Tribute to courage, sacrifice of veterans: PM Modi on 10 years of OROP

New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed the government's commitment to honouring India's armed forces, praising the 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) as a tribute to the courage and sacrifices of veterans and ex-service personnel, as the scheme marked its 10 years on Thursday.

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, "On this day, 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) was implemented. This was a tribute to the courage and sacrifices of our veterans and ex-service personnel who dedicate their lives to protecting our nation. The decision to implement OROP was a significant step towards addressing this long-standing demand and reaffirming our nation's gratitude to our heroes."

"It would make you all happy that over the decade, lakhs of pensioners and pensioner families have benefitted from this landmark initiative. Beyond the numbers, OROP represents the government's commitment to the well-being of our armed forces," he added.

The Prime Minister also reiterated the government's commitment to do every possible thing to strengthen the armed forces and further the welfare of those who serve the nation.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed appreciation for OROP, calling it a core aspect of PM Modi's policy towards the armed forces.

"The 'One Rank, One Pension' (OROP) has been an important pillar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy towards the Armed Forces. The Government under his leadership is committed to take care of the soldiers and their families," Singh stated.

Sharing a video of the Indian armed forces, he noted, "More than 25 lakh veterans have been benefitted from the implementation of OROP. My gratitude to the Prime Minister for fulfilling the commitment given to the ex-servicemen of this country."

OROP, implemented in 2014, is a long-awaited scheme that ensures uniform pension payments for retired military personnel based on rank and service length, regardless of retirement date.

This reform addressed disparities in pension, where personnel with the same rank and service length but different retirement dates received unequal pensions.

Previously, a Lieutenant General who retired in 1995 could have received a lower pension than a colonel who retired after 2006 despite similar service tenure.

Under the revised system, all Defence pensioners retired, discharged, or invalided out of service as of July 1 -- including Commissioned Officers, honorary commissioned officers, JCOs/ORs, and non-combatants -- are eligible for the OROP pension.

--IANS

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