FILE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Reuters photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that his government is committed to the long-awaited One Rank One Pension for ex-servicemen.
In a tweet this morning, the PM said, "On OROP- the Govt is committed to OROP & there's no doubt about it."
Yesterday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that One Rank One Pension "was on its way" but he cannot promise a date for its implementation.
"Two or three steps remain so can't give you a specific time but it is on its way," the minister said, adding, "There cannot be a date for OROP as it involves various departments."
"14 months are over since then and the present government has done nothing about One Rank One Pension," senior Congress leader and former minister AK Antony said today.
An event attended by Mr Parrikar in Pune on Thursday was boycotted by two decorated war veterans who said they were disillusioned by the non-implementation of One Rank One Pension or OROP, which will ensure that defence personnel who retire at the same rank and with the same length of service, will get equal pension, irrespective of when they retired.
The Congress' Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi government of dragging its feet on OROP after his party's government announced its implementation in its last Budget before the national election, allocating Rs. 500 crore, seen as inadequate funds for the initiative.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was widely expected to announce OROP - a BJP election promise - on Monday when he addressed a rally in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh to mark his government's one year in office, but that did not happen.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the Pay Commission recommendations at the time when he or she retired. So, a Major General who retired in 1996 draws less pension than a Lieutenant Colonel who retired after 1996.