On the eve of the New Year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, presented gifts and made a series of people-friendly decisions.
OROP Renovation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the amendment of the pension of Armed Forces Pensioners effective from July 01, 2019, under One Rank One Pension (OROP).
Beneficiaries
The Armed Forces staff retired up to June 30, 2019, would be covered under this revision. More than 25.13 lakh Armed Forces Pensioners or family pensioners would be benefitted. The benefit would also be expanded to family pensioners, counting war widows and disabled pensioners.
PM Modi's New Year gift-2023
Arrears would be paid in 4 half-yearly installments. All the family pensioners, including those accepting Special/ Liberalized Family Pension plus Gallantry Award Winners, would be paid arrears in one installment.
Expenses
The anticipated yearly expenditure for the execution of the revision has been calculated as approximately Rs 8,450 crore @31% Dearness Relief (DR). Arrears effective from July 01, 2019, to December 31, 2021, have been calculated as above Rs 19,316 crore based on DR @ 17% from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021, and @31% from July 1, 2021, to Dec 31, 2021. Arrears effective from July 01, 2019, to June 30, 2022, have been calculated as approximately Rs 23,638 crore as per the dearness relief. This expense is over and above the current expenditure on account of OROP.
Background
The Government took a historic decision to execute OROP for the Defence Forces Personnel or family pensioners and published a policy letter on November 07, 2015, for pension amendment effective from July 01, 2014. In the policy letter, it was stated that the pension would be re-adjusted every five years. Approximate Rs 57000 crore has been spent @Rs 7123 crores per year in eight years in the execution of OROP.
PM Modi's New Year gift-2023
In New Scheme, Over 81 Crore will Get Free Foodgrain for A Year.
The Union Cabinet has decided to make ration obtainable for free, not just on subsidized rate, to those covered underneath the National Food Security Act until December next year.
The decision is to consider the particular free-ration scheme under the Act— started in 2020 after Covid affected livelihoods.
The Act, therefore, will now cover over 81 crore people.
After the Cabinet meeting under PM Narendra Modi, Minister Piyush Goyal declared the decision. He said that the Yojana had been in effect for 28 months now. Its latest extension was to conclude this month.
The new move would cost the government ₹2 lakh crore for a year.
Under the Act, initially, rice is to be provided at ₹3 per kg, wheat at ₹2, millet at Re1 — each up to 5 kg per individual. The Yojana started in March 2020 and delivered another 5 kg of rice free of cost.
Presently, the Government has made the ration under the Act free of cost. It means the profit given under the particular scheme since 2020 will continue; however now be provided under the NFSA umbrella.
PM Modi's New Year gift-2023
The Government said that India has enough food grain stocks under the central pool to meet the necessity under the National Food Security Act and its other welfare schemes and for additional allotment of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.