Saturday 23 August 2014

Governing Council Meeting Held on 21 Aug 2014

ALL INDIA EX SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION

aiewa_association@rediffmail.com
Web site :
www.aiewa.org
Blog : aiewa.blogspot.in
(We Were THIRTY YEARS YOUNG On 21 Nov 2011)

M 35 Palika Bhawan,
RK Puram, Sector 13,
New Delhi 110066.
Ph :011 26110710
Fax :011 241O6144
21 Aug 2014

Dear Friends

We had our Governing Council meeting on 21 Aug. All the members were deeply disturbed to know what was going on about OROP. In anguish they passed a RESOLUTION and desired that I conveyed their feelings to the Hon'ble PM, so that he takes timely corrective action to avert this impending disaster.

What we have on mind is that we try all means to meet up with the authorities and try to have it implemented by 31 Dec 2014. If it does not, then we prepare for making more sacrifices to win the leadership over for granting us OROP. For this our members would undertake indefinite fast starting end of Feb 2015. The program would be a repeat of 1987, when our fast lasted 17 days and was ended on the direct intervention of the Hon'ble PM himself.
The RESOLUTION and the letter to the PM follow. Also given below is the paper distributed to members, giving in simple words the situation that prevails today.

We invite all Veterans Organizations to join up and make this a final push. Depending upon your response we will proceed further.

Regards

Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
Mob : 09811007629

=============================

LETTER TO THE HON'BLE PRIME MINISTER DATED 21 AUG 2014



Respected Narendra Bhai Saheb,

You were very kind to promise to fulfill the long standing demand of OROP of Veterans on coming to power. Your first action to restate your commitment by the President during the Joint Session of Parliament was very reassuring. Hearing that, the bureaucrats who have successfully stalled its implementation for over 33 years, got into action again.

In our Governing Council Meeting held in Delhi on 21 Aug the present position with regard to grant of OROP was explained.

It was a matter of deep shock for all present to know that despite your commitment the Bureaucrats are out to deny us our rightful due. They were in agony to know what was going on and then went on to pass the attached RESOLUTION which they wanted me to convey to you so that you could take preventive action to ward off this disastrous situation.

Many volunteers got up to make supreme sacrifice if the OROP did not come through even with a leader like you at the helm. We have no doubt that you will not let this happen.

With warmest regards and best wishes

Yours Sincerely
Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd)
Chairman
Mob : 09811007629
Copy to :-
The Hon’ble
Sh. Arun Jaitley
Defence Minister
Govt of India
South Block
New Delhi – 110011

The Hon’ble
Sh. Rao Inderjit Singh
Raksha Rajya Mantri
New Delhi -110011

Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag,
PVSM,UYSM,AVSM,VSM,ADC
Chief of Army Staff
Integrated HQ of MoD
New Delhi-110011

Admiral RK Dhowan,
PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC,
Chief of the Naval Staff
Integrated HQs of Armed Forces (Navy)
South Block, New Delhi-110011

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
Chief of the Air Staff
Indian Air Force
Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi 110011

================================

GRANT OF ONE RANK ONE PENSION

RESOLUTION

GENERAL

Past History

We have been struggling for the last 33 years for the grant of ONE RANK ONE PENSION (OROP) for Veterans. Down the line five Prime Ministers starting with Indiraji had accepted to give it. All their benign gestures to grant the Veterans their rightful dues were however frustrated by the hostile bureaucracy.

Recent Commitments

Now the Sixth Prime Minister had announced its acceptance in the Parliament on 17 Feb 2014. The seventh Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi had given his commitment even before he assumed the charge. After assuming charge he reiterated his commitment through Presidential address to the joint session of the Parliament.

Bureaucratic Opposition

The bureaucrats are out to frustrate the commitment of Sh Narendra Modi also. They first produced their own version of OROP, which was rejected with the contempt it deserved. When they were given the correct definition, they worked out Rs 9100.00 crore as expenditure to scare the leadership into reneging from their commitment.

Parting Shot

A delegation of Veterans met the Hon'ble RM on 16 Jul 2014. After the meeting when they were leaving, as a parting shot, the Hon'ble RM told them that they should lower their expectations. In other words we should not hope to get true version of OROP. A time has come when unless the Hon'ble PM takes appropriate action he was also likely to fail as his illustrious predecessors.

