One-rank, one-pension - Centre working on next-best option

[Administrator]

The government seems all set to upwardly revise pension of ex-servicemen to bring them closer to the long-demanded “ one rank, one-pension” mechanism.

Though holding that full OROP is neither financially nor administratively possible, the government promises to resolve the existing anomalies in the pension structures of ex-servicemen which have been accentuated by the 6th Pay Commission.

On Thursday, cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, who heads the committee of secretaries (CoS) looking into the issue, made a presentation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He is also said to have discussed the pros and cons of granting the OROP demand based on the nearly two-month study that the committee carried out on the subject.

Others present during the presentation included finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, defence minister A K Antony, home minister P Chidambaram and minister of state (personnel) Prithviraj Chavan. The UPA government has already committed itself to taking a decision on the subject by the end of June in President Pratibha Patil’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on June4.

Just before the crucial fourth phase of polling on May 7, the defence ministry had declared that a committee headed by the cabinet secretary had been constituted to ‘‘reduce the gap in the pensionary benefits to officers and jawans, bringing it as close to OROP as possible’’.

Source: The Times of India

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[Administrator]

A response received by Secretary General, RSCWS:

On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM, S Bedekar <sbedekar@hotmail.com> wrote:

1) BHARAT PENSIONER for APRIL, 2009, and MAY, 2009, ALL INDIA RETIRED RAILWAYMEN’S FEDERATION Periodical Magazine for March-April 2009. AND RAILDERS’ GUARDIAN for April, 2009.

Following is the extract from “THE ARMED FORCES-MoD orders more pay, but issues still remain” at page 10 of Bhatat Pensioner for April, 2009.

"The government sanction letter for placing Lt. Colonels in the higher pay band was recd. At Service headquarters today (2-2-09), sources said. The issue of Grade Pay of Lt. Colonels equal to their IAS counterparts and issue of command and control are still pending. Lt. Colonels have been upgraded to the Rs.37,400-67,000 (PB-4). With a Grade Pay of Rs. 8,000 from the earlier scale Rs.15,600-39100 (PB-3) with grade pay of Rs.7,600. The Services, however, had sought Grade Pay of Rs.8700 at par with their civilian counterparts.

Upgradation of pay scales means that Lt. Colonels would be now senior to Dy.Secy. to the G.O.I., Directors in state Govts., Senior Supdt.of Police, Dy.Commissssioners of Police, Dist. Collectors and Dist. Magistrates in the junior administrative grade, Scientists “D” in technical services, Commandants (junior grade) in coast Guard and non-functional selective grade in Central Engineering Services, sources added.”

I think it will be possible that there may be some unrest in the organisations/services to which these posts belong. Sir, I request you to kindly use your good offices to find out the reactions in these services and whether there is any representations from these services.

Thanks and regards.
S.L.Bedekar
09970948291

[Administrator]

New Delhi:

A High-powered Committee of Secretaries looking into the One Rank-One Pension demand put forward by ex-servicemen on Thursday presented a concept of ‘modified parity’ to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In a meeting with the PM, the committee suggested that a new concept of modified parity be drawn up which would ensure that ex-servicemen get a substantial increase in pension. According to the concept, new pay grades would be drawn up for each rank in the Armed Forces, based on which the pension would be awarded. As per current practice, pension is decided on the existing pay bands. This has led to discrepancies as officers of different ranks often fall in the same pay band.

The new pay grades would be fixed specifically for the purpose of deciding pension. The new concept presented before the PM also ensures that retired officers, no matter which year they demitted service, will get pensions lesser than that of their juniors officers. For example, a Brigadier who retired in 1955 would not get a pension that is lesser than the pension being drawn by a Colonel who retired in 2008. The presentation also contained the proposal to increase the pension of jawans to 70 per cent of the last drawn pay, an increase from the earlier proposal of 50 per cent.

It may be recalled that the committee, which is headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, was formed nearly two months ago after the long-pending demand of ex-servicemen was picked up by the BJP in its agenda for the recent elections. The new UPA Government has committed to take a fresh look at the demand with President Pratibha Patil mentioning it in her address to the Joint Parliament session on June 4.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/panel-...en/481602/

[Administrator]

One rank one pension for ex-servicemen

our country owes a deep debt of gratitude to our valiant ex-Servicemen. The Government has decided to substantially improve the pension of pre 1.1.2006 defence pensioners below officer rank (PBOR) and bring pre 10.10.1997 pensioners on par with post 10.10.1997 pensioners.

The Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary on OROP has submitted its report and the recommendations of the Committee have been accepted. On the basis of these recommendations, both these decisions will be implemented from 1st July 2009 resulting in enhanced pension for more than 12 lakh jawans and JCOs.

These measures will cost the exchequer more than Rs 2,100 crore annually. Certain pension benefits being extended to war wounded and other disabled pensioners are also being liberalised.

Source:The Economic Times