OROP row to end on 1965 war anniversary?
Apart from support the veterans have got from 14 retired service chiefs, General (retd) V K Singh's daughter Mrinalini had also joined their agitation.
By TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The government is scrambling to work out the 'one rank, one pension' (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen, if possible before the 1965 war's golden jubilee celebrations kick off on August 28, even as defence minister Manohar Parrikar met PM Narendra Modi again on Tuesday amid hectic negotiations with the military veterans.
With yet another veteran on a fast-unto-death being admitted to hospital after his condition deteriorated on Tuesday , the ongoing 73-dayold agitation by ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar is fast becoming a major worry for the Modi government.
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But the government, which has used Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag as an intermediary with the veterans, is "still to fully sort out all the technical and financial problems" before it can announce implementation of OROP, said sources.
On Tuesday , Havildar (retd) Ashok Chauhan was rushed to the Army (R&R) Hospital with "muscle atrophy setting in" on the 8th day of his fast, a day after Colonel (retd) Pushpendra Singh was similarly admitted to hospital due to increased levels of ketone. A third veteran, Havildar (retd) Major Singh, also on fast since August 18, however, refused to be evacuated from the protest site.
Apart from support the veterans have got from 14 retired service chiefs, Union minister General (retd) V K Singh's daughter Mrinalini had also joined their agitation on Sunday.
Senior BJP MP and former Uttarakhand chief minister Major-General (retd) B C Khanduri, too, has expressed surprise at the huge delay in delivering the OROP promise made by BJP in its poll manifesto.
As reported by TOI earlier, grant of full OROP to the over 25 lakh veterans will cost around Rs 8,300 crore per year. Taking it into account from April last year, it now adds up to at least Rs 16,600 crore, ahead of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission from 2016 onwards.
With yet another veteran on a fast-unto-death being admitted to hospital after his condition deteriorated on Tuesday , the ongoing 73-dayold agitation by ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar is fast becoming a major worry for the Modi government.
Follow @ETDefence Twitter handle for comprehensive coverage on other buzzing Defence stories
But the government, which has used Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag as an intermediary with the veterans, is "still to fully sort out all the technical and financial problems" before it can announce implementation of OROP, said sources.
On Tuesday , Havildar (retd) Ashok Chauhan was rushed to the Army (R&R) Hospital with "muscle atrophy setting in" on the 8th day of his fast, a day after Colonel (retd) Pushpendra Singh was similarly admitted to hospital due to increased levels of ketone. A third veteran, Havildar (retd) Major Singh, also on fast since August 18, however, refused to be evacuated from the protest site.
Apart from support the veterans have got from 14 retired service chiefs, Union minister General (retd) V K Singh's daughter Mrinalini had also joined their agitation on Sunday.
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Senior BJP MP and former Uttarakhand chief minister Major-General (retd) B C Khanduri, too, has expressed surprise at the huge delay in delivering the OROP promise made by BJP in its poll manifesto.
As reported by TOI earlier, grant of full OROP to the over 25 lakh veterans will cost around Rs 8,300 crore per year. Taking it into account from April last year, it now adds up to at least Rs 16,600 crore, ahead of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission from 2016 onwards.
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The finance ministry’s main argument is that the full OROP would prove to be a crushing burden on the economy.
But veterans argue that by the government’s own calculation the ORP bill would be Rs 8,600 crore a year, which is not that major an addition to the Rs 54,500-crore defence pensions expenditure estimated for this financial year.
But veterans argue that by the government’s own calculation the ORP bill would be Rs 8,600 crore a year, which is not that major an addition to the Rs 54,500-crore defence pensions expenditure estimated for this financial year.
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