mighty state.
It is time the Prime Minister sees the plot. Delay is an instrument which is exploited by the bureaucracy to deny people their right besides forcing people to pay a bribe to get their file moving. In this case it is a fundamental ethos of the bureaucracy to keep the soldiers begging for everything that they rightly deserve.
The Veterans are an aging community. Inordinate delay in implementing a long standing issue which could provide them with some relief at their old age only gives a feeling that those in the Government who have a moral responsibility to look after the soldiering community at their old age are merely waiting in anticipation for the aged to wither away as time passes. A large number passed away without seeing the Rank Pay arrears. Let that not happen in the case of OROP.


Friday, October 31, 2014

Sri.M.Krishna Murthy RTO is critical

I am sad to inform, our friend M. KRISNA MURTY. Ex sgt. RTO trade. Nov 77 to Nov 92, is addmited in KIMS Secunderabad hospital. He is in critical condition. Please inform our friends. Please contact mr. Naidu, his brother in law on 9849906410 for latest condition.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Will clear hurdles, hike OROP funding: VK Singh


  Hindustan Times  Arainpura (Karnal), October 13, 2014 
Aiming at gaining support of ex-servicemen in the Haryana assembly elections, Union minister and former army chief VK Singh said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would “soon clear bureaucratic hurdles” to implement the ‘one rank-one pension’ (OROP) scheme for the armed forces. Urging the people to “throw stones” at other parties, Singh said the Centre had allotted Rs. 1,000 crore for the implementation of the OROP scheme in the budget. He was addressing a rally in support of the party’s nominee from Gharaunda, Harvinder Kalyan, who had recently joined the saffron party. Once a close aide of late chief minister Bhajan Lal, Kalyan quit the Congress in 2005 and joined the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) floated by Bhajan Lal. Then he joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and contested the 2009 elections unsuccessfully as its candidate. 
Meanwhile, Singh, Union minister of state for external affairs, said the Centre would increase the OROP allocation and “may start disbursing dues in installments”. He claimed, “The Congress government did nothing for the ex-servicemen. The BJP upon assuming power paved the way for fulfillment of the long-pending demand. Though the Centre has made up its mind to implement the scheme, files are pending with bureaucrats. I am sure these would be cleared soon.”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

One Rank One Pension: Why are ex-servicemen disillusioned with successive govts?

Why are ex-servicemen disillusioned with successive govts?


 Ex-servicemen have protested to PM Modi that his government
 too has failed to fulfil the promise of 'one rank, one pension' –OROP
 that was part of his party's poll campaign and a definite promise to
 our veteran soldiers. Embarrassingly, for the BJP government, 
ex-servicemen plan a rally to ask why this government has yet 
to issue an order demand OROP 

The long-standing demand of ex-servicemen for ‘one rank, one pension’
 (OROP) was accepted by the Indian government in February 2014
with the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram making an announcement
 in this regard in the Interim Budget. The next government led by
Narendra Modi too accepted the demand for OROP in the Parliament.
 While both the governments stated that 'money or funding is not an issue',
 there still is no order issued for implementing OROP.

"The Defence Veteran community is disillusioned with the National
 Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, and particularly with Prime
Minister Modi. We believed Modi to be a man of his word and commitment,
and would implement the OROP. Remember, OROP was agreed to not
 only by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, but also
 by Modi-led NDA government. The issue was discussed in two
successive budgets, with government promising of providing funds
 (Paison ki Problem Nahin Hai) needed, on the floor of Parliament.
However, it is with a sense of betrayal that the Veteran Community
still awaits implementation orders for OROP, despite passage of
over six months of its passage in Parliament," Cdr Ravindra Waman Pathak (Retd).


India's defence budget is in the region of $46 billion or about Rs3 lakh crore.
The OROP would cost 1.3% or Rs4,000 crore of the defence budget.
China's defence budget size is $126 billion i.e. more than Rs8 lakh crore.
Manpower wise, India has 13.25 lakh active military personnel and 21.43
lakh active reserves compared with China's 22.85 lakh active military
personnel and 23 lakh active reserves.

Cdr Pathak is also member of the Governing Body and Pension Cell
 of Indian Ex Servicemen Movement. He said, "If the implementation
orders are not yet out, we wonder when the money would land up in
one's bank account, given the snail's pace of the Controller General
 of Defence Accounts, working leisurely under the Ministry of Defence.
 How many more aging veterans would pass on/ die, before seeing
 their dues in their Bank?"

Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) is also organising a rally
 at Nagpur on 12 October 2014, to express their disappointment
 with the Government's delay. 

