Monthly Archives: August 2018

Expedite replacement of ageing helicopteR

The death of Lt Col VVB Reddy and his co-pilot Major Jayanth A in a Cheetah crash in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh adds another tragic chapter to the annals of this ageing helicopter. Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions is being cited, prima facie, as the cause of the accident, even as a Court of Inquiry has been ordered. In October last year, the border state had witnessed a Cheetah mishap that claimed the life of the pilot, Lt Col Saurabh Yadav. Unfortunately, such casualties are forgotten in a hurry and accountability is not ensured, even as what has remained vividly in public memory is the 2021 crash of a Mi-17V5 helicopter that killed the then Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat — who had survived a Cheetah accident in 2015.

About 10 Chetak and Cheetah helicopters of the Army, Navy and the IAF have crashed between 2017 and 2022. Regarded as the lifeline of the forces in high-altitude areas, their phaseout or replacement has been beset by a slew of challenges. The Union Government has been showcasing the Cheetah as one of India’s key indigenous defence projects, but the ground reality is that issues pertaining to its serviceability, avionics and navigation system have not been adequately addressed. These lapses have made this helicopter vulnerable to accidents in rough and unpredictable weather. The slow pace of work on the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, has also prompted the deployment of Chetaks and Cheetahs well beyond their shelf life.

A year ago, the government had told Parliament that 42 personnel of the armed forces lost their lives in 45 aircraft and helicopter crashes over a five-year period. These are irreparable losses not only for the tri-services and the families of the deceased but also for the entire nation. The recurring tragedies indicate that aircraft airworthiness and safety are not top priorities. The all-important task of replacing the past-their-prime relics with LUHs should be fast-tracked without fail. The use of advanced warning systems is also a must to reduce the possibility of a crash in inclement weather, particularly in mountainous regions.

PTI

Beijing/Moscow, March 17

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow on a state visit on Monday for crucial talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during which he is expected to pitch for peace talks to end the raging war in Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday that at the invitation of President Putin, President Xi will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22.

Xi’s visit will be seen as a powerful signal of Beijing’s support for Putin in Western capitals, where leaders have grown increasingly wary of the two neighbouring nations’ deepening partnership as war rages in Europe.

It will also be Xi’s first foreign trip since securing an unprecedented third term as president at China’s rubber-stamp Parliament last week.

Answering a spate of questions about whether Xi will promote peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the war, another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told the media: “We always believe political dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and disputes.”  Xi’s visit to Russia comes days after China clinched the Iran-Saudi Arabia peace deal, regarded as a diplomatic coup, aimed at expanding Beijing’s role in world hotspots to end conflicts.

Beijing has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and continues to maintain close political, trade, and military ties with Moscow.

A simultaneous announcement made in Moscow by the Russian government about Xi’s visit said the two leaders will discuss “pressing issues related to the future of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between Russia and China.”  Putin and Xi are also expected to exchange views on ways to enhance Russian-Chinese cooperation on the international stage, Russia’s state-run news agency Tass reported.

The Kremlin press service said “a number of important bilateral documents will be signed” during Xi’s visit.

The announcement on Friday came a day after Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, in which Qin called for peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. 

According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Qin expressed hoped that Ukraine and Russia would keep the door open for dialogue and negotiation, and not close the door to a political settlement.

On his talks with Qi, Kuleba said on Twitter that “we discussed the significance of the principle of territorial integrity. He said he underscored to Qin the importance of instituting Zelenskyy’s “peace formula” for ending the aggression.

Referring to a 12-point position paper issued by China earlier to end the Ukraine conflict, Wang said the document fully lays out China’s “fair and objective position” on the Ukraine issue.

“Fanning flames during the fight and imposing unilateral sanctions will make matters worse,” he said, in a veiled dig at the US and EU’s firm backing of Ukraine.

Asked whether Xi will speak to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the peace deal, Wang said: “China will uphold an objective and fair position on the Ukraine crisis and play a role in promoting talks for peace.”   “China’s position is consistent and clear. We maintain communication with all parties,” he said.

