Ex-servicemen may escalate protest, unlikely to accept government offer on OROP over three sticking points
Ex-servicemen may escalate protest, unlikely to accept government offer on OROP over three sticking points
More meetings are expected to take place between the representatives of ex-servicemen and the government to discuss the impasse.

The announcement on the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme is unlikely anytime soon as there seems to be end to the deadlock between the government and ex-servicemen.

According to sources, the Army veterans, who have been protesting for OROP at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, are likely to reject the government formula and escalate the agitation.

However, more meetings are expected to take place between the representatives of ex-servicemen and the government to discuss the impasse.

Sources said that there are three major bones of contention between the two sides.

The first factor of conflict is the government's offer to fix pension at the 2011 base pay level, which is not acceptable to the ex-servicemen.

The other bone of contention is the demand of ex-servicemen to give a three per cent annual increment, which the government is not willing to accept.

Government sources have now said that in the wake of these differences, an announcement on OROP in the next few days is unlikely.

Reports had earlier said the scheme would be announced on August 28, the 50th anniversary of 1965 war.

This comes even as six Army veterans are on fast-unto-death, of which two are currently in hospital.

The Army veterans currently on fast-unto-death are Colonel Pushpender Singh, Havaldar Major Singh, Havaldar Sahib Singh, Havaldar Ashok Chauhan, Major Piar chand and Naik Uday Singh.

Close to 22 lakh ex-servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the 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. Currently, the pension for ex-servicemen is based on the Pay Commission recommendations of the time when they had retired.

What's your reaction?

Comments

https://wapozavr.com/assets/images/user-avatar-s.jpg

0 comment

Write the first comment for this!