TNI Bureau: The Union cabinet finally approved the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ scheme for all ex-servicemen. Around 21 lakh ex-servicemen will get the benefits due to the scheme, which will cost the government about Rs. 2300 crore annually.

As per the scheme, employees with same rank and same period of service irrespective of his date of retirement will get same pension.

The argument in favor of this scheme is that – Military personnel retire at comparatively younger ages unlike the civilian government employees, who retire at 60 years of age. Military personnel retire by rank like, all Jawans retire in their mid 30s, all JCOs in their mid 40s and some officers in their early 50s to keep the armed forces strong and powerful. Only a few of the officers like lieutenant generals serve up to 60 years.

Now, as the date of retirement determines the amount of pension, with each Pay Commission every 10 years, the military veterans who retire early, receive less pension amount as compared to those who retired later with the same rank and length of service. So, OROP was been demanded.

Many of the 23 lakh ex-servicemen had been holding regular rallies and returning their medals as a mark of protest for the last four years to press their demand.

Now, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘bridging of the gap’ between the pensions of the JCOs/ORs who retired before January 1996 and those who superannuated after 1996.

Decisions have also been taken to increase the ‘weightage of qualifying service’ for pension by two years in the ranks of sepoys, naiks and havaldars for both pre and post January 1996 retirees.

The pension of pre-January 1996 retired officers will also be stepped up that are expected to meet the demands of ex-servicemen for OROP, which incidentally has been promised by virtually all political parties over the years.