Army volunteers to get W&OP benefit

The Director General of Pensions K. A. Thilakarathna said yesterday said that the government had decided to amend the Pension Act granting over 20,000 members of voluntary Regiments of the Security Forces "Widows and Orphans " (W&OP) rights .
The Director General said that Minister of Public Administration Karu Jayasuriya in consultation with the Secretary Defence Col Gotabya Rajapaksa had taken action to resolve a long standing grievance of volunteer members of the security forces.

At present volunteer members of the security forces who had served a period of 22 years were entitled to Pension benefits but not W& Op.

DG Thilakarathana said in future a Public servant who died as a result of terrorism would be granted Widows and Orphans benefits.

At present the family members of a Public Servant who dies due to terrorism receive his /her salary up to 55 years and pension benefits thereafter but the W&Op was calculated on the basis of the date of death .