To pay or not to pay: Many OROP issues remain

Ajay Banerjee

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 Acountrywide agitation by ex-servicemen led the Ministry of Defence to announce the much-awaited one rank one pension (OROP) formula in September, however, some irksome issues remain and these are being addressed now.

Hopefully these will be resolved in 2016, restoring the confidence of ex-servicemen.

The agitation, by itself, marred relations between soldiers and the government, as the former started an unprecedented protest at Jantar-Mantar in New Delhi. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has well-meaning intentions.  He exhibited the same by ordering an immediate review of an anomaly that was in the September announcement. It has barred OROP for those who take pre-mature retirement  (PMR).

Now, a fine distinction is being made. Officers and jawans who are superseded after a certain number of years in service and on attaining a particular age will be allowed to leave with OROP. Those who opt for premature retirement  on their own free will, after completing 20 years of service, could be kept out of the OROP ambit.

Each year some 500 officers in the Army, the IAF and the Navy get superseded. In case, they are not entitled to OROP, they will stay back, adding to the existing salary bill, besides holding onto posts, accommodation and vehicles.

Automatic promotions are not allowed beyond the post of Lt Colonel or equivalent which is after 13 years of service  — or roughly 34 years of age of the officer. The Union Cabinet has laid down a policy allowing for 3.1 percent of rank and officers to take premature retirement annually, based on the recommendations of the Ajay Vikram Singh Committee.

The OROP announcement suggested pension revision once in five years, a  demand remains to revise pensions annually.

The last word on OROP is yet to be said. Justice L Narasimha Reddy is heading the Judicial Committee to look into the implementation of OROP.

YEAREND SPECIAL