Wang also sought to play down US warnings to China not to supply weapons to Russia, saying China-Russia cooperation is “completely above board and shall be free from disruption or coercion from any third party.”  On the US and the EU criticism of China-Russia relations as an alliance-building a new world order, Wang said: “the China-Russia relationship is based on no alliance, no confrontation and no targeting of any third party.” China is committed to the UN-centred international system and an international order underpinned by international law, he said.

On ending the Ukraine conflict, Wang said China will continue to play a constructive role to work out a political settlement of the crisis.

 In recent years, President Xi and President Putin have maintained close exchanges, charting the course and providing guidance for the sustained and steady development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, he said.

The relations had set a “new model” for major country relations, he said, adding that Xi will have in-depth exchanges with Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of mutual interest as well as jointly develop a blueprint for relations.

The visit would boost strategic cooperation and inject a new impetus in bilateral ties, he said.

The changes unseen in a century are moving at a fast pace and the world has entered a period of instability and turbulence, he said.

China and Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major powers. The significance and influence of the relationship go far beyond the bilateral scope, he said.

“This will be a trip for friendship. It will boost bilateral cooperation across the board,” he said.

In the position paper highlighting its stand on the Ukraine conflict issued last month, China has called for a ceasefire followed by peace talks to end the Ukraine war.

It, however, struck a nuanced stand of respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and legitimate security concerns of Moscow and expressed its firm opposition to the use of nuclear weapons.

Significant points of China’s stand in its position paper were a call for “ceasing hostilities” and global support for the resumption of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the war, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and Moscow’s legitimate security concerns.

Speaking at the parliament session on March 13, Xi sought a bigger role for Beijing in global affairs, days after brokering a Saudi Arabia-Iran deal.

On Wednesday, Xi proposed a Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) calling for respect for the diversity of civilisations at a world political parties conference organised by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

The GCI is in addition to Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by him under which China aims to expand Beijing’s diplomatic role in the world.

On Xi’s visit to Moscow, Feng Yujun, a Russian affairs specialist at Fudan University, said the resolution of Russia-Ukraine conflict is independent of China’s will and capability, but depends on the will of the two countries.

Yang Shu, former director of the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University, said Qin’s conversation with Kuleba signalled a shift towards a more proactive role in the conflict.

“[China’s] promotion of a ceasefire and peace talks has become more positive and clearer,” he told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.  

Amsterdam, March 17

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Friday against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of being responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that its forces have committed atrocities during its one-year invasion of its neighbour.

In its first warrant for Ukraine, the ICC called for Putin’s arrest on suspicion of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier this week Reuters reported that the court was expected to issue warrants.

Separately the court issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on the same charges.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan opened an investigation into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine a year ago. He highlighted during four trips to Ukraine that he was looking at alleged crimes against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure. Reuters

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 17

India is inching closer to having its own missile to tackle low-flying threats from across the Himalayas.

The missile is a part of the very short-range air defence system (VSHORADS) and was tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in two consecutive flight tests on March 14.

The tests have come just two months after the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence, had approved the “need to procure” such missiles. The ‘need to procure’ is termed Acceptance of Necessity and is the first step in the acquisition process.

In the latest flight tests, a ground-based portable launcher was used to fire the missile against high-speed unmanned aerial targets, mimicking approaching and receding aircraft. “The targets were successfully intercepted, meeting all mission objectives,” the Ministry of Defence has said.

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, March 17

After the T5 tunnel was thrown open to traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH) giving respite to the commuters, the National Highways Authority of India and the Ramban administration are working on more bridges, tunnels and flyovers to bypass some of the stretches on the highway infamous for landslides and shooting stones. Opened on Thursday, the T5 tunnel allows the traffic to bypass Panthyal stretch, known for frequent landslides which often halt the vehicular movement.

Another 924-metre tunnel at Kunfer in Ramban, once open, will reduce the travel distance. Work on one of the twin tubes, which will connect Peerah and Chanderkote, is in full swing and is expected to be thrown open by March end or early April. The work on the second tube will start thereafter.

