IAF chief says OROP scheme reasonably good, we should accept it

The scheme, announced in September, 2015, is meant to ensure equal pension to servicemen who retired on the same rank and after the same duration of service, regardless of the year of retirement.

Chief of air staff, air chief marshal Arup Raha, on Wednesday said the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme of the government was reasonably good and one should accept it.

Air chief marshal Arup Raha addresses a press conference at Akash Officer's mess in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI photo)

“The anomalies are being resolved by a one-judge committee. Some of the anomalies and the discrepancies which cropped up from the transition from the sixth to the seventh pay commission have been resolved... others will also be resolved,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress party of betraying the jawans by not fulfilling the long-pending OROP demand for the last 40 years.

Addressing a parivartan rally in Dehradun, Modi had said, “My army jawans were demanding OROP for the last 40 years, the party that ruled the country then never thought of their demands. In reality, the budget for OROP is over Rs 10,000 crore. Why did they (Congress) betray the jawans by allocating Rs 500 crore for this.”

The scheme, announced in September, 2015, is meant to ensure equal pension to servicemen who retired on the same rank and after the same duration of service, regardless of the year of retirement.

However, retired soldiers have been alleging that the government has not addressed their concerns fully about disparity in pension payments.