The decision to implement OROP to ex
servicemen may be a feather in the cap of PM Narendra Modi. But I am sure this
decision is going to open a pandora's box as is evident from the demand made by
the Para military personnel. If their demand is accepted then the state police
forces will come into the picture. And I am sure the list will be endless.
Looking into the whole issue from
their perspective will give a different picture altogether. First let us
consider the demand of the ex servicemen itself and the scheme announced by the
govt. The scheme of pension itself envisages payment of a certain percentage of
the last drawn salary for the sustenance of the person during the retirement
days. The very words “last drawn salary” will mean different amounts for
different people at different points of time. For example a colonel retiring in
2015 after being in the grade for , say, 10 years may be drawing a salary different
from another colonel retiring on the same date but with a shorter stay in the
grade. How can both draw the same pension on retirement? Similarly the last
drawn salary of a person retiring in 2015 will be definitely different from the
salary drawn by another office of the same rank who will retire on a future
date. Even though the scheme talks about
“persons in the same rank with same length of service” I am sure this will lead
to lot of disparities.
Now let us consider the “patriotism”
angle, based on which the demand for OROP has been supported by many. I, for
one, do not believe that all those serving I the military have joined the
forces purely out of patriotism and zeal for protecting the country. I am sure,
99% of those in the service might have joined the force as a career option
considering the benefits available and once you join the patriotism angle might
come in. After completion of my education, I was also keen to join the forces
as a commissioned officer, as I loved the discipline prevailing in the forces
and the status a commissioned officer commanded. However, my father who was a
Junior Commissioned Officer in the Army dissuaded form joining saying that the
life there was not as rosy it appeared from outside. Subsequently, I opted for
a banking career and retired from there. While in the Banking Service I
commanded a different kind of respect among staff and customers, which a
military official would definitely miss. And how many of the military personnel
have seen the country’s borders and then how can we equate all those in the
military as safeguarding the borders of our country and hence deserving a
better treatment? If at all they have been put into any discomfort because of
the postings, they have been suitably compensated for the same at that material
point of time itself. After enjoying all those benefits (free ration,
concessions for travel, the canteen facility which continues even after
retirement etc) I do not think there is any ground for bargaining for the OROP.
And in what way the para military force (Border Security Force, ITBP etc)
inferior to the military in the safeguarding of the country’s borders? So don’t
they also deserve a similar treatment? The argument that the military personnel
retire early as the military wants to remain young and hence they deserve a
better treatment also does not hold much water. The early retirees get the job
reservation facility in government jobs where many of them get re employed
taking advantage of this facility and earn the salary plus the pension from
military service. And those of these ex servicemen who complete the minimum
pensionable service in the new job becomes eligible to draw a pension from the
new employer also in addition to the military pension. So where is the need for
ORPO for such personnel?
If we consider other services, which
service has to be considered inferior in patriotism? Aren’t the teachers
grooming the younger ones to take up the assignments even in the military doing
a patriotic duty in a different sense? So don’t they too be considered on the
same footing and the facility extended to them?
The Banking sector in India is
playing a yeomen role in the financial stability of the country, helping the
military personnel to send in their funds to their family back home etc. So,
aren’t they also doing a patriotic job by supporting the military personnel.
Don’t they deserve a similar treatment? We can extend this logic to any service
and demand similar treatment.
A practical solution would have been
to periodically increase the dearness allowances payable to the retirees in
tune with the cost of living to enable them to lead a comfortable life even
after the retirement, or at least refix the basic pension payable when a salary
revision takes place for the serving
personnel.
I am sure there will be many who
will concur with my views, which, I expect, will be reflected through responses
to this.
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