One Rank One Pension – Enhancement of Ordinary Family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners: OROP Order

One Rank One Pension – Implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries 2012 on the issues related to Defence Service Personnel and Ex-Servicemen

Following representations from Armed forces Personnel and Ex-servicemen for implementing One Rank One Pension Government constituted a Committee of Secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary to consider various issues on pension of Armed Forces personnel and Ex-Servicemen. After examining various factors relate to Armed force Personnel and ex-servicemen, the committee submitted its report. On this basis, Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence has issued various Orders for improving Defence Pension.

Out of those Orders, the full text of order dated No. I (14)/2012/D(Pen/Policy) 17.01.2013 for Enhancement of Ordinary Family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners. is given below

No. I (14)/2012/D(Pen/Policy)

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

New Delhi, Dated 17th January’ 2013

To
The Chief of the Army Staff,
The Chief of the Naval Staff,
The Chief of the Air Staff,

Subject: – Implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries 2012 on the issues related to Defence Service Personnel and Ex-Servicemen – Enhancement of Ordinary Family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners.

Sir,

The under signed is directed to refer to this Ministry’s letter No. 17(4)/2008(1)/ D(Pen/Policy) dated 11.11.2008 as amended, issued for implementation of Government decision on the recommendations of the Sixth CPC for revision of pension/family pension in respect of pre-2006 Armed Forces pensioners/family pensioners. As per provisions contained in Para 5 of above saidletter dated 11.11.2008, with effect from 1.1.2006 revised ordinary family pension of all pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners determined in terms of fitment formula laid down in Para 4.1 therein, shall in no case be lower than thirty percent of the minimum of the pay in the pay band plus the Grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired/discharged/invalided out/died including Military Service Pay and ‘X’ Group Pay, where applicable. Accordingly, rates of minimum guaranteed ordinary family pension for JCO/OR were notified under Annexure-III (Revised) of this Ministry’s letter No 17(3)/2010/D(Pen/Policy) dated 15.11.2010.

2. In order to consider various issues on pension of Armed Forces personnel and Ex-Servicemen, the Government had constituted a Committee of Secretaries headed by Cabinet Secretary. The Committee in its Report have recommended that the minimum guaranteed ordinary family pension of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners should be determined with reference to minimum of the fitment table for the rank in the revised pay structure issued for implementation of recommendations of Sixth CPC instead of the minimum of the pay band and also a linkage should be established in the rate of the family pension with the pension of JCO/OR.

3. The above recommendation of the Committee has been accepted by the Government and the President is pleased to decide that with effect from 24.09.2012 the minimum guaranteed ordinary family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR including honorary Commissioned officers and Non Combatants (Enrolled) of Army, Navy, Air Force, DSC & TA family pensioners shall be determined as thirty percent of the minimum of the fitment table for the rank in the revised pay band as indicated under fitment tables annexed with SAI 1/S/2008 as amended and equivalent instructions for Navy & Air Force, plus the Grade pay corresponding to the pre-revised scale from which the pensioner had retired/discharged/invalided out/died including Military Service Pay and ‘X’ Group pay, wherever applicable.

4. The President is also pleased to decide that to establish linkage in the rates of ordinary family pension with pension of JCO/OR, the revised service pension/special pension/invalid pension as the case may be, shall be determined in terms of this Ministry’s letter No 1(13)/2012/D(Pen/Pol) dated 17.01.2013 on notional basis taking into consideration the rank, group, length of service and nature of award sanctioned to the deceased JCO/OR pensioner. Similar entitlement should also be determined in cases of JCO/OR died while in service. The rates of enhanced rate and normal rate of Ordinary family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners including honorary Commissioned Officers and Non Combatants (Enrolled), shall be worked out as 100% and 60% respectively of the revised notional pension determined as per above provisions.

4.1 With effect from 24.09.2012, the enhanced rate and normal rate of Ordinary family pension to pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners shall be granted on the basis of family pension worked out as per the formulation at Para 4 above or the minimum guaranteed pension determined as per the provisions contained in Para 3 above, whichever is more beneficial.

5. All other terms and conditions for revision of family pension in respect of pre-2006 Armed Forces family pensioners drawing pension in terms of this Ministry’s above said letter dated 11.11.2008, which are not affected by the provisions of this letter, shall remain unchanged.

6. The actual benefit accrued in terms of these orders shall be payable with effect from 24.09.2012. No arrears on account of revision of family pension shall be admissible for the past period, However, If a family pensioner to whom the benefits under these orders accrues has died I dies before receiving the payment on account of arrears, the life time arrears (LTA) will be disposed off as per the extant orders.

7. The provision of these orders shall not apply to UK/HKSRA/KCIOs pensioners and Pakistan/ Burma pensioners.

METHODOLOGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION

8, All Pension disbursing Agencies (PDAs) handling disbursement of pension to Defence pensioners are hereby authorized to carry out revision of Ordinary Family pension in respect of pre-2006 JCO/OR family pensioners drawing ordinary family pension as on 24.09.2012 in terms of these orders without calling for any applications from the family pensioner and without any further authorization from the concerned Pension Sanctioning Authorities (PSAs). Revision of Ordinary Family pension in respect of TA personnel and also in death in service cases where qualifying service is less than 15 years shall, however, be referred to the respective Pension Sanctioning Authorities (PSA) on Annexure-A attached to this letter for issue of corrigendum PPO.

9. Keeping in view the above decision arid to quicken the process of revision of ordinary family pension, specific tables (total six tables) indicating revised rate of ordinary family pension payable from 24.09.2012 have been prepared for JCO/OR of Regular Army, Navy. Air Force and DSC who were discharged/invalided out/died in service prior to 1.1.2006 and are enclosed as Appendix to this letter. PDAs will revise and pay the ordinary family pension with reference to applicable Table for the rank and group in which the JCO/OR was pensioned with reference to the actual qualifying service as shown in Column-I In cases where ordinary family pension of an pre-2006 JCO/OR pensioner had not been commenced as the pensioner was alive on 24.09.2012, the rate of revised ordinary family pension shall be payable by the PDAs from the date following the death of the pensioner at appropriate rate.

10. The initial Pension Payment Order (PPO) in respect of JCO/OR, its Corrigendum (PPO) indicates rank, group and qualifying service for which the individual has been pensioned. These information are available with PDAs as they have revised pension of all such pensioners in the recent past in terms of Government orders issued on the recommendations of Sixth CPC and Cabinet Secretary Committee (2009). In case, however, any information regarding qualifying service, rank, group etc., is not available with Pension Disbursing Agencies, such cases may be referred to PSAs concerned on the proforma enclosed as Annexure-B. The PSAs will provide the requisite information from the available records.

11. An intimation regarding disbursement of revised ordinary family pension shall be sent by the PDAs to the Office of the PCDA(P) Allahabad on monthly basis in the format prescribed as, Annexure-C to these orders a copy of which shall also be provided by the PDAs to the pensioners concerned for their information. Those Public Sector Ranks who are disbursing Defence pension through Central Pension Processing Centers (CPPC), the monthly progress report may be furnished by the CPPC of the bank directly to the office of the PCDA (Pensions) Allahabad.

12 This issues with the concurrence of Finance Division of this Ministry vide their I D No. PC 2/10(12)/2O12/FIN/PEN dated 10.01.2013

Hindi version will follow.

Yours faithfully,

(Malathi Narayanan)

Under Secretary to the Government of India