New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government and the defence veterans appeared to have reached a breakthrough and the announcement on the implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme is expected soon, said sources on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the announcement could be expected before Bihar Assembly elections notification.
The sources said that differences have cropped in the United Front of Ex-Servicemen. The sources added that many ex-servicemen wants Major General (retired) Satbir Singh, Chairman of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement, to be reasonable and consider others also. Most of the ex-servicemen leaders are accepting the government proposal of revising pension every five years as their worry is 7th pay commission.
War veteran Major General (retired) Singh, who has been leading the protest in Jantar Mantar for the last 80 days, said they have got positive signals from the government for the last few days but stopped short of saying there was a breakthrough.
"We are willing to accept two years relaxation as normalisation period. We will not accept revision in 5 years. This will be defeating of OROP. We will continue our agitation if it's 5 years," said Major General Singh.
He said the issue was non-negotiable and both the elements of the OROP concept cannot be interfered. An agreement can be reached once we know what is on the platter (offer by the government), he said, adding effective date of revision must be from April 1, 2014.
Earlier in the day, in the three-day coordination meeting between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) OROP was an important issue. Sources said that the RSS has asked the BJP to resolve the OROP issue. The representatives of the RSS were briefed on the issue by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Independent MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has been mediating on the issue, said it was time veterans must return home with honour and grace by reaching an early settlement. He urged them to accept the revision of pension every three years.
Meanwhile, not in the best of health yet undeterred, Colonel (retired) Pushpendra Singh on Wednesday resumed his fast-unto-death demanding prompt implementation of One Rank, One Pension scheme at Jantar Mantar hours after he was discharged from an Army hospital.
Singh, one of the ex-servicemen fasting in demand of the immediate implementation of the OROP scheme, was hospitalised last week- the ninth day of his fast after his medical report showed increased ketone levels.
Singh was admitted to the ICU of Army Hospital Research and Referral, from where he was discharged today. Hours later, he returned to the protest site to join his fellow ex-servicemen, whose agitation entered the 80th day today.
(With additional information from PTI)
Comments
0 comment