With ex-servicemen planning to Gehrao Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the later assuring to look into the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) it seems to remain on conciliation stage for some more time even if government works on some formula to bring some semblance in the pensionary benefit. The inaction by previous governments has complicated the issue more and has delayed a political decision. Keeping the changing politico-economic situations and modernisation of armed forces a priority, Govt will have to streamline expenditure. With a dilapidating reduction in force strength upgradation of human resources in the armed becomes an important ingredient for that forces will have to be made attractive for the younger generations. The issue of one rank one pension has been dragging for quite a long time with no solution coming to the surface. Ex-servicemen need to be heard compassionately. As compared to civilian compatriots the defence personnel have a shorter service tenure resulting into huge disparities. The military pensions were reduced and aligned with civilian pensioners after the Third Pay Commission recommendations in 1973. Earlier, Atal Bihari Vajpayee also made promises while wooing voters for NDA government. Then it was Congress which raked up the issue to woo them even during the tenure of UPA I by Sonia Gandhi and then later by Manmohan Singh during the UPA II term. Even the Supreme Court has also recognised this demand. Much of politics has been played over the issue for the last 40 years and today also to find a solution to this vexatious issue does not look that easy as has been thought over. It has more of economics and less of emotions involved when one looks at the large army of former soldiers. Though Prime Minister Modi has given his word but no final date on implementing the one rank one pension scheme has been announced. Now the question is when? The OROP if implemented in right earnest will give Govt an opportunity to show it cares for ex-soldiers along with restructuring of armed forces which is what one should look forward to rather than playing politics on the issue.
