Differences on perfect definition of OROP … Defence ministry
has remained a labyrinth – not easy to tame: Major Navdeep Singh
With political parties trading
charges on the suicide of ex-soldier Ram Kishan Grewal on OROP, emotions are
running high on both sides. Major Navdeep Singh, advocate in Punjab and Haryana
high court, who was a member of the defence minister’s committee of experts to
review service and pension matters which submitted its report in 2015, talked
to Nalin Mehta about the OROP controversy and why the ministry of defence needs
urgent reforms:
What is the current problem with
OROP implementation which could have led to this suicide?
There are conflicting reports about
the sad demise of the veteran. Some seem to suggest that he was perturbed about
non-release of the approved pension under the OROP scheme by his bank. If that
is the case, then it is really unfortunate since that would mean that an amount
legally approved by the government was not disbursed to him.
Overall the ministry of defence
claims to have disbursed Rs 5,507 crore in two instalments for OROP. Apart from
other issues, the problem also seems to be in the distribution mechanism down
the chain, particularly at the level of bank branches. This needs to be fixed.
Government is implementing OROP but
what about the larger veteran demand that what they have got is one rank many
pensions, not one rank one pension?
Various sides have differed upon the
perfect definition of OROP. Many veteran organisations have interpretational
differences with OROP as notified, including the periodicity of revision. Then
there were serious anomalies in OROP tables which were being looked into by a
judicial committee. The committee has submitted its report. I think all sides
should hold their horses till this is processed. In case, there still are
problems, tackle them through remedies provided under law rather than
politicise a sensitive subject. A democracy provides full opportunity to
exercise legal rights in case of dissatisfaction. I personally do not agree to
an approach of excessive emotional rhetoric which has the propensity of stoking
discontent.
What about disability pensions and
the controversy on downgrading of status? How does that square with the
pedestal armed forces are being put on?
The disability pension controversy
was shockingly unfortunate and its origin was the twisted data and a sadistic
interpretation provided to the 7th Pay Commission on disabled soldiers. In case
disabilities in the defence services are increasing due to a higher stress and
strain of military life, the answer is to take steps to check the deteriorating
health profile and increase the payouts to compensate loss of health, not to
slash disability pensions! Ditto for status issues since such moves are
unilaterally imposed and result in deleterious effect on morale.
Chest thumping and governmental
downgrading can’t go hand in hand. Does government’s left hand not know what it
is doing?
Irrespective of the party in power,
the ministry of defence has remained a labyrinth which is not easy to tame.
There are structural problems wherein the defence services or even other
stakeholders are not a part of the decision-making process and a one-sided view
is provided to the higher layers. There is no opportunity granted to rebut or
check the veracity of what is put up to decision-making authorities. It is not
that one hand does not know what the other is doing, actually one hand does not
let the other know what it is doing.
What kind of reforms do we need to
fix the problems in MoD?
Two very simple suggestions without
tinkering with the basic structure. First, the decision-making should be
collegiate: probably by a ‘Defence Board’ chaired by the defence minister with
a total of three-five members, with inputs of neutral personalities and experts
wherever required. When files move up, these should be referred to all
stakeholders for their comments so that nobody is able to hoodwink the
decision-makers by mischief. Second, there is no institutional mechanism
currently for the political executive to know the pulse of the problems of
serving defence personnel and veterans, like there is for civil employees and
pensioners. This assumes even higher importance since defence personnel
(rightly) cannot form associations. Hence, a participative system akin to the
Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) for civil employees should be constituted to
resolve grievances.
Similarly, the government had
admirably constituted a standing committee for veterans in October 2014 which
was to meet after every three months, but the lower bureaucracy has ensured
that not even one meeting has taken place till date. The current defence
minister appears to be keen to take the bull by the horns, but all
personalities should support him in a politically neutral manner rather than
pinpricking him all the time.
Read at: Times of India Blog
Read more: http://www.staffnews.in/2016/11/differences-on-perfect-definition-of.html#ixzz4P7axoCWw
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