National
No standardised definition of OROP: Jaitley
New Delhi : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday that there was no “standardised definition” for the One Rank One Pension scheme for retired defence personnel, adding that the earlier “interpretation” for revision after every retirement was not viable.
Jaitley was responding in the Rajya Sabha to a question by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) member Anubhav Mohanty, who wanted to know why the definition of OROP had been changed.
“OROP has been a long-standing demand as far as defence forces are concerned. OROP did not have a standerdised definition as such there were different interpretations given,” Jaitley said.
“After a detailed consultation between the government and the organisation of the retired defence personnel, the defence ministry came out with a proposal that was announced in 2015 which the government has committed itself to implement. Under that proposal, the revision takes place after every five years,” he said.
“The impact of the definition as you are mentioning, it was the earlier interpretation that was given is at small periodic intervals when every employee retires, then you would have a situation where a large number of revision itself would take place which was financially not viable as far as the government is concerned.”
The minister said government has the responsibility to spend on various areas, adding “defence forces certainly is one of our prime areas and after consultation this particular definition which has been given by the ministry has been implemented by the ministry.”
Jaitley also said that the pay commission for central government employees “meets” every 10 years.
“Pay commission meets every 10 years, in case of armed forces it is five years and that is the decision the government has taken. This itself gives personnel certain advantage,” he said.
On the one member judicial committee, the minister said he had asked for shift extension.
Groups of former serviceman have been calling the five-year revision a distortion of the definition of OROP, and have approached the Supreme Court on the issue.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.