One Rank One Pension: an obligation to be fulfilled
In democracies, bureaucrats with their political masters run the show, and it matters little to them that the nation’s Armed Forces creates conditions to run that show in a secure environment. Democracy means civilian control over Armed Forces, but it is conveniently forgotten that ‘control’ demands including the Armed Forces in the decision matrix on anything that impacts the security of that democracy.
In India an immature political leadership controlled by extra constitutional power centres, has connived with a self-serving bureaucracy to make irresponsible and unaccountable use of the Armed Forces, and keeping them out of the decision matrix, even when military options are discussed. The Indian fauji has no political ambitions and eschews interference in governance at all levels. Concurrently our intelligence community have created a bogey about a military coup, exacerbating the exclusion of valuable military advice in decisions involving India’s security. This is tragic for our young nation, where despite coups all around us, we have a proven apolitical cadre of military personnel.
The disdain for Indian Armed Forces, consistently demonstrated by the politico-bureaucratic-extra constitutional combine, is translated into negation of a justified demand for One Rank One Pension, (OROP).
What has this to do with Pensions?
The Two Truths. The public is ignorant about two vital aspects. First the canard perpetrated by civil servants about military coups in India is neither discussed on TV nor written about in national/regional dailies, thus this travesty of truth remains hidden. Second, military personnel retire at a relative young age around 50 years; their civilian contemporaries retire at 60 years. It is critical that these two truths are stated in electronic & print media both regional and national to educate our population. When the possibility of Armed Forces staging a coup is ridiculed on TV and in print, then the politician cannot accept this theory. Sadly the media has failed the nation and our military in particular, by neglecting this issue.
"...to mistreat and deliberately mismanage the issue of OROP is criminal with serious implications on both external and internal security of India."
Disregard & Disinterest. The so called upper classes, elite, bureaucrats/technocrats/business entrepreneurs/rich professionals couldn’t care less about what the faujis do, what they get, how they manage their affairs and such tiresome issues. When they are safe, secure and successful, the fauj is irrelevant. Whether the material and emotional wherewithal given to the fauji and his family is adequate for maintenance of national security and safety, is far from their minds. They pay taxes and expect the Govt to ensure their security to generate wealth for themselves and India. They are not to be blamed for this indifference, because our politico/bureaucratic/extra-constitutional power centres have encouraged disinterest about matters military.
Year after year no one seeks information about the Defence Budget, whether funds allocated are adequate, justified, commensurate to threats, or wasteful. The public has a very poor understanding of how threat is assessed i.e what are the inputs, who debate and determine the threat, and how it impacts each Indian man, woman and child. It is sadly of no concern to more than 95 percent of Indians. This is the biggest hurdle in the fauji getting anything justifiably due to him.
The 6th Pay Commission, controlled and configured by bureaucrats, has generated avertable bitterness between bureaucrats and military. Pensioner’s protesting across the country, returning medals, rallies, sparse articles in the odd national daily, with some TV exposure has created insignificant awareness, certainly not enough to convince the average Indian, that something is terribly wrong about our fauji’s pensions. Deplorably, no one is bothered. The fauji is not looking for sympathy, he does not need it. He wants the nation to understand why he is asking for OROP, not as a gift but a right.
The disdain for Indian Armed Forces, consistently demonstrated by the politico-bureaucratic-extra constitutional combine, is translated into negation of a justified demand for One Rank One Pension.
A Quick Perspective. Till the 60s, OROP was in vogue as Military Pension, and faujis got 65 percent of last pay because most had to retire in their late 40s/early 50s while civilians got 33 percent since all served up to 58 years. The 3rd PC abolished Military Pensions, reduced it to 50 percent, increased civil pensions to 50 percent, and added a proviso that to earn full pension a govt servant must serve for 33 years. Thus most military men seldom got full pension because very few could serve for 33 years, but the civil servants invariably got full pension because they served till the age of 58, getting them at least 33 years of service.