While talking to The Tribune, Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mussarat Islam said that unlike T5 tunnel that would bypass a treacherous stretch, the Kunfer tunnel would reduce the travel distance by eating up almost three km of the NH stretch.

“The travel time on the highway in Ramban will be decreased significantly by next year due to construction of bridges, tunnels and bypasses,” said the DC.

He also informed that to reduce traffic snarls on the Jammu-Srinagar highway which meanders through some of the inhabited areas, two bypasses are also coming up, including Ramban flyover and Banihal bypass in the district. “Both the areas where these are being constructed witness frequent traffic jams as the road is narrow. While two lanes of the 1.6-km Ramban flyover will be thrown open in the second or third week of April, the deadline of 2.8-km Banihal bypass is December 31 this year,” the DC informed.

The NHAI is also constructing a bridge in Dalwas, an area which is a chronic sinking zone on the NH. In March 2020, villagers of Dalwas had to flee their houses after a major chunk of their land came under a landslide and a stretch of the highway was also damaged, causing suspension of traffic.

To ease travelling

Ramban flyover and Banihal bypass: To open in April and December, respectively, these will help travellers bypass traffic jams.https://422a7af765f421860ec5e92075d1d931.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

Dalwas bridge: The NHAI is constructing a bridge in Dalwas , a known sinking zone on the highway that saw a massive landslide in 2020.

Kunfer tunnel: It will reduce almost three km of the stretch for travellers.

Beijing/Moscow, March 17

Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow on a state visit on Monday for crucial talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during which he is expected to pitch for peace talks to end the raging war in Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday that at the invitation of President Putin, President Xi would pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22. Xi’s visit will be seen as a powerful signal of Beijing’s support for Putin in Western capitals, where leaders have grown increasingly wary of the two neighbouring nations’ deepening partnership as war rages in Europe.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court said on Friday it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abduction of children from Ukraine. The court said in a statement that Putin “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”.

It also issued a warrant Friday for the arrest of Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, on similar allegations. — AP/

THE INDIAN EX[RESS NEWSPAPER

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

Two pilots on board a Cheetah helicopter of the Army were killed after it crashed near Bomdila town in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday morning. Lt Col VVB Reddy and Maj Jayanth A did not survive the crash, an Army spokesperson said.

The helicopter was flying an operational sortie near Bomdila when it lost contact with the air traffic controller (ATC) around 9.15 am. A search by five parties of the Army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was launched immediately. The wreckage of the aircraft was found near Banglajaap East village of Mandala. A court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the crash.

For over a decade, efforts to replace the entire fleet of ageing Cheetah helicopters have failed to materialise. The project to procure a light utility helicopter (LUH) is progressing slowly.

The Ministry of Defence placed an order for 15 helicopters and called it “a limited series production”. There is a need for 197 helicopters.

Impediment: Nepal PM Prachanda (right) with Ram Chandra Paudel, who took oath as President earlier this week. The court order regarding long-pending cases of war crimes will haunt Prachanda. Reuters

Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta (retd)

Military Commentator

Fortune favours the brave, they say. Civil war-era (1996-2006) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda displayed high-calibre leadership in orchestrating the insurgency campaign successfully against the state till his commanders fumbled and after India came to assist the Royal Nepal Army in resisting the Maoist challenge.

Shifting from bullet to ballot showed Prachanda’s politico-military acumen that enabled him to win the first post-conflict election. His party captured votes that outnumbered the combined tally of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML.

Inexperienced in hardcore politics, Prachanda’s first term as Prime Minister in 2008 was short-lived as he attempted to subvert institutions of the state. For the next decade, Maoists remained in the wilderness as the No. 3 party after the NC and the UML. Prachanda tried every trick to eclipse his Left rival, former PM KP Oli’s UML, but failed as the Maoist decline was in free fall.

