Chidambaram hits out at Centre on OROP implementation

Asserting that it was the UPA regime which had announced the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, former Union Minister P Chidambaram, on Saturday, said problems would crop up during implementation if it is done contrary to what was announced for the retired army personnel.

"It was the UPA which revised the pension thrice. It was the UPA which announced the OROP. They (BJP regime) accepted what we had announced. We say that implement what you had accepted. During implementation, when you implement it in contrary to what was announced, problems will come up," he said. Stating that OROP was announced in the 2014 interim budget speech, he said in ten years (2004-14), the pension of retired army personnel was revised three times.

"Finally, government accepted OROP and I announced it in the budget. Following that, within 10 days a statement (policy on OROP) was released by the Defence Ministry which had three features," he told reporters in Chennai while explaining OROP vis-a-vis UPA regime. He said the policy spoke of equal pension for equal service (tenure) and equal rank. "Every time pension is revised, it will be applicable to all. OROP will be applicable to even premature retirees. This was the policy announced in that Defence statement." He said though the government had a right to change the policy. After claiming to implement the OROP policy, it was wrong to not implement it. Are all those protesting in Jantar Mantar lunatics?, he asked.