The Cabinet decision comes a week after the expiry of the extended deadline on OROP revision given by the Supreme Court

The Union Cabinet on Friday decided to revise the pension of defence personnel under the One Rank One Pension scheme, benefiting more than 25 lakh military personnel who would see a healthy rise in their monthly pension.

With the revised pension, a Sepoy in the Army (and equivalent ranks in Air Force and Navy) who used to draw Rs 17,699 as pension on January 1, 2016 will get a pension of Rs 19,726 on July 1, 2019.

For an Havildar, the rise would be from Rs 20,066 to Rs 21,782 whereas for a Colonel the increase in monthly would be from Rs 92,855 to Rs 1,03,700.

For the Lt Gen in the Army and their equivalent ranks in the Air Force and Navy, the monthly pension will go up from Rs 1,01,515 to Rs 1,12,050.

Since the revised pension would come into effect from one July 1, 2019, they would also get an arrears, the quanta of which will range from Rs 87,000 for a Sepoy (and equivalent rank) to Rs 4.32 lakh for a Lt Gen.

This would cost the exchequer an additional Rs 8,450 crore on pension and Rs 23,638 crore on arrears, which is to be paid in four installments. “However, all the family pensioners, including those in receipt of Special/Liberalised Family Pension and Gallantry Award Winners, shall be paid arrears in one installment,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, announcing the Cabinet decisions.

The Cabinet decision comes a week after the expiry of the extended deadline on OROP revision given by the Supreme Court. The government implemented the OROP from November, 2015 – with effect from July 2014 – and promised to revise the pension after five years.

While the government in the Supreme Court sought more time to implement the revision, the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement opposed such a plea.