Retired jawans to intensify stir for OROP withdrawal

KOHIMA — The All Nagaland Ex-Servicemen Committee on Sunday warned that army personnel would intensify its ongoing stir demanding the withdrawal of One Rank One Pension (OROP) if the Central government does not accept its requests.

In a memorandum addressed to the President of India, Prime Minister of India, Union Defense Minister and Chief Minister of Nagaland submitted through the Governor of Nagaland, the committee said on November 14, 2022, thousands of former servicemen from 24 unions all over the country gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to stage a sit-in for their demands. On February 20, 2023, around 50,000 personnel and 87 unions gathered and demonstrated at Jantar Mantar again, and is continuing till date, it said.

One Rank One Pension

It said the Central Government issued a notification on December 23, 2022, regarding the implementation of OROP. According to the notification, soldiers who have completed colour service and those who have come for premature retirement before July 1, 2014 will be given the benefit of OROP while soldiers who have come for premature retirement after July 1, 2014 will not be given the same benefit.

It said soldiers never get “premature retirement” because their agreement or bond is of 15 + 2 years, and officers’ agreement is up to 58 years; if an officer takes retirement before 58 years, then it is called premature retirement. It therefore, demanded that all the personnel should be given the benefit of OROP.

‘As per the definition of OROP as laid down in the parliamentary committee headed by Shri Koshiyari ji, only jawans deserve to get the OROP,’ it stated.

Honorary ranks

Meanwhile, the committee pointed out that ranks such as honorary naik, honorary havildar, honorary naib subedar, honorary subedar, honorary subedar major, honorary lieutenant, honorary captain, were given as a mark of respect for good service in the Army. It claimed that their pension has not been increased “even a single paisa”.

Moreover, the pensions of subedar and subedar major ranks have also not been increased. Yet, they asserted that the officer, who did not have the right to OROP, has been made “happy” by giving him huge benefits, adding that the unions run by Army officers have not raised their voices “against the injustice done to the jawan this time”.

Towards this, the committee demanded that OROP given to officers in an unfair manner should be stopped immediately and the previous balance of OROP should be withdrawn along with interest and deposited to the government treasury.

Widow pension

Further, the committee stated that ‘as long as a veteran is alive, he does some job with pension and takes care of his children’s education and family’s domestic problems’.

‘But after his death, children’s education including the responsibility of bringing up the whole family falls on the widow of the jawan’, it said.

It maintained that after the demise of the soldier, the widow begins to face difficulties as the pension is reduced to almost half (30%) from the pension received by the jawan, which hurts all dependents of the departed soldier.

The Central government has made a provision for enhancing the rate of family pension for seven years or 67 years of age, it said, adding that is “absolutely incorrect” and “injustice to the jawan”. It demanded that the condition of seven years imposed should be abolished and enhanced rate of family pension should be given till the age of 67 years of the widow.

Further, the committee also reiterated that they are demanding the equalisation of disability pension of officers and soldiers for the last eight years through memorandums.

Hundreds of All Nagaland Ex-Servicemen Committee comprising honorary captains, junior commission officers, non-commission officers, and other ranks of Nagaland marched to the Raj Bhavan in Kohima with placards to submit the memorandum.

Also read: DEF Peren conducts programme on cyber crime