Prachanda got his second term as Prime Minister in a power-sharing arrangement with NC’s Sher Bahadur Deuba in 2016. His presumptive third term remained a mirage as Oli refused to honour a power-sharing pact which led to the collapse of the grand Left alliance and a court intervention that ordered that Deuba be appointed Prime Minister. This restored the Democratic Alliance with Prachanda, repeating the trapeze act in realigning with Deuba.

Last November’s elections saw Maoists retain their kingmaker role, but with their lowest tally ever of 32 seats. But Prachanda claimed that he had the winners of 60 seats on his side. When Deuba dithered over the top job, Prachanda immediately jumped ship to join accidental-friend-eternal-foe Oli to become Prime Minister till the inevitable collapse of the government due to differences over the presidential candidate. Prachanda backed NC candidate Ram Chandra Paudel over Oli’s nominee Subas Nembang; the latter was defeated last week. Prachanda has held on to the Prime Minister’s chair, supported by the Deuba alliance. For Prachanda, politics is war by other means.

The developments underline the determination and desperation of Prachanda and the Maoists to stay relevant and claw back to the position of political vantage. India’s twin-pillar policy of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy changed to mainstreaming the Maoists and democratisation of Nepal.

The modus vivendi emerging now is a more stable and battle-hardened alliance of eight parties: NC, Maoists, Madhav Nepal’s CPN (Unified Socialists that split from the UML), Janata Samajwadi Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party and Rashtriya Janamorcha. The Rashtriya Swatantra Party, which voted for Paudel, will likely join the Deuba alliance once the passport/citizenship cases of its leader, former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, are resolved and he is re-elected. Oli is left with Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which stands for restoration of monarchy. It is not clear how the aspirations of Deuba (to become PM for the sixth time) and his ambitious wife Arzu Rana are to be met.

Sources indicate that Prachanda, Madhav Nepal and Deuba are to take turns as Prime Minister. Nepal has witnessed two Prime Ministers in a government, but never three. But as a seasoned Nepali journalist told me: “This is Nepal, anything can happen.”

What will haunt Prachanda is the recent Supreme Court show-cause notice regarding long-pending cases of war crimes against the Maoists. He will have to reactivate the Commission of Truth & Reconciliation and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons to meet the demands of transitional justice. Last month, while Maoists celebrated the 23rd anniversary of People’s War (many are repudiating this appellation), former King Gyanendra Shah issued a long and jumbled declaration on Democracy Day, urging the government to work with the monarchy and restore ‘Hindu Rashtra’. This year’s call is notably strident as it was made in sync with the rise of the RPP. India’s role in helping the King reclaim his aura and image will be discreet as it is beneficial for the BJP’s and RSS’s vision of a Hindu India.

The Vice-President’s election, for which all but one of four candidates are Madhesis, will be held soon, after which the Election Commission’s embargo on cabinet expansion will be lifted. Prachanda is likely to do it after obtaining the vote of confidence in Parliament. He will then reside in Baluwatar, confidently starting a new innings.

The geopolitical contest between the US and China for space in Nepal is prominently visible. US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland met Prachanda in January and praised him. Other US officials who paid visits after she hit the headlines in the Kathmandu media. Prachanda has been invited to speak virtually at the US Democracy Summit in March-end. China’s new Ambassador Chen Song celebrated the new Left alliance of Oli and Prachanda, meeting both leaders several times till the alliance crumbled, which was a big setback for China.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, who was Ambassador to Nepal till last year, was also in Kathmandu and met various leaders. For a change, Nepalese commentators are saying that unlike the US and China, India did not interfere in the elections; the charge of interference is traditionally levelled against it.

Prachanda has emerged as the winner because he had a clear aim: to be the Prime Minister. The lesson was learnt after the failed battle of Khara (2005), which was the turning point of the civil war and his darkest hour. He has risen from the ashes to become a charismatic leader of Nepal, admired by its youth. Prachanda could be destined to lead for full five years in the interests of Nepal’s stability.

The Term OROP is not well known in public space but is a huge matter of expectations and dream among Armed Forces Pensioners. Since, a bench of Honourable Supreme Court of India, headed by the lordship of a CJI Dr. DY Chandrachud, dealt with the subject matter in detail, it is considered that, it will be appropriate to bring these facts to the kind notice and necessary action at his kind end, as prayed by the Senior Citizen veteran.