Look at the perfidy of this rule and the shabby treatment meted out to the Armed Forces? The Supreme Court has already declared that pension is, “delayed wages for services already rendered”. But look at it this way, Colonel Kapur who retired with 24 years of service at the age of 48 years in 1989, must get the same pension as Colonel Ghosh who retires today at the age of 50 years with 24 years of service. Why must Colonel Kapur have to beg for this, he is only seeking justice because he had to retire at a much younger age than his civilian contemporary who joined the IAS at the same time.
The civilian does not retire with only 24 years service at the age of 50 years, he carries on till the age of 60, and crosses that 33 year barrier. Recently the Supreme Court was constrained to rebuke the Govt for “treating soldiers like beggars”. Regrettably our media, so fond of sensationalism, has not cared to take up cudgels for the military, which provides and preserves that freedom of expression the media clamour for.
Enormous Numbers and who is Responsible?
The Numbers Are Staggering. The number of retired Officers and Other Ranks is large. Studies have shown that for every serving man/woman, the number of pensioners will soon double. Big standing Armed Forces is inescapable to defend our land, its coastline, air space and borders. Add to this the burden of keeping military manpower available for, taking over tasks of the para-military, disaster relief, mega national events etc. Looking at the politico-economic-adversarial relationship with our neighbours, the regional inter-se equations and our global ambitions, trimming the Armed Forces is not an option today.
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Who Got Us into This Condition? Who but the civilian leadership of India have brought us to this perilous state? Their acts of commission & omission have created a hostile environment within and around India, making it impossible to drastically decrease the size of our military just to cut the pension bill. So don’t blame the Armed Forces for the number of pensioners. Young men are enticed to join the Armed Forces because there is a pension, which is a big attraction. Our large population ensures multitude applications for few vacancies, and we get a voluntary military force that is exploited to the hilt by civilians, and then aborted like unwanted pregnancies at a young age. How long will this carry on?
So What can be Done and Urgently? To ignore unhappiness among retired military personnel is undesirable, but to brush aside and snub disenchantment among the serving military forces is dangerously foolish. Which is why, even with an unblemished 63 year service record since independence, the equation between the military and civilian masters remains skewed against the military, with great possibility of greater disillusionment within the Armed Forces?
The Indian military leadership has ensured loyalty, integrity and obedience from the rank and file, and will continue to do so. But to expect that leadership to maintain loyalty in the face of gross injustice is challenging the very roots of good military conduct and behaviour. Serving faujis will become pensioners one day, if they have misgivings about fair-mindedness of the system throughout their military service, somewhere, sometime, something will snap. India’s one billion people will not be able to contain the ill effects of such a breakdown. So there is urgency for remedy, clearly, truthfully. We may be running out of time, Indian governance cannot practice brinkmanship with its own Armed Forces.
What Justifies the Military Demanding One Rank One Pension?
Does Honour, Izzat, Life Threatening Occupation Matter? It has been said that izzat, honour, life threatening occupation are irrelevant to pension. Let’s accept it. A recent comment on TV equated the danger to a fire-fighter to that of a soldier fighting terrorists. Ridiculous as it is, one fact is indisputable; the fire does not shoot bullets nor lobs grenades, at the fire-fighter. Further comparison is unnecessary. Notwithstanding the truth that a fauji’s occupational hazard is far severe than all other’s, and he braves those hazards for izzat, camaraderie, and honour of his unit, let’s not consider this factor for granting OROP. It is incomprehensible by non-military persons.
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Wherever these subjects turn to, all of you think and talk about your own benefits. Our civil and military officers, whether retired before or after 2006, get pension which is at least tenfold of that what is earned by 80% of our citizens. When anyone asks you a question on leadership qualities in JCOs and ORs, the evergreen reply is that none other than commissioned officers in military has leadership quality. Though none of you has ever equaled Abdul Hamid's bravery and Anna's shaking and mobilizing of the sentiments of whole nation. Both of them served in other ranks in Indian army. Did any of you try to find out what Havildar Hamid's wife got after his martyrdom? Coup? Yes, all of you can do anything and can not be trusted. India is the place for you bureaucrats, military officers and politicians. All other are third rate people made to work hard for your comforts.
