Central government's Diwali gift to defense pensioners, instructions to release third installment of OROP dues till Diwali

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday directed to release the third installment of dues under One Rank One Pension (OROP) to defense pensioners before Diwali. Last December, the government approved the amendment in the pension of defense personnel under OROP with retrospective effect from July 1, 2019. Its dues are to be paid in four installments.

The Defense Minister's office said that instructions have also been given to banks and other agencies for all defense pensioners withdrawing pension through the 'Sparsh' system. The online pension distribution system of the Defense Ministry is called 'Sparsh', which was launched in the year 2021.

Retired defense personnel till June 30, 2019, are under the ambit of a revised pension. These do not include defense personnel who retired prematurely after July 1, 2014. It was estimated in December last year that the decision would benefit 25.13 lakh pensioners and pensioner families. These include 4.52 lakh new beneficiaries.

The government issued a notification to implement the OROP scheme in the year 2015. In this, a provision was made to review the pension every five years.