ardshParliament
of India
(Rajya Sabha Secretariat)
(Rajya Sabha Secretariat)
Press Release
Hundred and Forty-second Report on the
petition praying for grant of one rank one pension to the armed
forces personnel.
The Committee on Petitions of Rajya
Sabha under the Chairmanship of Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari,
MP, presented its Hundred and Forty-second Report to the Rajya Sabha on 19th
December, 2011 on the petition praying for grant of one rank one pension to the
armed forces personnel.
2. The Petition was submitted by Shri
Sanjay Prabhu and others, resident of Bangalore
and countersigned by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, Rajya Sabha.
3. The Committee during the course of
its deliberations interacted with the petitioners, representatives of
Departments of Ex-servicemen Welfare (M/o Defence), Expenditure (M/o Finance)
and Pensions and Pensioner's Welfare (M/o Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions) and some organizations/individuals.
4. Following are the important
recommendations of the Committee:-
4.1 The
Committee has taken note of the fact that a sum of Rs.1300 crores is the
total financial liability for the year 2011-12 in case OROP is implemented
fully for all the defence personnel in the country across the board. The
Committee was informed that out of this, 1065 crores would go to retirees
belonging to Post Below Officer Ranks (PBOR) while the Commissioned Officers
would be getting the remaining i.e. 235 crores. The Committee felt
that 1300 crores is not a very big amount for a country of our size and
economy for meeting the long pending demand of the armed forces of the
country. The Committee understand that this 1300 crores is the
expenditure for one year which might increase at the rate of 10 percent
annually. Even if it is so, the Committee does not consider this amount
to be high, keeping in view the objective for which it would be spent.
(Para 11 of the Report)
4.2 The
Committee was not convinced with the version of the Ministry of Finance that
the grant of OROP to the defence personnel would eventually generate
similar requests from the civilian work force of the country under the Central
Government and the State Governments. The Committee feels so because of
the quite different terms and conditions of service of the two different
categories of employments. The terms and conditions of armed forces are
tougher and harsher than the civilian Government employee. On the issue
of returning of service medals by the defence personnel of our country to the
President of India in view of the Governments' apathetic attitude towards their
demand of grant of OROP, the Committee was of the view that our defence
personnel should not feel alienated to this extent again and they are not
forced to surrender their hard earned service medals in this manner to exhibit
their discontent with the government policies.
(Para 11.2 of the Report)
4.3 The
Committee also felt that the decision of the Government to bring our defence
personnel on the pattern of the civilians with regard to their pay, pension,
etc. (from Third Central Pay Commission onwards) is not a considered decision
which has caused hip to the defence personnel and has given birth to
their demand for OROP. The Committee understand that before the Third
Central Pay Commission, the defence personnel were getting their pay / pension
on the basis of separate criteria unconnected with the criteria devised for the
civilian work force. That criteria acknowledged and covered the concept of OROP
which has been given up after the Third Central Pay Commission.
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