MP lists anomalies in OROP in letter to Defence Minister

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar today wrote to Defence Minister Manohar Parrrikar listing five anomalies that require attention and revision in order to fully implement One Rank One Pension scheme.

He wrote the letter taking note of the terms of reference of one-man judicial committee which stated that it will "examine and make recommendations on references received from the Central government".

The government had on December 14 last year appointed Justice (retd) L Narasimha Reddy as the head of the committee to look into the implementation of OROP.

Chandrasekhar said the initiative was a welcome move. Listing the anomalies, he said equalisation of pensions every five years will bring disparity in pensions and result in senior-ranked officers drawing lesser pension than junior- ranked officers for five years.

He said that fixation of pension as per calendar year 2013 would result in past retirees getting less pension of one increment than the soldier retiring today.

The Rajya Sabha MP said that since OROP was approved in the central budget 2014-15, applicability of the same must be 1st April of the same financial year.

Another issue that he raised was denial of OROP to premature retirees from now on.

It is not desirable that pension entitlements under the pension regulations as per Defence Services Regulations be modified through OROP. "It will create a class within a class giving rise to a situation which may not withstand legal scrutiny," he said.