Earlier in February 2014, slamming the "delay" by UPA in granting
 'one-rank, one-pension' for ex-servicemen, Narendra Modi had
accused Congress of playing "fraud" with the armed forces.
 “The government, which is sitting in Delhi has always been playing
 a farce with the Armed Forces. Before this also, a number of times,
the Finance Minister of Congress had made announcements about
One Rank One Pension (OROP) but never fulfilled it. Even this time
since I am repeatedly talking about it, they have announced it but
 this is a "fraud" (dhokha) with you. Had Congress party been honest,
 they had the chance to it in 10 budgets from 2004 to 2014. But they
 did not do it," Modi had said.

The 'deeply hurt, bruised and wounded conscience of ex-servicemen
 of India's Armed Forces', expressed their anguish towards the bureaucracy,
which they feel is responsible for the step-motherly treatment meted out to
 defense forces. The veterans, in an letter sent to PM Modi, say, "It is this
specially empowered bureaucracy which, without even a shred of any
commensurate knowledge, over the past 67 years, has mastered and
 honed the craft of repeatedly hurting the pride and morale of the soldiers'
right from the Chiefs to the sepoy. 'Jai Jawan' is handy only at crunch time
or prior to elections, where after the Armed Forces are routinely relegated
to the status of a 'necessary evil' type heavy baggage that the nation,
perforce, has to be burdened with. This bureaucracy has been successful
 in contouring the political thought process in the same mould."

"In sheer desperation, post numerous appeals to the political leadership,
 they (the defense veterans) collected at Jantar Mantar, the newly baptized
 Mecca of protests, to, virtually, beg for One Rank One Pension -OROP.
This was seen in the same light as any other 'rag tag' event of Indian street
 protests. No one listened to them and none cared. Now, more confused,
they returned their medals to the President of India, the supreme commander
of the Indian Armed Forces. These medals, which they were decorated with
 during their uniformed tenures, were symbols of their selfless service, dignity,
 valour and pride. Not one word from the supreme commander.  Some pension
 increase was doled out about a year ago, again, in the name of OROP but
 miles off the target.  Actual OROP was a resounding NO by the bureaucrats
 and, consequently, the government. The beleaguered lot appealed to the
courts for various acts of omissions. However, their legitimate arrears, despite
having been ordered for payment, by the courts, continue to be denied by the
 government whose attorneys are filing away plea after repeated plea to reverse
or stall these orders against the normal alibi of 'what about civilians'?," they said.

"Then, came the first budget of the new government. The Finance Minister,
 also doubling as the Defence Minister, presented his budget to an over-
expectant nation that wanted to hear the loud echoes of your election rallies
 in the financial roadmap to India's 'achhe din'. What came out was, mostly,
routine and safe bets, as if all your 'bold steps to be taken' had been hijacked,
 once again and obviously, by the bureaucrats. The FM did proclaim sanctioning
of the OROP, finally, with a layout of Rs1,000 crore. This was not even one fourth
 of the requisite amount. Thus, the UPA II's gambit was almost repeated.
 This was stunning, unbelievable but true. Again, no formal government
 orders about the implementation."

"Parting with this miniscule component of GDP for OROP will not only rebuild
 pride and morale of this vital and national human resource but will send a
 positive signal to the entire edifice of Indian armed forces which is required
to remain rock solid for the non-negotiable unity and integrity of India. Lastly,
I wish to submit that if you think that OROP would severely dent India's economy
 and the 'steel frame', please inform the ESMs in clear terms and as a finality.
At least they would start breathing and stop chasing an Indian mirage,
" the letter sent to PM Modi said.





Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Centre committed to implement OROP: V K Singh




Mumbai: The BJP-led government at the Centre is committed to implement the 'one rank, one pension' scheme for ex-servicemen, Minister of State for External Affairs General V K Singh said here on Sunday.

"The BJP-led government at the Centre has allotted Rs 1,000 crore for the implementation of one rank one pension scheme, which is insufficient. I have requested the Finance Minister to allocate more funds for it. The government remains committed to implement the scheme at the earliest," Singh told reporters here.

Singh, who is also the Minister of State for North East Region, said the Finance Minister has assured him that there would be no dearth of capital for the scheme.

The former Army Chief was in Mumbai to attend a programme to mark the '15th Kargil Vijay Diwas' at the state BJP office here.

"We had announced the one rank-one pension scheme in our manifesto and the central government will ensure its implementation at the earliest," he added.

Talking about the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra, he said, the state BJP leaders should ensure that the party-led alliance comes to power in the state.

"The assembly elections in Maharashtra are just a few months away. The state BJP leaders should ensure that the BJP-led (Mahayuti) alliance wins the upcoming elections. This will ensure a better co-ordination between the central and the state governments, and further benefit the state from the schemes of the central government," he said.

PTI

Saturday, July 26, 2014

TELANGA EX-SERVICEMEN ASSOCIATION IS CELEBRATING 15th KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS ON 26.7.2014




ON THE OCCASION ON 15th  KARGIL  VIJAY DIWAS TELANGA EX-SERVICEMEN ASSOCIATION IS CONDUCTING THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS ON 26 JULY 2014.

