Chandigarh,
March 15 --
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Saturday said the
long-standing demand of Armed Forces veterans' for One Rank One Pension
(OROP) will be approved by April end.
Addressing
a rally of around 17,000 ex-servicemen at Jhajjar in Haryana, the Army
Chief said, "The OROP will come out in the same principle as desired. It
will be effective from April 1, 2014 and may be approved latest by
April 30 this year. However, delay does not matter as arrears will be
given."
The
OROP scheme seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence
personnel who retire at the same rank with the same length of service,
irrespective of their date of retirement, has been a long-standing
demand of the over two million ex-servicemen in the country.
In
view of the hardships faced by the soldiers while discharging their
duties, Gen Singh has sought a hike in their pay and allowances from the
Prime Minister, a defence statement said. Singh said that the army has
tied up with the Skilled Development ministry for ensuring employment to
the Army retirees in public and private sectors, it said.
However,
the Army Chief ruled out the possibilities of exempting the veterans
from income tax as it would be a violation of the principal of parity,
the statement added. A number of grievance resolution stalls were set up
to process on-the-spot redressal of grievances pertaining to pension,
preparation of ECHS cards and CSD cards, it said. A medical camp was
also organised in which specialists from various discipline of medicine
attended the needy patients.
Besides, 26 modified scooters and six wheel chairs were given to the eligible ex-servicemen.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Pioneer.
1)
Everything
is ok, but alas! a BOMBSHELL wef 1/4/2014,a blatant violation of latest
5-JUDGE BENCH presided over by then Hon CJ Sri R.M.Lodha
2)
Even
after all Appeals,Reviews,SLP, Curative petitions of UOI dismissed that
OROP cannot be from 1/9/2012, but wef 1/1/2006 ,VI Pay Commission
effective date, how come UOI or Defence Minister who established empathy
& coordination with MOF & other Depts concerned,FINAL OUTCOME
deprives Armed forces of FIRST their own submissions wef 1/9/2012 &
VIOLATES SC JUDGEMENT
This is reprehensible
We
LIC Pensioners have to guard against such mischief ,if SC succumbs to
PROSPECTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.That will be a blot on EQUITY & JUSTICE,
as scales have to be even & safeguard INVIOLABLE PRINCIPLES
enunciated by Hon SC that DATE on which discrimination arose MUST BE THE
EFFECTIVE DATE
3)
A general sweeping Judgement in Court 5 by 2 eminent Hon Judge Bench on 25/3/2015 hopefully,
shall
demoralise all Groups of pensioners & we must conserve&
consolidate all past clear utterances & submissions & even
clarificatory Judgement by Hon SC Bench dt 14 oct 2012 to pay retiral
benefits from the date of eligibility,meaning date of retirement.
As
far as DR is concerned, effective date is very clearcut pre -8/1997
pensioners getting 50 % DR, while post-8/1997 pensioners & Employees
get FULL 100 % DR.That should be sealed as far as effective date is
concerned
Coming
to Pension Upgradation & HON SJ Bhandari admitting both the writs
6676/1998 & 654/2007 on pension upgradation,if our Sr Counsels are
able to assertively & even emotionally, on legal principles,
Fundamental rights violation, gross anamolies whereby 8/9 grade below
Cadres get more than their past Senior cadres,& we are still in IV
PC mode, Basic Pension not having been touched ,remaining same static
basic pension for 21 years , & so pension revision with every wage
revision as the ONLY ANSWER, secure Date of retirement as effective date
& if at all course of arguments ,gracefully compel SC Bench to
accept ,as per evolved canons of jurisprudence, Date of Writ ie 654/2007
& so 1/1/2007 atleast.Any other date shall be ARBITRARY & an
affront on Justice which is the Symbol of Courts,that BALANCE cannot be
dispensed with or ignored
4)
It
is a pity, even the New Govt ,with all its penchant for progress, 5 Jan
2015 MOF/UOI Circular indicating heralding of Independent Corporate
Governance, on commercial & personnel decisions full liberty to
banks & financial institutions , should itself stray away from solid
pronouncements, with no qualms of hurt & injury to the aged
Pensioners & Sr Citizens.It is also not known how earlier the news
appeared that Govt is intending to provide near Rs 10,000 cr ,which then
looks to be with considerable past arrears wef 1/1/2006
We shall also look to other announcements ,especially from Defence Minister, as effective date is VITAL
We have to be forewarned & so forearmed
Greetings,Goodluck & Godspeed,
RBKISHORE
