Tribune News Service

Hamirpur/Bilaspur, December 25

Ex-servicemen of Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts are happy with the implementation of “one rank, one pension” (OROP), but want the issue of parity in status with IAS and IPS officers sorted out.However, shrinking job opportunities for ex-servicemen after they are discharged from the service or voluntary retirement is a major issue and as the number of ex-servicemen seeking jobs is much higher than the jobs available.“No doubt, though ex-servicemen have been benefitted financially after the implementation of OROP but the key issue of parity in status with IAS and IPS officers remains to be sorted out,” said Brig BD Dogra.Julfi Ram of Lehri village in Bilaspur, who retired as a Sepoy, said he had received two instalments under “one rank, one pension” in March and August 2016 and was benefited to the tune of Rs 1.13 lakh.Kaur Singh of Domahar village in Ghumarwin, who took retirement as a Subedar, said though the instalments had been received, the revised pension benefits from January 2006 had not been given. “The basic pension was raised to Rs 10,400 after 2006, but I am getting basic pension amounting to Rs 8,425 and in case this anomaly is not rectified, we will have to approach the court”, said Rajender Prasad, who retired as a Havildar in 1996.Two widows of Domahar village, Vyasa Devi wife of Nardev Singh and Parvati Devi wife of Budhi Singh, said they had not received the enhanced pension after the implementation of OROP. “We have not even been told how much pension will be disbursed under OROP,” they said.The ex-servicemen, based in their villages, were not in touch with developments taking place with regard to the implementation of OROP and other issues concerning them. They said a quarterly newsletter should be published and circulated among ex-servicemen to keep them abreast with the latest developments.“While in service we were told that there were so many jobs for ex-servicemen, but the ground reality is different. There are fewer jobs for ex-servicemen and even the Sainik Welfare Boards are not able to do much and we are facing problems in bringing up our children and meeting other liabilities after leaving the Army,” said another ex-serviceman Dyal Singh of Hamirpur.Ranjit Singh, who retired as a Havildar and takes care of the Sainik Welfare Board at Ghumarwin, said there would be difference as the arrears would be decided as per the length of the service but at least the Modi government had fulfilled the promises made to ex-servicemen.