: Hundreds of ex-servicemen from all districts of Odisha took to the street demanding immediate implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme here on Sunday.
The agitation that coincided with the nation-wide agitation in support of OROP was attended by veteran ex-servicemen and widows of war veterans. Under the banner of Indian Ex-servicemen League, Odisha, agitators accused the Narendra Modi government of resorting to delaying tricks on this long-standing demand.
In a memorandum addressed to Governor S.C. Jamir, armed force veterans expressed concerns on the delay in implementation of OROP and appealed him to bring the issue to notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that a timeline could be spelt out for OROP implementation.
Jagadananda Brahma, president of IEL, Odisha and former Group Captain, said successive governments over the years had been evading taking a decision on the OROP, which was a legitimate demand of ex-servicemen.
“A person joining police force in the same rank that of armed force is likely to be benefited more. Bureaucrats who are supposed to look after welfare of armed force personnel are busy devising ways to deny OROP to armed force personnel,” said Bidyadhar Nayak, General Secretary of IEL, Odisha.
