Ex-servicemen hold demonstration - Demand early implementation of one-rank-one-pension
Monday, 16/07/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120716/punjab.htm#20
In protest against the non-acceptance of their demands, members of the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association (ESWA), Punjab, staged a demonstration near Polo Ground here today. Holding placards in their hands, the protesters raised slogans against the Union Government.
Addressing the protesters, association president Col Kuldip Singh Grewal (retd) said, “One-rank-one-pension (OROP) is our right and not concession.”
Grewal said during the past few decades, four committees were set up to look into the anomalies in fixing pension of the ex-servicemen (ESM) and also recommended means to sort out irregularities with justification.
He added that all these committees gave their recommendations for grant of OROP but for the reasons best known to the Union Government, reports of these committee are gathering dust in government offices.
Grewal said, “The manner in which the Union Government is treating us is unfortunate.” Because of protests by the ESM organistions all over the country, the government had again constituted a Rajya Sabha Committee to prepare a report on the OROP. The committee submitted its report on December 19, 2011, with recommendations in favour of early grant of the OROP but the Centre has not yet taken any action on the report, he claimed.
Grewal said, “They have got information that another panel comprising secretaries has now been constituted by the government to look into the matter, which implies that the Rajya Sabha Committee report has also been kept aside.”
“This kind of indifferent attitude makes it clear that the Union Government is not sincere in solving the problems of serving and retired soldiers,” he said. During the three-hour protest, members of the association raised several other issues pertaining to the ex-servicemen.
