Orop

Will not accept recommendations on pension hike by 10% in OROP: Govt to SC

The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it has decided not to accept recommendations for enhancing pension by 10 per cent to retired regular captains of the Army in accordance with the One Rank One Pension scheme (OROP). A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and justices Sanjay Kumar and Manmohan was apprised about the non-acceptance of recommendations on pension hike by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the Centre. The top court was hearing an appeal of the Centre challenging an order of December 7, 2021 of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) at Kochi. According to the AFT order, the central government was to take a decision on the pension payable to the retired regular captains. "We have made a decision and we have not accepted the recommendations," the ASG said. The bench then asked the counsel appearing for retired Army captains including M Gopalan Nair, who are fighting for enhanced pension, to challenge the non-acceptance of

OROP key step towards reaffirming nation's gratitude to its heroes: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the implementation of 'one rank one pension' for veterans was a significant step towards reaffirming the nation's gratitude to its heroes. In posts on X, he noted that the scheme, a promise of the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, was implemented on this day. His government took the decision to implement OROP by issuing an order on November 7, 2015, making its benefits effective from July 1, 2014. "It would make you all happy that over the decade, lakhs of pensioners and pensioner families have benefitted from this landmark initiative. Beyond the numbers, OROP represents the government's commitment to the well-being of our armed forces," he said. The prime minister said his government will always do everything possible to strengthen the armed forces and further the welfare of those who serve the nation. He said the execution of OROP was a tribute to the courage and sacrifices of veterans and ex-service personnel who dedicate th

Congress didn't allow OROP, it got implemented by Modi govt: PM in UP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing the party of not allowing the soldiers to get 'One Rank, One Pension'. At an election rally in Ghazipur, he said, "The Congress had the expertise of delaying works and snatching rights. They did not allow our jawans get 'One Rank, One Pension'. It was implemented when Modi came (to power)." Asserting that Ghazipur tells the tales of valour and bravery, Modi said, "Ghazipur and Gamhar village -- the names are enough as brave soldiers emerge from every house. Has any place other than Ghazipur have this honour? The entire country is indebted to this land." Attacking the opposition, the prime minister said, "Leaders of the 'parivarvadi' (dynastic) parties kept on building palace after palace. But, the poor, farmers, labourers and Dalits were deprived and they struggled to meet their small needs." Taking a dig at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Modi said, "SP's 'shahzade' (prince)

PM Modi has completed impossible-looking tasks like Article 370, OROP: Shah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed all impossible-looking tasks, be it the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, or the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP), Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said. Shah, a Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar, made the remarks on Thursday after virtually attending a Gujarat government event for the launch of various projects. He inaugurated or performed ground breaking for projects costing Rs 3,012 crore in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. Unlike past Congress governments, all these developmental works will be finished in time. Of all the projects for which I performed ground breaking in the last five years, 91 per cent have been completed. This is BJP's work culture," Shah said in his virtual address from Delhi. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the BJP's poll manifesto featured several unfinished works that were pending for nearly 50 years or more, the Union Home Minister .

Defence ministry to release 3rd instalment of OROP pay before Diwali

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court asked the government to clear OROP arrears in three equal instalments by February 28, 2024.

Cong kept Rs 500 cr for OROP, we gave Rs 70,000 cr to ex-servicemen: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of dragging its feet on implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence forces and said it was his government that executed the policy and has so far deposited Rs 70,000 crore into the bank accounts of eligible retired personnel. The PM said his government opened the doors of Sainik Schools for girls and facilitated the deployment of women officers in forward areas. The Congress did not fulfil the demand for OROP implementation and earmarked just Rs 500 crore for it despite knowing well that the amount was very less. When the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, it fulfilled the long-pending demand of ex-servicemen and so far, the government has paid Rs 70,000 crore to them under the scheme, Modi maintained. OROP means soldiers of the same rank and the same length of service get the same pension, irrespective of their retirement date. The BJP's star campaigner was addressing a public meeting in

Ex-serviceman dies during hunger strike in Uttarakhand's Chamoli

A 56-year-old ex-serviceman who was sitting on a day-long hunger strike as part of a group to demand benefits under the 'One Rank, One Pension' died at the protest site here on Sunday, police said. Shiv Singh Bisht was sitting on a one-day hunger strike with fellow ex-service personnel at the district magistrate's office in Chamoli. According to information from the office of the Superintendent of Police (Chamoli), Bisht's health deteriorated during the hunger strike and meeting on the Collectorate premises. He was taken to the district hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the police said. Ex-service personnel have been agitating to press for their 16-point list of demands, including the 'One Rank, One Pension'. Virendra Singh, president of the Chamoli District Ex-Servicemen League Organization, said Bisht's death was a sad incident for his family and the organisation.

