Ex-servicemen slam Centre for ignoring OROP anomalies in 8th pay panel brief

The United Front of Ex-Servicemen (JCOs and OR), Himachal Pradesh, has criticised the Central Government for failing to direct the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) to resolve long-pending discrepancies in the implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.

According to Captain Jagdish Verma (Retd), Chairman of the organisation, ex-servicemen across the country — which includes over 1.40 lakh veterans in the state and over 34 lakh nationwide — have submitted memorandums to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, routed through their respective Members of Parliament. These communications urged the government to correct anomalies that emerged after the OROP was implemented. Despite these sustained efforts, he said, the government’s notification on the 8th CPC dated November 4, 2025 contained no directive to address these concerns.

Captain Verma said the flawed method adopted during the initial implementation of the OROP had caused discontent among defence pensioners. He added the recommendations of the One-Man Judicial Commission (OMJC), headed by Justice Laxmi Narsimha Reddy, retired Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, were not fully acted upon, leaving key issues unresolved.

He said unless corrective steps are taken immediately, the anomalies may persist through the 8th CPC deliberations, making them “more complicated and difficult to rectify” in future.

The United Front of Ex-Servicemen has appealed to the Union Finance Minister to intervene and issue necessary directions to the 8th CPC. Captain Verma stressed that armed forces personnel are “compulsorily retired at an early age” to maintain operational efficiency, unlike other Central government employees who serve until the standard age of superannuation. This, he said, makes the fair implementation of the OROP even more critical.

He added a formal letter has been sent to the Finance Minister urging corrective action so the true intent and benefits of the OROP reach all eligible ex-servicemen without delay.