RESOLUTION

We therefore unanimously resolve to appeal to Sh Narendra Modi our respected Prime Minister, 
(a) to take matters in his own hands and fulfill his promises made at Rewari to grant OROP to the Veterans on coming to power, as the Bureaucrats who have short changed us for the last thirty three years are not going to let it happen so easily;
(b) we further submit that we shall be waiting for its implementation until 31 Dec 2014. If it does not come through we shall know that the Hon'ble Prime Minister, our respected leader, is not satisfied with the sacrifices already made by the veterans for the Nation. We shall then make a few more with the hope that he would be won over into fulfilling his promises.

CONCLUSION
During recent Elections wherever the Hon'ble PM went, he asked the public whether the previous Govt fulfilled their promises to them? When the public answered NO, he told them to throw the Govt out , which they did with a vengeance unheard of before. We are sure that the dedicated and effective leader that he is, he would not allow the bureaucrats to land him in similar situation.

( Lt Col Inderjit Singh (Retd) )
Chairman
Mob : 09811007629
===============================

HAND OUT GIVEN TO MEMBERS

OROP

OROP Sanctioned

We have been seeking the grant of OROP ever since 1982 when we put this up to Smt Indiraji first time ever. Thereafter we got this approved by last five Prime Ministers which included Sh Rajiv Gandhi, Sh VP Singh, Sh Narasimha Rao, Sh IK Gujral, Sh Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

After a meeting of Lt Col Inderjit Singh Chairman with the leadership on 14 Feb 2014 the Sixth PM finally announced its acceptance on 17 Feb 2014. The Govt appointed a committee to work out the award so that it could be implemented before the elections were declared. In Apr a meeting of this Committee was held in which MOD produced their version of OROP, which was rejected by the Services. They then asked the Services to put up their own proposal. The Services HQs produced a Draft Government Letter (DGL) which has been in circulation for quite some time now.

On 12 Jun the three Services Chiefs presented this proposal to the Raksha Mantri. The MOD did not agree with it and to mislead the leadership they stated that the expenditure would be Rs 9100 crores.

With both sides disagreeing with the other the problem is stuck. A few days back a delegation of the veterans led by Gen VK Singh met the RM for moving the matters. After listening to them and before the delegation left he very clearly told them that they should "tone down their expectations". This in other words means that the Govt is not going to give full OROP.

This is where the matter rests today.

CABINET SECRETARY'S AWARD

In Sep 2012 the Cabinet Secretary's Committee increased the Veterans pensions that fell far short of OROP. Whatever was given was made applicable wef 24 Sep 2012 and not from 01 01 2006. These orders have been implemented to a large extent already. Those who have not received will also receive soon enough.

Not satisfied with this decision a case was filed by some organization for making this applicable wef 01 01 2006, which has been won by the pensioners.

LIKELY PAYMENT OF OUR DUES

As a result of various orders we are to get the following:-

a) Cabinet Secretary's award effective from 24 Sep 2012. This is in the process of disbursement. Many of us have already got it. Remaining will get it soon.

b) Cabinet secretary's award wef 01 01 2006. The Court has allowed this and sooner or later the Govt will have to pay.

c) Award as a result of implementation of OROP. This will be effective from 01 Apr 2014 and will be paid after the Govt issues orders.


Capt UR Nikam (Retd)
Vice Chairman

1 comment:

  1. Sir, I am an EX-SM and working as an Inspector of Central Excise & Customs, Bhubaneswar. Recently, I opted for Inter-Commissionerate transfer to Ranchi Zone(My home town) on the ground of being an ex-servicemen, but my request has not been entertained by the authority stating that there is no any separarate policy carved for the EX-SM. However the similar cases of new recruits have been considered on other grounds. It rely hurts me that out concern is not beig given any heed whereas our case is just different and there should be certain govt. policy tht gives priority to the EXSM on such issue given that we spend most of our valuable time in far off places and that to in very tough condition. I would like to urge you through this platform to raise such serious issue on the appropriate forum. Also, if anyone having any information on such matter, my kindly email me on " pradhan.manoj23@gmail.com". It would be of great help. Tks.

    ReplyDelete