An open letter regarding justification of implication of OROP at the present secenerio written by Mr Prabhakaran, an ex-serviceman /defence pensioner is reproduced here . The veteran has sound knowledge on OROP and it is an eye opener with the ground reality of OROP. In his petition, the veteran has critically analyse the OROP Scheme when the tax payers hard earned money is wasted on a manipulated scheme – the so called OROP.

According to the physical evidence, there is no evidence of One Rank One Pension (OROP) prior to 1973.

(i) There is a claim that the One Rank One Pension (OROP) was in vogue to defence personnel, prior to 1973 and the same is not supported by any evidence.

(ii) But, as per available data prior to 1973, the rate of pension of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) who together constitute 92-95% of the total defence pensioners, was 70%, which was reduced to 50% on the recommendations of the third central pay commission. There was also a caveat to it that this rate of pension will apply only if one completes a full service of 33 years.

(iii) The effect of this 20% reduction coupled with the above caveat was so harsh on the NCO community, that, a 33 years old, young soldier who got retired after 15 years of service, received only about 30% of his pay, as pro rata pension. It was a fatal fall from 70% to 30% actual.

(iv) So there was a felt need to take care of this sudden reduction in the pension of NCOs and JCOs in order to keep the moral of these cutting edge soldiers/pensioners high. There arose the demand for, so called OROP.

(v) On the other hand, the pension of the commissioned officers who constitute 5-8% of the total of defence pensioners, was left untouched, by the third CPC.

4. OROP is an inappropriate term, but a deliberately coined phrase

(i) If the OROP scheme is meant to take care of the sudden and shocking reduction in the pension of NCOs and JCOs, then the term OROP is an inappropriate one.

(ii) The term OROP, indeed encompasses and means to include all the defence pensioners, irrespective of their ranks including the Commissioned Officers, who normally retire at 56 – 58 years of age with a spcial provision to continue in service, if they so choose, in the same rank and salary until their actual superannuation. Obviously, the commissioned Officers are not the intended beneficiaries of OROP.

(iii) Therefore this term was deliberately coined to enable the inclusion of commissioned officers, into the scheme. Any other term would have excluded them, because their pension was never reduced at any point of time. Also, they have had no complaint of reduction in their pension unlike NCOs, in 1973.

(iv) As the senior level commissioned officers only used to brief the parliamentarians and other officials connected with the subject, they managed to coin and retain the phrase OROP. They only made us to sit in dharna and participate in relay fast etc. in demand of OROP, by virtue of which, we also have become the party in endorsing the term, unwittingly.They knew that as long as the scheme’s name is OROP, they stand to benefit, by default and if this phrase is changed for any reasons, they are not going to get any benefit. The reason being that they never were the victims of any of the four reasons explained in succeeding paragraphs, for which the OROP was demanded.

(v) If we look back into the history of the so called, OROP, it all began with the idea of mitigating the hardships faced by the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) of all the three wings of the our defence forces, due to the following four reasons:

5. The Primary reasons for demand of OROP

(a) Non-commissioned officers (NCO) reire at a relatively younger age:
the non-commissioned officers are, retired at an young age of 33-38. To quote para 9(iii) of Koshiyari Committee report on OROP, “nearly 85%of armed forces retire at the age of 38 (should be 33-38) 10% retirements take place at the age of 46 (should be 41-46) and remaining 5% retirements happen at the age of 56 to 58”.
The 5% above, amounts to the normal retirement of commissioned officers and may be a micro percentage of Senior NCOs/JCOs. The remaining 95% amount to the retirement of NCOs.

At the age of 33-38 years,the family responsibilities of the retiree, are at its peak, with aged and ailing parents still alive who need financial, physical and emotional support; he, himself married just a few years ago with one or two small kids to take care of; the siblings are yet dependent and still remain unmarried etc.

