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HomeNationOROP our right, want periodic revision of pension: Military veterans

OROP our right, want periodic revision of pension: Military veterans

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As the talks between government and military veterans over the ‘One Rank, One Pension’ scheme continue, representatives of the veterans on Thursday said that they are asking for their ‘right’ and it shouldn’t be described as a bonanza or demand.

Addressing the media at Jantar Mantar, the protesting ex-servicemen said they wanted periodic revision of pension.

“We are not asking for any three percent increment. There is no such thing as increment,” Captain Kaul said.

“What we have asked for is a periodic review of pension so that at no stage the definition of OROP as accepted by parliament is violated even by a letter.”

The veterans stated that the date for implementation for OROP should be April 2014.

They further accused the government of not sticking to its stand.

Group Capt (Retd) VK Gandhi said that not a single government representative has come forward and assured a single aspect that would be implemented. They accused the government of frequently changing its stand on the contentious issue.

Captain Kaul said varying figures of supposed government expenditure were being floated “by people who do not know what they are talking about”.

The veterans also rejected the reports that they have demanded yearly or monthly increments.

While implementing the pension scheme, the government should ensure that a junior officer doesn’t get more pension than his senior, the veterans noted.

Thursday is the 81st day of protest by ex-sevicemen in the national capital. Thirteen retired soldiers are on indefinite hunger strike. Relay hunger strikes are taking place in some 60 towns and cities.

There are around 24 lakh ex-servicemen in India and around 6.5 lakh widows who will benefit if OROP is implemented.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had on Monday had virtually ruled out annual revision of pension as demanded by agitating ex-servicemen under OROP but said the government will safeguard interests of soldiers retiring at an early age through higher pensions.

OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of nearly three-million ex-servicemen and war widows in the country. It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel, who retire at the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement.

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