OROP to benefit about three lakh in Bihar: Akbar

One Rank One Pension (OROP) announced by the Centre will benefit about three lakh ex-servicemen and war widows in Bihar, BJP leader M J Akbar said today.
"The NDA government's decision to implement OROP proves that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance in this regard has been well meaning and sincere," Akbar told newsmen, adding, it will benefit about three lakh ex-servicemen, including a little under one lakh war widows in Bihar.
Akbar, who is BJP's national spokesperson, congratulated the prime minister and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for resolving the vexed OROP issue within a span of 14-15 months since the NDA came to power and slammed the successive Congress governments for keeping the issue pending for over four decades.

Lashing out at Congress and former defence minister A K Antony for stating that the erstwhile UPA government had taken a decision to implement OROP, he rubbished the claim and said Congress did nothing to fulfill the longstanding demand of ex-servicemen for uniform pension since 1973.
He described as 'big joke' the UPA government setting aside Rs 500 crore for implementation of OROP last year when it would actually require an expenditure between Rs 8,500 crore and Rs 10,000 crore for the purpose.