Sir, What is the opinion for pension to Short Service Commissioned Officers? They also serve the Nation and if MPs get pension after a term of 5 years why not Short Service commissioned Officers? Why are we denied ECHS facility? Who recommended such bias against Short Service Commissioned Officers? Certainly not Babus or Politicians. Who denies membership of Ecological Parks and training areas to Short Service commissioned Officers. Again Not Babus or Politicians. Who denied us membership of DSOI New Delhi? Not Babus or Politicans. Who denies Wards of Short Service Commissioned Officers admissions in AWES run organisations (We paid for AOCEF). Certainly Not the Babus or Politicens. Sir in present scnerio SSCOs can boast of Job Without Scams
It is evident that the Armed Forces are going downhill and fast! If these are the reflections of Oficers then imagine the motivation levels of the men. Their status has been lowered so badly in each Pay Comm that clerks and civilian drivers in Cent Govt jobs are placed much above them. This racket of Grade Pay has created a new caste system among the Govt servants. Unfortunately the Faujis are considered Govt servants when it is not benefiicial to them.
A superb article. Let me share my thoughts with you also. My son who was selected for the Army refused to join despite my repeated requests. He said "Papa, If I join the Forces I would be ruinning my life. After my retirement at the age of 48-50 years, my children would not be able to pusue their education any further as I would not be able to pay even their college fees from the meagre amount of pension. In the private sector, I woud be earning much more till the age of 60-65 years. Are you aware about the fees charged by the IITs/ IIMs and Medcal Colleges these days? Can you afford to pay similar kind of fees today from the pension you get ?" I could not give him a convincing answer. May god bless the armed Forces.
Dear Sir, You have nicely put up our requirement but I do not think Government will read this valuable aeticle. If I am not wrong The SC and Defense Tribunal Chandigarh has given orders to central government to implement OROP but they might have found some excuse for this cotempt of court.Please keep on voicing our grievances as you have a very good writing power.
Since a SOLDIER retires relatively very early, he should be compensated by by way of calculating his pension as under :- 50% of (Last Pay Drawn Pending MACP, if any Value of future increments he would have earned till attainment of 60 Yrs of Age). The above arrangement can resolve the issue to the maximum extent.
OROP? Ok fine, you will get it, may be tomorrow or the day after.. but will it bring eternal happiness to the ex-service men tribe? what about the disparity with civilian employees when you are re-employed? what about the regular degradation at the hands of civvies when it comes to seniority, promotion and protocol... you remain a 'jawan' all thru your life and never going to mature into an adult.
There is an issue related to the Officer cadre that often gets neglected in any discussion or write up on OROP. Post AV Singh Phase I, an Officer not in the select rank of Col, would still be entitled to the pension of a Col provided he had been placed in the rank of Col(TS) on completing the requisite years of service. An Officer in the rank of Lt Col or Lt Col(TS) who retired just a month prior to the implementation of AV Singh Phase I would be eligible to the pension of a Lt Col even if he had completed more years of service than the Officer who picked up the Col(TS) rank post AV Singh Phase I. Therefore, there is a need to take this into account. OROP needs to cater for the number of years of service an individual had put in and the pension he would have been entitled to in the rank that he would have attained merely by the length of his service, had he been in service currently.In brief, in the case of pre 16 Dec 2004 retirees in the ranks of Lt Col and Lt Col(TS), the pension applicable under OROP ought to be the one applicable to Col(TS) post 16 Dec 2004, keeping the number of years of service, of course.
An excellent article highlighting the various issues which confronts the dilemma of getting OROP for the Patriots who serve willingly during their years of service in conditions unknown to the average citizen. Much has been said and commented . However in a country like ours where governance is about filling their own coffers and waiting for the next election, the time to act is now. We need to be proactive and there is nothing better than to have the media on our side, galvanise them to understand the problems, have a one on one session(s) with the media CEOs and anchors, indulge in national debates, take the problem to the masses especially the youth. All this can be orchestrated in a carefully worked out plan of action by a dedicated group of people as it has been done so in the past through the print and electronic channels. We need support in achieving our objectives and for that it seems Media is the only answer.
