ONE RANK ONE PENSION ISSUE PARTIALLY SETTLED

Up to 1973, the Ex servicemen at the lower level (Jawans and non commissioned officers) were getting pension at the rate of 70% of their pay. Then it was reduced to 50%. The agitation or One Rank One Pension (OROP) started then. For the last 40 years, the agitation was going on. It became a political issue during the last election to Lok Sabha. Both the BJP and the Congress wanted to take political advantage..... After many ups and downs the Government has come out with a proposal, not fully satisfactory to the war veterans. Anyway 234.5 lakh Ex Servicemen and 6 lakh war widows will get some benefits.

A Report appeared in Hindu Newspaper

".........Fulfilling one of its major election promises in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections of the BJP, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday announced the implementation of the long delayed One Rank One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen.

The avowed aim of this announcement, to end the strike by veterans demanding OROP was however hanging in fire with protesting veterans rejecting the “unilateral” announcement as it “dilutes” several core issues from the accepted definition. In an effort to get the veterans on board, Mr. Parrikar met representatives of ex-servicemen later in the day and some understanding has been reached.

“Despite the huge fiscal burden, given its commitment to the welfare of ex-servicemen, the government has taken a decision to implement the OROP,” Mr. Parrikar while announcing the plan, and said the ministry of defence would soon issue a detailed government order.

Government's Offer	What veterans want
Effective from July 1, 2014	April 1, 2014
OROP will be average of minimum and maximum pension scale in 2013	Base for pension should be maximum of the pension scale in 2013
Revision every 5 years	One or two years
One-member judicial commission to submit report in six months	Five-member team under Defense Minister to submit report in one month