Finally, Centre rolls out OROP

The four-decade old wait for one rank one pension (OROP) ended on Saturday with the Centre rolling out the scheme which will cost the exchequer between Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore. The decision was conveyed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at a hurriedly called press conference so that the rollout does not clash with the declaration of dates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. The agitating ex-servicemen, whose hunger strike entered the 84th day, are still not happy with the decision on period of revision and the fact that a one-member judicial committee will oversee the implementation of the scheme. Parrikar said that the scheme will be effective from July 1, 2014. The base year for pension calculation would be 2013 and pension will be revised every five years. The arrears would be paid in four biannual instalments over the next two years, whereas all widows, including war widows, would be paid their dues in one go. - DHNS