As widely anticipated, the announcement of one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme for the armed forces has triggered copycat demands by retired personnel of paramilitary forces who are now seeking a similar deal, raising the prospect of the government, already strained for resources, having to shoulder additional financial burden of at least Rs 3,000 crore annually.
Paramilitary veterans, who have always clamoured for parity with armed forces, have decided to hit the street straightaway, and plan to launch an indefinite dharna at Jantar Mantar on November 2, just like the one ex-servicemen took recourse to in order to force the government to speed up the OROP announcement.
Announcing their protest plan to secure OROP and other benefits on the lines of armed forces, All-India Central Paramilitary Forces Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association (AICPMFEWA) made plain its aggressive intent, as well as its bid to capitalize on BJP’s stakes in the Bihar assembly elections, a state which is home to a large number of paramilitary troopers.
“Even a mother would not breastfeed her baby till it cries,” AICPMFEWA national general secretary P S Nair said in an unabashed announcement the intent to flex muscles in the aftermath of the success of the retired defence personnel.
“The time is ripe to act before the heat of Bihar elections rises,” Nair said in a letter asking fellow retired paramilitary officers to join the agitation.
The OROP package announced by the Centre for the armed forces is expected to cost Rs 8,300 crore annually, although sections of ex-servicemen are still unhappy. While negotiating with ex-defence personnel, the government had feared that it will have to deal with copycat demands from others too.
The armed forces had argued that their case rested on a different footing because they constituted the country’s main defence, and also because their jawans retired at an early age. However, the claim for superior status does not seem to impress the paramilitary forces which see themselves as the first line of defence and are always in “operation mode”.
“It is a known fact that paramilitary forces are the first line of defence in every security operation, whether it is on the border or internal security. Paramilitary forces are in the war field 24×365 days, while the defence forces enjoying ‘peace time’ comfortably in their well secured barracks. The government is pouring all facilities to them and totally neglecting paramilitary men. We need equal status and equal facilities,” AICPMFEWA said.
Nair’s letter said ex-paramilitary men and serving officers were “more frustrated than ever” since OROP was granted to the armed forces, and a campaign has already started on Facebook, Twitter and at district associations of retired personnel.
“After seeing the feelings of our members all over the country, we have suggested dharna/strike from November 2,” the letter said.
The retired paramilitary men have nine primary demands — OROP, framing of separate service and pension funds instead of CCS rules, granting ex-servicemen status with all consequential benefits, extending CSD canteen facilities, extending ECHS medical facilities, change of present nomenclature of Central Armed Police Forces used for BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles to Central Para-Military Forces (CPMFs), granting statutory paramilitary welfare board similar to Sainik Welfare Board, granting paramilitary service pay and exempting them from new contributory pension system.
Nine lakh retired personnel of paramilitary forces will give a final notice to the government on September 26.
ITBP officials raised the issue with home minister Rajnath Singh during their meeting in Leh on Tuesday. Singh assured them that he would take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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seshadrivikrala says
The GOI though running the RPF-Railway Protection Force under the command and control of the Ministry of Railways, is also one of the CPMFs. BUT ironically we are not treated alike and step motherly differential applications and equations are being forcibly being applied on the RPF. Let there by CISF,BSF or RPF, we are all sister organizations of the GOI,may be working in different Ministries or departments. First the GOI implement the Orders for CPOs/CPMFs and later after some years they remember the RPF and this type of discrimination alignment and treatment is very much causing discontentment in the Force, leave aside the adhoc ASCs suffering in the hands of the Railway Board for the last four decades, pick and choose DPCs and the remaining retired/retiring as ASCs, while the same year direct recruit as ASC through UPSC within a span of say 12-15 years time, he will get 3-4 promotions as like that of IPS officers and while the departmental promotes and submerged in a whirlpool of no DPCs held and hence adhoc ASCs are not promoted, this is going on since decades. The only luckiest ASCs, barring one or two are from Southern Railway. These aspects of Bare-Truth has been fully explained to our present DG,RPF on 17-7-2015 at the Railway Board, New Delhi whereat he mooted Interaction Conference with the RPF Pensioners. Even after three months nothing happened. While new water comes in , old water goes out and the systematized phenomenon of RPF Directorate/Railway Board Policies never change , even if the Honorable President’s Secretariat or the PMO’s POffice or the MR’s letters to the Railway Board shall she the light of the day. HENCE WE, AS PENSIONERS PRAY THE OUR HONORABLE PM OF INDIA KINDLY TO CONSIDER TO INCLUDE THE DEMANDS OF RPF PENSIONERS ALSO WITH THAT OF CPOS/CPMFS FOR OROP. V. SESHADRI, ASSST.SECURITY COMMISSIONER/RPF/RETIRED(GROUP “A” CADRE OFFICER- RETIRED AS ADHOC ASC, DUE TO NO DPCS HELD AND DOP*T OMS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE RAILWAYS).AND PRESIDENT , RPF PENSIONER”S WELFARE ASSOCIATION, SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY, SECUNDERABAD.
V K Das says
The Central Armed Police Forces have an identity problem. They like to imitate the military and would like to call themselves Para Military because the word ‘ military’ fascinates them.Now that the military is getting the OROP they also want it. Why did they not think of it before? Do they do the same job and have the same service conditions? How many wars have they fought, if any? Do they retire at 35 like the military or at 55 plus? Do the disabled boarded out as in military or retained till the normal age of retirement? Merely suffering casualties, mostly due to lack of training, is no reason for claiming equality.They need to develop their own personality, customs and traditions and give up being copy cats.
YSharma says
Sir, The only and most important point is what multiplying factor or coefficient is finalised for 7th cpc. Rest all news about this allowance that allowance, this scale rhat scale are almost derived from the existing. Please break news only on multiplying factor and whether grade pay system is burried or not. Grade pay is the most controversial and only problematic thing must be done away with. What is the tentative date of submission of report to goi. Thanks
Dr. CBS CHOUHAN says
Govt must pay attention to legitimate demand of CAPFs. These forces are keeping Democracy intact. There is lot’s of discrepancies in pay / pension among these forces. Retirement age should be cut down to 50 yrs wirh provision of re employment scheme’s.