In Fight for One Rank One Pension, Ex-Servicemen Hold Nationwide Protests

New Delhi: Retired defence personnel today held protests across the country including including in the national capital against the delay in the implementation of the long-awaited 'One Rank One Pension'. The ex-servicemen have also threatened to go on a relay hunger strike from Monday.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured us that it will be implemented, but it has been one year," said Col. (retd) Anil Kaul, the media advisor to Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM).

The ex-servicemen said that they have sought an appointment with President Pranab Mukherjee over the issue.

Some farmers' groups and students from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University also joined in the protest at Jantar Mantar.

The Narendra Modi government has said that it is committed to OROP, one of its key poll promises, but has refused to specify a timeline for its implementation.

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Prime Minister Modi, in fact, reached out to retired defence personnel in his radio address 'Mann ki Baat' last month, assuring that his government will find a solution to the "vexed" issue and asked them to "wait for some more time".

But talks between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and ex-servicemen who are seeking a firm date for the rollout of the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme failed earlier this month following which the retired personnel decided to go ahead with the today's protest.

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Mr Parrikar had, last month, said that the OROP "was on its way" but he could not promise a date for its implementation. Sources told NDTV that the file on OROP was shuttling between the finance and defence ministries.

One Rank One Pension seeks to 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. Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme.

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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.