Clear all 'One Rank One Pension' dues by Feb 28 next year: SC tells Centre

The bench further added in three equal instalments by February 28, 2024, the dues should be paid to the remaining 10-11 lakh pensioners

Supreme Court fixes deadline to pay Rs 28k crore arrears under OROP scheme

Reducing the time limit to February 28, 2024, the SC bench headed by CJI Chandrachud gave the schedule for payment of arrears to different groups of pensioners under the OROP scheme

SC refuses to accept Centre's sealed cover note on payment of OROP dues

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to accept the Centre's sealed cover note about its views on the payment of One Rank One Pension (OROP) arrears to ex-service personnel. We need to put an end to this sealed cover practice in the Supreme Court... This is fundamentally contrary to basic process of fair justice, said a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala. I am personally averse to sealed covers. There has to be transparency in court... This is about implementing orders. What can be secret here, the CJI said. The bench is currently hearing the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement's (IESM) plea over payment of OROP dues. The top court, on March 13, came down heavily on the government for "unilaterally" deciding to pay OROP dues in four instalments. The defence ministry has recently filed an affidavit and a compliance note in the top court, giving the time schedule for payment of the arrears of Rs 28,000 crore to ex-servicemen for years 2019-2

Defence min cannot take law in its own hands on OROP arrears, says SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said the Ministry of Defence cannot take law in its own hands by issuing a communication "unilaterally" that One Rank-One Pension (OROP) arrears to pensioners of the armed forces will be paid in four installments and sought a payment plan by March 20. Noting that over four lakh pensioners have died since the OROP litigation started in 2016, the court also asked the defence ministry to immediately withdraw its communication and told Attorney General R Venkataramani to prepare a note giving details of the quantum of payment to be paid, the modalities to be adopted and what's the priority segment. The January 20, 2023 communication had said the OROP arrears will be paid in four equal installments to ex-servicemen. The court observed that the defence ministry's January 20 communication was "directly contrary" to its verdict on March 16, 2022 that had directed payment of complete arrears within three months and it cannot unilaterally say it will pay OROP arrear

SC to hear plea by ex-servicemen for payment of OROP arrears in one go

A group of ex-servicemen moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre that arrears of the One Rank-One Pension scheme be paid to all eligible pensioners in one installment instead of four installments. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala is scheduled to take up the application filed by Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) through advocate Balaji Srinivasan for hearing on February 27. The military veterans association has also sought the setting aside of the Centre's communication dated January 20, 2023 issued by the Ministry of Defence. The communication had said that "arrears on account of revision of pension from July 1, 2019 till date of its implementation shall be paid by the Pension Disbursing Agencies in four yearly installments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of special/liberalized family pension and all gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one installment". The ex-servicem

Union Budget: Rs 28,138 cr allocated to meet requirements for OROP scheme

The Budget marked an increase in the allotment for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) with Budget Estimates of Rs 5,431.56 crore in FY 2023-24 as against Rs 3,582.51 crore in FY 2022-23

Supreme Court asks Centre to pay arrears under OROP till March 15

Work of tabulating 2.5 million pensioners completed, attorney general tells court

Ex-servicemen body praises PM Modi for pension revision under OROP

An organisation of ex-servicemen on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the government's approval of the revision of pension of armed forces personnel under the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the government made financial provisions for the "equalisation" as per its communication in 2015, and this is very laudable, the Akhil Bhartiya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad said in a statement. "We ex-service personnel are overwhelmed by the prime minister's affection for and trust in us," it added. The decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Modi last week will result in an additional annual expenditure of Rs 8,450 crore, according to the defence ministry. It will benefit more than 25 lakh pensioners.

Govt committed to welfare of armed forces personnel: PM Modi on OROP scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that his government is committed to the welfare of armed forces personnel, after the Union Cabinet approved revision of pension of ex-servicemen under the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019. The decision will benefit around 25 lakh pensioners. "Our military, engaged in the service of the nation, is a symbol of people's pride. Our government is committed to their welfare. Keeping this in mind, the Union Cabinet has approved pension revision under OROP for ex-servicemen and their families," Modi said in a tweet. The decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Modi will result in an additional annual expenditure of Rs 8,450 crore, according to the defence ministry. It said Rs 23,638 crore will be paid as arrears to the pensioners from July 2019 to June 2022. On the Cabinet decision to provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore people for one year under the National

Union Cabinet revises OROP for defence personnel, family pensioners

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved revision of the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme for defence personnel and family pensioners, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said. It will lead to enhanced pension according to the OROP proposal, he said. The benefit would also be extended to family pensioners, including war widows and disabled pensioners, the government's official spokesperson tweeted after Thakur announced the Cabinet decision at a press conference.

Politics over pension

States cannot afford a return to the old system

New CJI: Here are some significant cases Justice Chandrachud was part of

The 50th Chief Justice, who will have a two-year tenure, has authored the verdicts or dissenting opinions in some landmark cases

SC dismisses review plea against judgment on One Rank-One Pension

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking review of its order upholding the One Rank-One Pension principle adopted by the Centre in its 2015 communication issued to the Chiefs of 3 defence forces