Congress slams Centre over OROP implementation

"Today's announcement about OROP by Defence Minister is totally disappointing," Congress leader and former Defence Minister AK Antony said while addressing a press conference here.

"This announcement by the Defence Minister is ridiculing the ex servicemen," he said.

He said that during its tenure, the UPA government had already announced OROP.

The ongoing tussle over the OROP scheme received a jolt as ex-servicemen said they were not 'fully satisfied' by the move taken by the Centre as it announced the implementation of the scheme on Saturday.

The ex-servicemen said six of the points set by them have been rejected by the Centre.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced the one rank, one pension scheme.

"The Centre will implement OROP," said Manohar Parrikar while addressing a press conference.

"PM Modi has fulfilled his commitment of implementing OROP," said the  Defence Minister.

Speaking on the issue of implementation, he said: "The benefit of the OROP to be given with effect from July 1, 2014; a date immediately after the present Government assumed office."

General Satbir Singh 'thanked' the government for implementing the OROP but said the ex-servicemen are not fully satisfied by the stance taken by the government on the issue.

"We reject one-man judicial panel for six months proposal to examine OROP.....The government has rejected six points proposed by us.. We are not fully satisfied with the stance taken by the government," he said.

OROP was a key promise made by Prime Minister Narenrda Modi when he was campaigning for last year's national election. It will give the same pension to ex-servicemen who retired many years ago as that which soldiers of the same rank retiring now draw.