Still Trying...Never say die..on OROP ...Lt Col Inderjit singh

ALL INDIA EX-SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
CHAIRMAN B Sc, p.s.c
Member:
Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies
Ministry of Personnel
Public Grievances & Pensions
Govt of India


Dear Friends,

I have read the newspaper reports as well as the shenanigans of Brig R K Gulia.

The Cabinet Secretary has made the presentation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister a few days back.

Ostensibly they have given modified parity to bridge the gap between old and new pensioners. From what little one could gather from the newspaper clippings and so called submission by our great friend and mentor in Brig R K Gulia, it seems that the report is neither parity nor its modified version. At best it is a half-hearted effort for bridging the gap.

Disturbed by this situation we are trying to repair the damage through the leadership. On 4 Jul. 2009 I had a very useful meeting with the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri and tried to convince him about the futility of the Cabinet Secretary report. I requested him to take matters in his own hands and give us our dues.

His response was very positive. Our efforts would continue till we are able to repair the damage done by the self-seeking NETAS of ex-servicemen. Copy of the letter on the matter given to him is given below.

Sincerely,


Inderjit Singh

COPY OF OUR LETTER TO HONORABLE RAKSHA MANTRI DATED 04 JUNE 2009

Respected Antony Sahib,

During over 30 years of my work for the cause of ex-servicemen, I have always had only the Congress Govt taking up the problems of ex-servicemen seriously and finding an acceptable solution.

2. It was no surprise when the Prime Minister was kind to appoint a Group of Ministers to attend to our one single most important problem of ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) in 2005. They gave us full parity with Fifth Pay Commission Rates. In other words they gave us OROP with Fifth CPC Rates under your Govt only.

3. The Sixth CPC rather then give us full parity with their rates and maintain the established precedence not only consciously changed that but also brought in several other anomalies. The Congress Govt again came to our rescue by appointing various Committees and finally the Committee of the Cabinet Secretary to solve our problems. This Committee has made the presentation with regard to their recommendations to the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

4. As per several newspaper reports they claim to have given a modified parity to bridge the gap between the old and new pensioners.

5. Whatever little information we have, it seems that their award is neither parity nor its modified version. As regards the bridging of the gap is concerned they may have bridged the gap to an extent but failed to utilize the formula that was used for bridging the gap between pre and post 1986 pensioners by the High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC) in 1991, of which The Hon’ble Prime Minister and I were members.

6. The people who had always created the problems for us can never do justice to us as arbiters of our needs. It is the leadership that has to take a decision what they want to give and how they want the SAVIOURS of the Nation to be treated and then give directions for executing their decisions.

7. There are the following possibilities that could do justice to the ex-servicemen and on which you have to take a call:-

(a) The leadership wishes to give OROP. In this case you have a ready solution from the report of the GOM appointed by your Govt in 2005. Their report recommended full parity with Fifth CPC rates. On the basis of that report order full parity with Sixth CPC Report.

(b) The leadership wishes to bridge the gap between old and new pensioners. For this we have the formula that was applied in 1991 by the HLEC of which The Hon’ble Prime Minister and I were members. By this formula we will have Rs. 10-46 less than the current pensioners. This would be acceptable provided it becomes pension increase formula for all future increases in pensions.

(c) The leadership wishes to find another acceptable solution. For this the solution is appointment of another HLEC in which we are represented. We can always come out with an acceptable solution.

8. On the first two solutions the papers exist in the MOD. The third one can be found by the HLEC.

9. May we appeal to you to kindly help the ex-servicemen by solving this one single most irksome problem once for all and win the goodwill for yourself and the party for all times to come.

The Hon’ble
Mr. A. K. Antony
Defence Minister
Govt of India
New Delhi

Sincerely

Inderjit Singh