OROP implementation after Bihar polls : Defense Minister

NewsGram Staff Writer

Panaji: Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar declared on Sunday that the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) for retired military personnel will be implemented after the Bihar elections.

He also said that contentious issues including those related to premature retirement had been resolved, conceding that the inclusion of the phrase Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) in the declaration announced by his ministry in September had triggered confusion.

"I think I will have to wait up for the Bihar elections. Because the Election Commission is in no mood to give permission to actually issue the order. This is my understanding. I will not like to be in part of controversy," Parrikar said during a public interaction near Panaji.

"The notification will be issued after Bihar election because I do not want to get notice by Election Commission," he said.

Parrikar clarified that "those who get premature retirement will get OROP even in future".

"That confusion started because the word VRS was a part of the declaration. The interpretation got slightly mixed up. It was not (done) intentionally," he added.

(With inputs from IANS)