The day may not be very far when all able bodied men will have to compulsorily fulfil the duties of defending the country for one third of their working life. That will be too much of a "price to pay" compared to providing a "respectable pension" to the career soldier so that we remain a country with voluntary military service and not have to conscription for all able bodied men.Compulsorily sharing the burden of the defending the country for all able bodied men for one third of the working life is "too high a price" compared to the decent pension for the career soldier. The country's leadership will have to see the point from this perspective. Every decision maker, every judge who dispenses his judgement on pension should realise that he is deciding the case of a man who saved himself or herself from the "obligation and risk" of serving in the military for one third of his working life! At least for selfish reasons, the decision maker or the dispenser of justice will have to be generous with the career soldier. It is he who saved his/her one third of the working life from being wasted in the military and from the heights of Siachan and possible death from the enemy bullet or shelling if not from the death from biting cold in those heights!A volunteer military assumes a nation's defense burden to an undue measure and to an unfair proportion and this perspective is forgotten in all discussions.
Sir,A very good article. Thanks for posting it.Is the not son of General Bewoor?This is a dying breed. Which General now a days sends his son to the fauj knowing fully well all the disadvantages of the military career? To volunteer to assume the burden of defending the country knowing the totally inadequate compensation (pay for 1/4th of the life and pension for 1/2 of the life) requires a measure of generosity on the part of every parent. When this truth is disseminated to the whole populace, that will be the end of a career military and start of conscription (compulsory military service).Which parent will send their children to the fauj knowing full well the career hazards ? A voluntary military has to depend on volunteers for the input to its ranks. The burden of defending the country falls unfairly and unduly on the shoulders of these volunteers. To make the noble cause of defending the country to fall on a very small percentage of the population who volunteers and I would even say "stupid" enough to volunteer knowing full well the career hazards not just physical and comfort but also disturbed family life for the whole of the career and most importantly the total risk and uncertainty of family financial security for 50% of the person's human life cycle is compelling reason for adequately respectable pension during his declining years! The term OROP ( I hate the person who coined the term), unfortunately, does not adequately capture this element of undue burden.For the civilian counter part, the last 25% percentage of the life which constitutes the retired life is secured because he is assured of a respectable pension because of the long service and late retirement.To base the defence of the country only on people "stupid" enough to join the fauj knowing fully well its gross disadvantages and injustices is to be "foolish" as a nation and "irresponsible" as leaders of the government.
very good article but do you think congress government will do anything for armed forces. The status of our chiefs have been downgraded, CDS is pending in some file, only congress knows how to use our armed forces. Also a piece of advise to our leaders in armed forces, now a days lot of negative reporting in media about corruptions etc. can we overcome this and make examples of people and then give wide publicity of same to over come negative campaign e
AVERY GOOD ARTICLE BEWOOR. BUT LET ME TELL YOU. 995 OF POLITO-BEAURO WONT READ IT AND PROBABLY WILL BE GLEED AT THE FAUJI'S FRUSTATION. SIGNS OF DECAY HAS ALREADY SET IN, WHERE ONCE A PROUD PROFESSION OF THE ROYALS AND THE CLASS HAS BEEN REDUCED TO THE PROFESSION AS A " LAST RESORT" OF THOSE WHO COULD NOT FIND GOOD JOBS OR FOR THOSE AS A STEPPING STONE /MARK TIME FOR BETTER CAREER IN SPAN OF 5 OR 10 YEARS.THE SHORTAGE OF CADETS IN THE IMA EVEN AFTER SCALING DOWN THE SELECTION CRITEREASHOULD HAVE RUFFLED THE PUBLIC/.MEDIA TO ENSURE THE GOVT/OPPS IS JOLTED TO TAKE NOTICE AND ACT. BUT WHY WOULD ANY ONY ACT WHEN THEY ARE SURE THAT THE CHOWKIDARS WILL BLOODY WELL DO THE JOB OR GET SACKED.BUT
Group Captain Anant Bewoor has written an excellent, hard-hitting, calling-a-spade-a-spade article. The IAS babus are the main culprits here. The babus have consistently, deliberately, mischievously, with-a-vengeance been lowering the status, salary