PM will make announcement on OROP in due course: Parrikar

Kutch (Guj), Aug 27: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said here that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make announcement on the implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' policy for ex-servicemen "as and when time comes".

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned about One Rank One Pension in his speech on August 15. He will take a decision and will announce as and when time comes," Parrikar told reporters after attending inauguration of a war memorial.

The ex-servicemen have been protesting against the delay in the implementation of OROP at Jantar Mantar at New Delhi. Close to 22 lakh retired servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the OROP, 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.

On a query whether the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks between India and Pakistan will take place as the NSA talks had been called off, Parrikar did not give a specific answer. DGMO-level talks and NSA talks were two different issues and former are routine, he said.

PTI