However the early retirement of jawans is inevitable and essential to make sure that the forces are young, physically strong, so that they are ready to tackle any evil designs of our enemies and remain operationally fit and capable at all times.
To quote further from Koshiyari Committee report on OROP, “Armed forces have to retire early as a matter of policy of Government which causes loss of earnings to them because the benefits given by successive Pay Commissions which could have accrued to them if they were made to retire at the normal retirement age of sixty”.

Your lordship may kindly notice that extending the same benefit to those who retired early at the age of 33 and those who retired 25 years later at the age of 58, by which period two to three pay commissions would have been constituted and pay scales, basic pay and other allowances must have been revised multiple times. The commissioned officers were already enjoying the benefit of retirement close to 60 years of age like their civilian counter-parts and thereby able to avail the benefits given by successive Pay Commissions. How can they again claim to be part of the scheme that is meant to take care of only those who were denied these benefits?

(b) In 1973, NCOs pension was reduced from 70% to 50%, for 33 years of service:
in 1973, on the recommendations of the 3rd pay commission, the pension of NCOs was equated with the central government civilian employees by reducing their then prevailing pension rate of 70% to 50%.

In hindsight, it might be questioned as to why the same was not taken up, then and there, for a suitable remedy? But the military system and ethos never allowed the NCOs to participate in any discussions, deliberations and decision making process. We had no mechanism to redress our grievances although we constituted about 92-95% of the combatant manpower/defence pensioners . The situation remains so even today and likely to continue in future as well. Sir, we donot think that there is an other institution in any democratic country, wherein the decisions are taken not by the majority stakeholders, (accounting 92-95% of the strength) but by the minority officers of 5-8%, except in the case of NCOs of Indian defence forces.

There is another interesting fact. Since we are large in numbers, almost 2.5 million, even very small tweaking or tinkering of our dues will reduce the financial impact substantially. For example, a small reduction of 100 rupees in our pension will reduce the overall financial impact by
Rs. 25 crores per month and 300 crores per annum. It is a huge saving through an easy but an unethical method. Hence there was, perhaps an irresistible tendency to resort to it quite often in order to show the reduced financial impact of any proposal. We were the victims in the hands of our own people who had the opportunity of briefing the Chairmen and members of various pay commissions and other pay related committees/bodies.

(c) No guaranteed lateral entry or re-employment to those who retire young:
even though NCOs are retired when they were young at the age of 33-38 years, there was no guaranteed lateral entry into Para military or police forces, although many pay commissions strongly recommended for it in their reports.

Of course, there is a reservation of 10% group C vacancies and 20% in group D vacancies, in central and state government departments. There are some laxities in implementing these reservation. There is no ESM National Commission like SC&ST National Commission with the same powers to monitor the ESM reservation provisions. As a result, most of the NCOs, especially those who have retired from the army, out of frustration, took up jobs like chowkidars, security guards and watchmen in private housing societies and personal bungalows, for a paltry salary after swallowing their pride and self respect.

(d) Personnel in Border Security Force etc retire on attaining 58/60 years of age:
On the other hand, the NCO level personnel in paramilitary forces like Border Security Forces (BSF) which is akin to armed forces of India and perform nearly the same duties are allowed to serve upto 58/60 years of age.