1. AT 10.30 AM THE ASSOCIATION WILL GARLAND THE STATUE OF LATE.       MAJ.PADMAPANI ACHARYA MVC AT VANASTHALIPURAM.

2. A PROGRAM WILL BE A FUNCTION AT TEJASWI MOTORS COMPLEX, BESIDE RYTHU BAZAR, KOTHAPET, HYDERABAD. SRI KARNE PRABHAKAR, MLC TRS, COL.(Retd) ASHOK KUMAR, DIRECTOR SAINIK WELFARE,  AND SRI. SREENESH KUMAR SAINIK WELFARE OFFICER, RANGA REDDY DISTRICT WILL ATTEND THE FUNCTION.

ALL THE MEMBERS ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL THE CITIZENS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND THE ABOVE FUNCTIONS AND MAKE IT A GRAND SUCCESS.

P.VIGNESHWAR RAJU
GENERAL SECRETARY 

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

IESM LETTER TO DEFENCE MINISTER ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)


Saturday, July 19, 2014
19 Jul 2014
ShArunJaitley
Hon’bleRakshaMantri
Ministry of Defence
South Block, New Delhi-110011
Sub: IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP)
Dear ShArunJaitley,
We are grateful for granting us the meeting with you on 16 July 2014  with regard to issue of Implementation letter for OROP.
Sir,
 your contention that the gap between the calculations made by the Service HQs and the officials of MoD namely CGDA, PCDA, Secy DESW is very large, due to which there was delay in issuing the Govt Letter; is a serious cause of concern for the Defence Fraternity. 
Since, there is only ONE Definition of OROP as approved by the Parliament and therefore, there has to be only ONE calculation, irrespective of small or large gap.
                     It is simple Mathematics
  As pleaded by us, there cannot be two calculations.
  These gaps have been designed to find a way to deny full benefit of OROP to Ex-Servicemen. 
A point to be noted here is that had OROP been granted 25 years back there would not have been any gap now. 
Sir, we are not after money and not asking for back dated payment, it is the principle of seniority in Armed Forces which we cherish. 
As per this principle, a senior rank person should not draw pension/ pay less than rank lower than him. It is a simple principle we need to maintain hence we cannot afford any violation with OROP principle.
Sir, in case X and Y Groups are to be granted OROP as per their respective Groups, the funds required will be 4500 – 5000 Crores, as per calculations correctly carried out by the Service HQs.  And in case all Defence Employees are to be granted ‘X’ Group rates of pensions, then the amount required would be 6500-7000 Crores as per the calculation made by PCDA.
The funds required for the two options are not too large for the Nation to pay justified pensions to the Retired Soldiers, who have given their life and comforts of life for national security.
The CGDA/PCDA/DESW should not be allowed to dilute the definition of OROP or coin their own definition or understanding of OROP. Their calculations, based on datum line 01.01.2006 pensions rates, are totally against the  approved definition which requires the OROP to be calculated based on the rates of pensions as on 01.04.2014, the date from which OROP has been sanctioned and future enhancements are to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners. This was duly discussed in the meting chaired by you on 12thJune 2014. 
The M1 and M2 Models by CGDA, PCDA, and DESW were out-rightly rejected.
Sir, ex-servicemen are fighting for a principle, any dilution of definition of OROP will not be acceptable to the Ex-Servicemen. It has to be full OROP as per the definition already approved by the Parliament.
In view of the foregoing, please expedite issue of Govt Letter for the implementation of OROP as per the DGL prepared by the Service HQs.

With regards,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Chairman IESM
Mob: +919312404269,                               0124-4110570
Email ID: 
satbirsm@gmail.com
Copy to

ShriRaoInderjit Singh                                RakshaRajyaMantri C-1/14 Lodi Garden        New Delhi - 110 003   
For immediate action to issue the Implementation letters of OROP please.
General Bikram Singh,                                               PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM,  ADC             Chief of the Army Staff &Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee                                        Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Army)     South Block, New Delhi-110011
May we request you to jointly pursue the matter with the Govt for issue of Implementation letter as suggested above at the earliest please.
Admiral RK Dhowan,
PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC,                                Chief of the Naval Staff                            Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Navy)    South Block, New Delhi-110011
-do-
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC                                     Chief of the Air Staff                                       Indian Air Force                                                  VayuBhawan, New Delhi 110011
(SOURCE- BC VASUNDHARS BLOG)
-do-

ON PUBLIC REQUEST THE PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT IS POSTED AGAIN HERE

SALARY HIKE TO MPS, ONE RANK, ONE PENSION

SALARY HIKE TO MPS, ONE RANK, ONE PENSION
Letter to Hon'ble Prime Minister by Hon'ble M.P.

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Ex-Servicemen return Medals