New Delhi: The long-pending “One Rank One Pension” scheme for ex-servicemen may be rolled out ahead of the Assembly polls in Bihar later this year, with top sources indicating that the government was working out modalities for OROP. An announcement will eventually be made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It (OROP) is being worked out. We will need to have a separate category so that it can’t be legally challenged later, nor do others stake claim. This would be separate from other government pensions,” sources said. Asked about the timeframe, the sources said if all modalities were worked out, it could be announced before the Bihar elections.
In a bid to mount further pressure on the government, ex-servicemen had on Monday decided to hold a huge rally in Bihar ahead of the elections to demand their “promised due” of OROP. This was decided as groups of ex-servicemen began a relay hunger strike in 20 cities across India. The ex-servicemen say they have lost patience over the “delay” in announcing OROP, despite promises by the Prime Minister and defence minister Manohar Parrikar.
OROP essentially means all ex-servicemen will get the same pension going by rank and tenure of service, irrespective of when they had retired. Assembly polls in Bihar are likely to be held in September-October. The BJP faces a tough fight against the JD(U)-RJD combine, which is likely to have a pact with the Congress in the state. Besides Bihar, the veterans think they are a strong constituency in Punjab, where Assembly polls are due in 2017.
The Modi government has said it is committed to OROP during Lok Sabha polls. It has, however, not implemented it till now.Defence ministry sources said the OROP file is with the finance ministry for a final budgetary approval. Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be immediate beneficiaries of the scheme, which envisages a uniform pension for the defence personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement.
