Opposition to notification of OROP – Rajya Sabha Q&A on 1.12.2015

Opposition to notification of OROP – Rajya Sabha Q&A on 1.12.2015

Opposition to notification of OROP

(a) Government vide Ministry of Defence letter No. 12(01)/2014/D(Pen/Pol)-Part-II, dated 7.11.2015 has issued orders for implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for the Defence Forces Personnel. Salient features of the OROP are as under:-

(i) 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 01.07.2014.

(ii) Pension will be re-fixed for all pensioners on the basis of the average of minimum and maximum pension of personnel retired 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 pension and Gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one instalment.

(v) In future, the pension would be re-fixed every 5 years.

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.

The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

Government has accepted the demand of ex-servicemen associations to implement OROP, payment of arrears w.e.f. 1.7.2014 and coverage of PMR cases under the scheme upto 7.11.2015. However, Certain ex-servicemen associations have been demanding for changes in methodology for fixation of pension, periodicity of its revision, coverage of future PMR cases, etc.

The Government has decided to appoint a Judicial Committee to look into anomalies, if any, arising out of implementation of OROP.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on 1st December 2015.