OROP

The bench further added in three equal instalments by February 28, 2024, the dues should be paid to the remaining 10-11 lakh pensioners

Reducing the time limit to February 28, 2024, the SC bench headed by CJI Chandrachud gave the schedule for payment of arrears to different groups of pensioners under the OROP scheme

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to accept the Centre's sealed cover note about its views on the payment of One Rank One Pension (OROP) arrears to ex-service personnel. We need to put an end to this sealed cover practice in the Supreme Court... This is fundamentally contrary to basic process of fair justice, said a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala. I am personally averse to sealed covers. There has to be transparency in court... This is about implementing orders. What can be secret here, the CJI said. The bench is currently hearing the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement's (IESM) plea over payment of OROP dues. The top court, on March 13, came down heavily on the government for "unilaterally" deciding to pay OROP dues in four instalments. The defence ministry has recently filed an affidavit and a compliance note in the top court, giving the time schedule for payment of the arrears of Rs 28,000 crore to ex-servicemen for years 2019-2

The Supreme Court on Monday said the Ministry of Defence cannot take law in its own hands by issuing a communication "unilaterally" that One Rank-One Pension (OROP) arrears to pensioners of the armed forces will be paid in four installments and sought a payment plan by March 20. Noting that over four lakh pensioners have died since the OROP litigation started in 2016, the court also asked the defence ministry to immediately withdraw its communication and told Attorney General R Venkataramani to prepare a note giving details of the quantum of payment to be paid, the modalities to be adopted and what's the priority segment. The January 20, 2023 communication had said the OROP arrears will be paid in four equal installments to ex-servicemen. The court observed that the defence ministry's January 20 communication was "directly contrary" to its verdict on March 16, 2022 that had directed payment of complete arrears within three months and it cannot unilaterally say it will pay OROP arrear

A group of ex-servicemen moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre that arrears of the One Rank-One Pension scheme be paid to all eligible pensioners in one installment instead of four installments. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala is scheduled to take up the application filed by Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) through advocate Balaji Srinivasan for hearing on February 27. The military veterans association has also sought the setting aside of the Centre's communication dated January 20, 2023 issued by the Ministry of Defence. The communication had said that "arrears on account of revision of pension from July 1, 2019 till date of its implementation shall be paid by the Pension Disbursing Agencies in four yearly installments. However, all the family pensioners including those in receipt of special/liberalized family pension and all gallantry award winners shall be paid arrears in one installment". The ex-servicem

The Budget marked an increase in the allotment for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) with Budget Estimates of Rs 5,431.56 crore in FY 2023-24 as against Rs 3,582.51 crore in FY 2022-23

Work of tabulating 2.5 million pensioners completed, attorney general tells court

An organisation of ex-servicemen on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the government's approval of the revision of pension of armed forces personnel under the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the government made financial provisions for the "equalisation" as per its communication in 2015, and this is very laudable, the Akhil Bhartiya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad said in a statement. "We ex-service personnel are overwhelmed by the prime minister's affection for and trust in us," it added. The decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Modi last week will result in an additional annual expenditure of Rs 8,450 crore, according to the defence ministry. It will benefit more than 25 lakh pensioners.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that his government is committed to the welfare of armed forces personnel, after the Union Cabinet approved revision of pension of ex-servicemen under the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019. The decision will benefit around 25 lakh pensioners. "Our military, engaged in the service of the nation, is a symbol of people's pride. Our government is committed to their welfare. Keeping this in mind, the Union Cabinet has approved pension revision under OROP for ex-servicemen and their families," Modi said in a tweet. The decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Modi will result in an additional annual expenditure of Rs 8,450 crore, according to the defence ministry. It said Rs 23,638 crore will be paid as arrears to the pensioners from July 2019 to June 2022. On the Cabinet decision to provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore people for one year under the National

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved revision of the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme for defence personnel and family pensioners, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said. It will lead to enhanced pension according to the OROP proposal, he said. The benefit would also be extended to family pensioners, including war widows and disabled pensioners, the government's official spokesperson tweeted after Thakur announced the Cabinet decision at a press conference.

States cannot afford a return to the old system

The 50th Chief Justice, who will have a two-year tenure, has authored the verdicts or dissenting opinions in some landmark cases

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking review of its order upholding the One Rank-One Pension principle adopted by the Centre in its 2015 communication issued to the Chiefs of 3 defence forces

Recruitment reform should have been handled carefully

TMS Ep151: Inflation and monsoon, Museum of PMs, IT stocks, OROP

Will monsoon provide some relief from inflation woes? What can visitors expect to see at the new PMs' Museum? Will the IT stocks underperform from here on? What is OROP? Find all answers here

What is One Rank, One Pension?

The Supreme Court on March 16th upheld the 'one rank, one pension' scheme launched in 2015 and declined to interfere with the policy. Our next report takes a deep dive into the scheme

Due to a contraction in the economy, defence spend as a share of GDP has risen in the first half of this year, touching the mark of 2%

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the One Rank One Pension scheme for armed forces veterans was a historic step to ensure the well-being of our soldiers

The central government has disbursed more than Rs 42,700 crore to 2.06 million retired defence personnel under the OROP scheme, which was notified five years ago, the Defence Ministry said

Army planners are increasingly worried about this drain on funds that could otherwise go towards equipment modernisation