MoD sources said that the main reason behind the delay is the minuscule
increase that jawans may get if OROP is implemented in its present form.
The fear within political decision-makers is that OROP, if implemented
in present form, may result in many dragging the government to courts, and may
even create a political crisis. (Source: PTI)
As ex-servicemen steadfastly press for the implementation of One Rank
One Pension (OROP), top Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources have said that the
main reason behind the delay is not funds, but the minuscule increase that
jawans may get if OROP is implemented in its present form.
Sources said that the concern within the government is that the jawans
may get an increase of just about “few hundred” rupees per month — a raise that
may not justify the decade long OROP agitation.
The fear within political decision-makers is that OROP, if implemented
in present form, may result in many dragging the government to courts, and may even
create a political crisis. “It is no longer a budgetary concern. The formula to
arrive at Rs 8,300-odd crores has already been approved. The real worries
within South Block are political. Under the present formula, the jawans may
just get about few hundred rupees of increase per month in their present
pensions. This amount, the political class within the present government
believes, is too small to pacify the agitation that has been spread over almost
three decades,” a top Defence Ministry official said.
According to the official, the implementation — which is just short of
being announced any moment, may trigger dissatisfaction and will result in
soldiers dragging the government to courts and become a political issue. Citing
the reason behind the small increase for jawans, the official said: “The
government, in 2009, corrected the pensions of retired armed forces personnel
to parity as per Sixth Central Pay Commission.
The jawans largely benefited out of the correction as the pension
amounts increased. So the gap that earlier existed has largely been bridged. Rs
5000 crore has already been spent on bringing about the parity,” the official
said. According to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) data, OROP — if
implemented in its present form — will ensure an increase of between Rs 525 and
Rs 1,720 to jawans in their monthly pensions by virtue of percentage of their
low basic pensions. Widows will get a hike of Rs 1,500 per month. The officers
are likely to get a per month pension increase between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.
According to sources, UPA too was worried about the political and legal
consequences of these “relatively small” monthly increments after implementing
OROP and had carried out “three rounds of equalisation” to work out a solution.
The MoD official said that so far, the present government, though
committed, has not carried out any such equalisation. Group Captain V K Gandhi,
general secretary, IESM said, “Our present demands have been agreed upon not
only by officers but even by jawans. We are not willing to accept any dilution
in the demands.”
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