OROP to be announced but differences persist

NEW DELHI: The government is likely to go ahead with an announcement of its formula on One Rank One Pension even as differences remain with ex-servicemen on protest on the clause for an annual revision of pensions. While there has been no official word on the matter yet, a draft note that has been floated around by the government gives an insight into how the issue is being tackled.

BJP president Amit Shah too is reported to have said that the government will soon implement OROP at an RSS meet. While most demands of the veterans have been met, including an implementation date that shall be effective from 2014 and pegging pensions to the 2013-14 level, the draft note suggests that the demand for an annual revision of pensions will not go through. Instead, the government is sticking to its formulation that a revision of pay shall be considered by the pay commission and a committee be set up to decide the frequency of revisions.

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The government formulation is likely to be firmed up possibly by Monday. This is because the Election Commission is set to make public the schedule for the Bihar assembly elections, which would automatically bring a ban on policy announcements. The formulation has the potential of diffusing the ongoing, vocal protest by veterans centered around Jantar Mantar. While veterans say that any dilution of their stand, including yearly revisions, will not be accepted, it is believed that a section of ex-servicemen are agreeable to an implementation at current terms with the promise to look at and resolve pending matters at a later date.