New Delhi: The long-pending One Rank One Pension scheme for ex-servicemen was brought into force on Saturday with government issuing a notification that will benefit more than 2.5 million veterans and war widows. However, the protesting ex-servicemen rejected the notification, saying their main demands have not been accepted and it has become “one-rank-five-pension”. The notification is almost similar to the announcement made by defence minister Manohar Parrikar on 5 September.

[Source: Livemint, Internet]

New Delhi: Protesting ex-servicemen today hit back at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his comments that not all demands could be fulfilled saying they only have "one demand" of One Rank One Pension (OROP) and that they will intensify the agitation by returning their medals from tomorrow.

"We have one and only demand and that is OROP. It was the government who inserted provisions that has made the issue complicated. We want OROP as per the definition. No junior should get more pension than his senior.

"In protest against the government notification, we will start returning our medals from tomorrow. And November 10-11, ex-servicemen across the country will start returning their medals. They have already informed the District Magistrates about this," Group Captain VK Gandhi (retd), who is the general secretary of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM), said.

Mr Gandhi said in Delhi the medals will be returned outside Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) tomorrow. He said the move to select crowded places was to educate the common man about the impending issue.

We reproduce hereunder the Minutes of SCOVA meeting held on 13-10-2015 concerning the two items related to BSNL pensioners. It shows that the SCOVA has become a debating society without decisions or firm actions.

Excerpts"

v) Anomaly in fixation of pension to DoT employees absorbed in BSNL, who retired between 1.10.2000 and 31.7.2001.

It was informed that a proposal was sent by DOT to DoPPW on 24.04.2015 and a formulation was suggested by DoPPW on 26.06.2015.The case was thereafter referred to Department of Expenditure. Department of Expenditure sought some clarification/information on 17.09.2015 which are being obtained by DoT from concerned Departments/Agencies. DoT was asked to finalise their proposal by 31.10.2015(Action: D/o Telecom & DoPPW)

(vi) Merger of 78.2% IDA with basic pension benefit to the absorbed BSNL Pensioners.

Department of Telecom informed that a draft Cabinet Note was circulated on 16,06.2015 and comments of DoPPW were conveyed to DOT on 06.07.2015. Comments/Views from other Ministries/Departments have also been received. However, some queries have been raised by Department of Expenditure and the information/inputs on same are being collected for furnishing the same to Department of Expenditure. DoT were asked to send the reply to Department of Expenditure by 31.10.2015.

Shri Ananthkumar, Honourable Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India will inaugurate the Open Session in connection with our next All India Conference at 11 hours on 21st November 2015. Com. Mohan Bahadur KC (Vice President of Trade Union International (P&R), Nepal will inaugurate the Subject Committee at 0900 hours on 21-11-2015. Two leaders of Retired Employees Association of Nepal also will be attending our AIC as Fraternal Delegates.

“This is not OROP. At best, it is a one-time increment. We totally and outrightly reject it. It reflects a lack of maturity on the part of the political leadership of the government,” Wing Commander (retd) C K Sharma, treasurer of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), told The Sunday Express. -

TIRUNELVELI

TIRUCHIRAPALLI

PONDICHERRY

MADURAI

GWALIOR

COIMBATORE

CHENNAI

CUDDALORE

On 7-11-2015, the Government issued the notification regarding implementation of ‘One Rank One Pension’ in respect of Defence Forces personnel. It was done before Diwali, as promised by the Defence Minister when the veterans declared that they would return the awards and medals if not done before Diwali.

The ExServicemen achieved a demand after prolonged fight of 45 years....

The issue of One Rank One Pension was a long standing demand. Defence Forces had been demanding it for almost four decades but the issue could not be resolved. However, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had made a commitment to implement it for the welfare of the ex-servicemen. Accordingly the Government had announced modalities for implementation of OROP on 05.09.2015. The Government Order by Ministry of Defence, which could not be issued due to model code of conduct, has been issued today.

Salient features of the OROP as stated in the Order are as follows:

I. To begin with, pension of the past pensioners would be re-fixed on the basis of pension of retirees of calendar year 2013 and the benefit will be effective with effect from 1.7.2014.

II. Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retiring in 2013 in the same rank and with the same length of service.

III. Pension for those drawing above the average shall be protected.

IV. Arrears will be paid in four equal half yearly instalments. However, all the family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special/Liberalized family pensioners, and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

V. In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

4. Personnel who opt to get discharged henceforth on their own request under Rule 13(3)1(i)(b),13(3)1(iv) or Rule 16B of the Army Rule 1954 or equivalent Navy or Air Force Rules will not be entitled to the benefits of OROP. It will be effective prospectively.

5. The Govt. has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP. The Judicial Committee will submit its report in six months.

6. Detailed instructions along with tables indicating revised pension for each rank and each category, shall be issued separately for updation of pension and payment of arrears directly by Pension Disbursing Agencies.

