Liberalised pension plan will support wounded or deceased soldier’s family in a better way than existing pension schemes. Will this bring relief to army personnel demanding OROP?

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has taken a decision which is likely to benefit border troops and their families. The first full time female defence minister of India has decided to give liberalised family pension to army personnel working on the Line of Control (LoC) or international border along Pakistan.

The liberalised family pension covers accidental death or sustained injury due to natural calamities such as floods, avalanches, landslides, cyclone, fire and lightening or drowning in river while performing operational duties. It also covers death or injury sustained during movement against enemy forces and armed hostilities in operational area.

The liberalised family pension provides for 100 per cent of last permissible emoluments in comparison to normal family pension which provides for 30 per cent of the last permissible emoluments.

The defence minister has approved that the same benefit of liberalised family pension be extended to army personnel deployed along Line of Actual Control (LAC) along India-China border.

Pension has been a hot topic among the armed forces. Army personnel have been demanding ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) for many years. Still disparity exists in the pensions of army personnel even they are of the same rank. There was a major agitation by the army personnel in 2016 for the demand of One rank One Pension. Defence minister’s latest move might allay the fears of large section of soldiers and senior army officials.