Be patient: Navy chief to veterans on 'One rank, One pension'

Navy Chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan on Thursday asked ex-servicemen to be patient on "One rank, One pension" scheme and added that the central government was "very serious" about the issue.

"We need to be patient. The government has been seized of the matter. The defence ministry will address the concerns of ex-servicemen," Dhowan told journalists after the conclusion of the Naval Commander's conference here.

"I can only say the government is very serious. To the best of my knowledge a lot of progress has been made. A final decision rests with the government," he said.

The comment comes on a day when two war veterans boycotted a function where they were to be felicitated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Wing Commander S.D. Karnik and Wing Commander Bhopadekar were protesting against the delay in the proposed "One rank, One pension" scheme for the armed forces.

"The two veterans have refused to attend the function and all ex-servicemen support them," Maj. Gen. (retd) Satbir Singh of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement told IANS.

Parrikar had said the files on 'One rank, One pension' have already been sent to the finance ministry.