One Rank One Pension: Ex-servicemen write to PM Modi; to go on hunger strike from June 15
Ex-military men met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag to discuss the OROP scheme on Saturday.
Ex-military men have written a letter to PM Narendra Modi seeking an intervention in the implementation of One Rank One Pension scheme as soon as possible.
On Saturday morning, former military servicemen met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag to discuss the OROP scheme. However, the ex-military men have said that the meeting was inconclusive.
Major Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh said, “The meeting was inconclusive, but will meet him again. We want a date as to when this (OROP) will be implemented.”
Singh is spearheading the OROP campaign as the chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM).
The former military men have also announced to go on a hunger strike next week if nothing is done about the OROP scheme.
“If we won’t get specific date, then we’ll start agitation from June 15 and we’ll go on a hunger strike,” Major Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh said.
The implementation of OROP will mean same pension for every pension eligible armed forces personnel with same rank and same length of service irrespective of when he retires. Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen, and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme for which an amount of Rs 8300 crores has been earmarked.
While there has been no official clarification from government on why the scheme is delayed, sources in the defence ministry said that the OROP file is lying with the finance ministry for a final budgetary approval. Further, reportedly, the government is also apprehending similar demands by the para — military forces once the OROP is rolled out for defence services.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has repeatedly said that the government has completed all formalities and OROP will be implemented soon. “From December last, we have met Parrikar four times and every time, he said it would be implemented in a week or so,” Singh said.
On March 14, addressing ex-servicemen , Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag too said at Jhajjar in Haryana that OROP would be approved latest by April 30.
Read more at: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-one-rank-one-pension-
ex-servicemen-write-to-pm-modi-to-go-on-hunger-strike-from-june-15-2092889