6. All the above statements can be verified and authenticated from a number of TV debates and discussions that took place during the period of OROP agitation, in which many retired senior officers have participated and articulated their demand of OROP, solely on the basis of the above four grounds. Many articles were also written and published in the leading newspapers, justifying the demand of OROP exclusively on the above grounds. In short, they have kept the guns on the solders of NCOs and fired.
7. Of course there were some passing remarks, stating that the senior officers who had retired years ago are not able to maintain the same standard of living as that of the senior officers who retire now. This is no reason at all and defies logic. How can the government of India be responsible to make sure that the standard of living of two senior officers, one, retired 30 years ago and the other one retiring now, be the same? It sounds impractical. It’s for the retirees to find ways and means to invest the retirement benefits wisely so that they have a comparable standard of living throughout. Therefore this cannot be construed as a valid reason for demanding OROP at all.
8. In order to mitigate the hardship of NCOs, due to all the above adverse situations, initially, Government of India, tried to bridge the gap in the pension of the past pensioners by increasing the weightage of qualifying service, applicable upto the ranks of Havildars, twice in the past. The very fact that NCOs, upto only Havildar and equivalent ranks were considered for bridging the gap, is proof enough that all others were not adversely affected to entail them for such consideration and consequently for the benefit of OROP too.
9. In the meanwhile there was an agitation organized by the Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM), an association of Ex servicemen, at Jantar Mantir. As the agitation gained momentum, the then UPA government hurriedly accepted the OROP demand and allocated a sum of Rs.500 crores for its implementation. Thereafter there was a change of guard in the union government and the government formed by the NDA in May 2014, formally notified OROP on 07/11/2015.
10. This notification resulted in substantial reverse benefit, to those who have served for longer and until superannuation and those who held/promoted to higher ranks. The NCOs who were retired early and young, have hardly got any benefit. This has defeated the very purpose for which OROP was demanded. It, indeed killed the very spirit of the OROP scheme. It benefitted the commissioned officers, who are not the actual indented beneficiaries, with windfall increase in their pensions.
11. Since unintended beneficiaries were included into the scheme, as explained above, there was a huge drain from the public exchequer as well. The burden of footing this unintended expenditure fell on the solders of honest tax paying citizens. Moreover this is a recurring expense and the outlay could keep growing after every five yearly revision. Hence it’s continuation and sustainability itself can become doubtful over a period of time, unless some urgent remedial measures are taken at the earliest.
12. Public money can only be spent wisely and properly for which purpose it was to be spent. Any extravaganza out of public fund is unconstitutional as the constitution of India has an implied and inbuilt provision to ensure government accountability for how and where it spends taxpayer money.
    The maxim that “you cannot spend your way to prosperity” is now widely accepted. Fiscal policies must therefore be embedded in caution than exuberance. In restraint than profligacy.

This very principle was violated when the non eligible Commissioned officers were included in the OROP scheme. On this reason alone the scheme qualifies to be challenged under Public Interest Litigation (PIL) category.

13. Proposed alternate scheme-Early Retirement Equalisation Pension (EREP)

Then there arises a question as to what is the alternate scheme available to ensure that the grievances and hardship, the NCOs are facing due to the four reasons given above, are effectively addressed and redressed in a fair and just manner. At the same time the claim of other pensioners who have retired late and continued in service till superannuation for pension, in proportion to the length of service rendered by them also need to be taken into account, while formulating any alternate scheme and there is no wasteful expenditure from public exchequer so that the scheme is sustainable.

14. This proposed alternate scheme is called Early Retirement Equalisation Pension (EREP). The methodology of the scheme is as detailed below:-
    
    A Sepoy/NCO who retires after 15 years of service will be entitled to 70% of his Last Pay Drawn (LPD), as service pension. This was the rate of pension NCOs were getting prior to 1973. The same shall be reduced by 1.25% for every additional year of service, as computed hereunder:

15 years – 70.00% 24 years – 58.75%
16 years – 68.75% 25 years – 57.50%
17 years – 67.50% 26 years – 56.25%
18 years – 66.25% 27 years – 55.00%
19 years – 65.00% 28 years – 53.75%
20 years – 63.75% 29 years – 52.50%
21 years – 62.50% 30 years – 51.25%
22 years – 61.25% 31 years – 50.00%
23 years – 60.00% & above – 50.00%

The most important feature of EREP scheme is that at no point of time, a senior will draw less pension than the juniors.

15. The EREP scheme will apply equally to both Commissioned officers and NCOs. There is no need for periodic review and there would be lots of saving to public exchequer. While the Last Pay Drawn will be revised on the recommendations of each future pay commissions, the rate of pension as above will remain the same. There will not be any undue benefit or wind fall increase in pension to anyone. There will be an uniformly controlled pension benefit to all. The scheme is more just, scientific and fair. It ensures equity and justice.Its a win-win to all.