New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday evening confirmed that the controversial One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be implemented before Diwali.
Earlier in the day, Ex-servicemen rejected the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme announced by the Centre, and announced that they would return their medals across the nation, as a mark of protest.
However, the return of awards is not related to a similar move adopted by a growing number of intellectuals, artists, film-makers etc, who are returning their awards protesting the ‘growing intolerance’ in India.
The ex-servicemen are protesting the delay in the notification of the One Rank One Pension policy, which was announced on September, following long-winding protests. The government attributes the delay to the recently concluded Bihar elections, during which the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct was in place.
The protesting servicemen are miffed with the fact that the there has been no communication forthcoming from the government after the announcement of the OROP scheme. In 647 districts of the country, the medals would be handed over to District Commissioners on November 9, and10. There are also plans in place to re-ignite the recently called off ‘fast unto death’ protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The OROP movement was organised to seek pay parity in pensions for those retiring with the same rank and duration of service, the time of retirement notwithstanding. The move is calculated to benefit about 2.6 million defence veterans and over six lakh war widows.
The scheme is expected to add a fiscal burden of Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 crore in the next financial year, if implemented now.