OROP: Parrikar cites 'technical difficulties' in implementation

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said there were "technical difficulties" in implementing the 'One Rank, One Pension' scheme for army veterans, even as anticipation regarding an announcement on the issue in the prime minister's Independence Day speech is growing.

Parrikar said the government was bound by its promise on OROP but "there are technical difficulties".

"We will fulfil the assurances that we have given in this regard... When we have said this, the government has to do it within its tenure. We will do it quite early. We are bound by our assurance," Parrikar told the media in Dehradun.

On the same day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the "arithmetic" of the scheme was being worked out.

Jaitley said: "The government is committed to OROP principle; only arithmetic translation is being worked out because several interpretations are being given which are being worked out."

The comments came as expectations were high that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would make an announcement on OROP during his Independence Day speech on Saturday.

According to sources, the file on OROP was sent from the defence ministry to the finance ministry and was then under the scrutiny of the prime minister's office.

The government has been tight lipped over the exact status of the file on OROP.

In his speech to armed forces on the eve of Independence Day, Parrikar described the OROP issue as "highest priority" for his government.

"Various welfare measures pertaining to pension including broadbanding, ex-gratia compensation and OROP are receiving highest priority of the government," Parrikar said.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, meanwhile, said an announcement on the issue will be made "soon".

"We are committed to the ex-servicemen and an announcement for One Rank One Pension may be made soon," Rathore told reporters at the BJP headquarters here.

"The prime minister had announced complete support to One Rank,One Pension... We have just done 18 months in power, wait and watch a lot of (things) will happen," he said.