One-rank, one-pension: PM Modi disappoints ex-servicemen at Mathura rally

NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen were left disappointed once again when PM Narendra Modi did not announce implementation of the long-demanded one-rank, one-pension ( OROP) mechanism for them during his rally in Mathura on Monday.

"It could probably be announced on Tuesday. We have been told in our meetings with defence minister Manohar Parrikar that OROP has been cleared by his ministry," said a retired major general, who was "optimistic" about the matter.

Many others, however, were fuming. "Earlier, it was said OROP would be announced in the Union Budget. But it looks that the file is still being tossed between the defence and finance ministries, with the two ministers issuing contradictory statements. The previous UPA regime had also announced it. But where is the money?" asked a brigadier.

As earlier reported by TOI, the government has over the last few months repeatedly declared its intention of announcing full implementation of OROP with a corpus of around Rs 8,300 crore. But the nitty-gritty of finalizing the modalities has held it back.

OROP basically implies payment of a uniform pension to personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service, irrespective of their date of retirement. Successive governments in the past had contended that granting full OROP was neither financially nor administratively possible, especially since it could lead to a cascading effect with similar demands being made by others like paramilitary personnel.

The Modi government, however, has defined "military pension" as a category separate from other kinds of pensions to justify implementation of OROP since soldiers, sailors and airmen retire at a much younger age than other government employees as well as undergo prolonged hardship tenures.