The previous Government had made a budget announcement to implement the OROP and made a provision of Rs 500 Crore. The present Government undertook the task earnestly and realized that the actual additional annual expenditure would be eight to ten thousand crore at present and will increase further in future. Notwithstanding the financial constraints, true to its commitment the present Government has issued the Government order to implement the OROP in true spirit.

BSNL Corporate Office has issued new instructions on

1. Limit on indoor treatment expenses

2. Do not delay the settlement

3. Apply the new rates precribed by CGHS

[These orders are available in the page: BSNLMRS]

Maharashtra circle conference was held at Nagpur on 5-11-2015.

Com. G Natarajan (GS) and Com. S Gunasekar (Treasurer) participated representing CHQ and narrated the status of various issues.

Conference elected Shri Ratnashekhar Mitary as Circle President and

Com. M J Pillay as the Circle Secretary.

NAGERCOIL - TAMILNADU

JAMSHEDPUR - JHARKHAND

BHUBANSESWAR - ODISHA

PATIALA - PANJAB

TENKASI - TAMILNADU

MATHURA - UPE

VIJAYAWADA - AP

HYDERABAD - AP

CALICUT - KERALA

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. I am in Karnataka for the last few days. Com. DG, our Vice President also came over here.
4. [GS Com. Natarajan and Treasurer Com. Gunasekaran are in Nagpur for Maharastra Circle conference.]
5. Myself and Com. Gopalakrishnan discussed with Com. G Babu, Com. Gangdhara Rao, and Com. Changappa, President, Vice President and GS of the Reception Committee, about arrangements made by RC for holding our next AIC on 21st and 22nd instant.
6. It is understood that they have booked good Halls to hold the meeting and to accommodate the delegates. Vibrant activities are visible here in Bangalore. Bangalore comrades are enthusiastically waiting for the delegates from all parts of the country. But, many of the SSA units or Circle units have not given clear information about arrival and departure of their delegates. Reception Committee can receive them properly only if details of the arrival are intimated to them.

Anyway, next AIC is going to be a milestone in the history of our mighty organisation, AIBSNLPWA.

...................................P S Ramankutty at Bangalore

A very successful meeting of the newly formed Belagavi branch of AIBSNLPWA was held in the main Telephone Exchange hall, Belgaum on 4th November 2015, Comrades P S Ramankutty, D Gopalakrishnan and P Gangadhara Rao, representing CHQ, participated. Shri G A Majali presided over it. Com. R Changappa(Circle Secretary of Karnataka), Com. G Babu (Vice President, Karnataka), Com. Krishna Deshpande and Com. Kittur, veteran leaders also addressed the meeting. A lively discussion took place on important issues concerning BSNL pensioners. Large number of participants enrolled themselves as Life members of the Association, immediately after the meeting.

On 3-11-2015, a meeting of BSNL-DoT pensioners of Hubli-Dharwad district was held in the GM Office Conference hall, Hubli under the presidentship of Shri Angadi. Comrades P S Ramankutty, D Gopalakrishnan, P Gangadhara Rao, G Babu and R Changappa attended the meeting and spoke on various issues concerning BSNL pensioners in particular and the pensioners society in general. Com. Krishna Deshpande explained various aspects of 78.2% Case. Veteran leader Com. KIttur also spoke. After the debate, the meeting decided unanimously to form a branch of AIBSNLPWA in the SSA. Shri C S Sivananda was elected President, Shri G G Bharbhari (Retd DGM) as the District Secretary and Shri B A Nagaraj as the Treasurer.

IT IS LEARNT THAT THE FILE HAD BEEN SENT FROM DOT(F) TO MEMBER (SERVICES)

A NEW DISTRICT BRANCH WAS FORMED AT MATHURA ON 27-10-15 WITH COMS M.D .AGARWAL AS PRESIDENT, S.N AGARWAL AS SECRETARY AND K.K.VERMA AS TREASURER. WE WELCOME THE NEW BRANCH

The moment we gave the information about Consumer Price Index for September 2015, some comrades started asking about probable increase in IDA from January 2016. Repeatedly we have stated that without knowing Index for three months, to be released by Labour Bureau officially, we cannot calculate the rate of IDA. Similarly, we must get the Index for 12 months to calculate the CDA.

The prices of many essential commodities are soaring. Government machinery has failed to arrest it.Naturally there may be some increase in the Index for October and November. Only on the last working day of December 2015 we can ascertain it.

Presumption

It can be presumed that IDA may increase by about 4 percent from January next. Total 9 percent in six months. (You can confirm it only on 31-12-2015). Similarly, the CDA may probably increase from 119% to 125%. An increase of 6%. (It can be confirmed only on 31-1-2016).

…. P S Ramankutty

All India Consumer Price Index (AICPI) for the month of September 2015 is released by Labour Bureau of India. It is 266 points.

The Index for August 2015 was 264 points.

It is reported from Delhi that the file on 78.2% case has been sent today to Advisor (Finance) from the office of DDG (TPF).