NEW DELHI: Despite the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilling the four-decade-long demand of One Rank, One Pension by former defence personnel, some unions of the ex-servicemen have decided to continue their agitation.
Even as a faction named the Indian Ex-servicemen League withdrew from the agitation, saying the movement was being politicised, the United Front of Ex-servicemen Movement has decided to hold a mega rally on Saturday, September 12 at Jantar Matar here. The union has seven objections to the OROP scheme announced by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar last weekend.
A union of retired jawans are also holding a rally on September 17, saying their demands were not met. Till the government notification is issued, it is not possible to fix the amount of pension that each soldier would get, as it depends on variables like rank, length of service and year of retirement. However, speaking to some ex-servicemen, Express has tried to draw up a calculation on what One Rank, One Pension would mean for the personnel.
Personnel below Officer Ranks (PBOR) who include Sepoy, Naik, Havaldar, Subedar and Subedar Major, will get a benefit of Rs 2,500-Rs 10,000 depending upon the ranks and length of service as on retirement date.
Jawans, who have a minimum of 17 years of service and who are presently drawing a monthly pension of Rs 5,000-Rs 15,000, will get an additional amount ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000 a month, while for officers, including Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brigadier, the jump will be between 15-20 per cent, which will amount to an increase of Rs 8000-Rs 20,000 a month.
Suppose a Colonel who retired in 1985 was getting Rs 50,000 pension, he will now get around Rs 62,000. A Brigadier with a similar length of service, who also retired in 1985, is entitled to Rs 65,000 pension compared to the earlier Rs 55,000.
