Antony dubs govt. delay on OROP as 'criminal inaction'

Taking exception to the 'announcement' of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government, former defence minister A.K. Antony on Saturday said the delay of 14 months in the implementation of this scheme was 'criminal inaction' on the Centre's part.

"The statement by the PM is totally incorrect. They have no answer on this 14 months of inaction. There is now no question of "announcing" OROP because that has already been done by us," Antony told ANI here.

"The delay of 14 months is criminal inaction on part of the government," he added.

Antony categorically stated that the previous UPA regime had implemented OROP in 2013 and made an announcement in the Budget.

"Only UPA implemented OROP in 2013. I had convened a meeting where we had clarified its meaning. Announcement in the budget, two meeting including Army, Navy and Air Force, all was done by us," he said.

"Fourteen months are over since then and the present government has done nothing about OROP," Antony added.

His comments come after Prime Minister Modi assured earlier that his government is committed to the long-awaited One Rank, One Pension scheme for ex-servicemen.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, however, had yesterday stated that the precise date for implementing the OROP scheme has not yet been decided.

OROP has been a long-standing demand of ex-servicemen's associations and relates to payment of uniform pension to defence forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service,irrespective of their date of retirement.