One rank, one pension: Military veterans seek specific date, threaten hunger strike

New Delhi, June 6: In the wake of delay over one rank one pension(OROP) scheme, former military servicemen on Saturday met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag. Sources say that the ex-military men demanded specific date for implementation of the scheme.

While talking to news agency ANI Major General (Retd) Satbir Singh said "We met Defence Minister (Manohar Parrikar) on OROP and the meeting was inconclusive. We will meet him again". Singh further said that they will hold a rally in Jantar Mantar from June 14 regarding the same.

The development has taken place hours after after army officers wrote a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement the scheme as early as possible. Reportedly, the Government has said that it is in the favour of the scheme but can't give a specific timeframe for the same.

Saturday's meeting with Defence Minister remained inconclusive, says reports.

Earlier, a group of ex-servicemen had announced that they will go for hunger strike from June 15 demanding implementation of 'One Rank One Pension'.

One rank, one pension scheme has been a long-standing demand of nearly three million ex-servicemen 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.

Vowing to address the "vexed" issue of OROP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on May 31 sought "some time" from the ex-servicemen.

Modi said the issue is not as simple as he had thought but much more "vexed" as "problems" have been added to it over the years.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)