OROP implemented

1. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced thedecision to implement the One Rank One Pension, w.e.f July 1, 2014.

2. OROP arrears to be paid in four half-yearly instalments; all widows, including war widows, to be paid arrears in one instalment

3. The ex-servicemen, who have been agitating for the last 82 days, said they will not accept review of the pension after every five years.

4. It is understood that a draft proposal on OROP was circulated at a RSS meeting on Friday, which envisaged commencement of the scheme from July 2014, besides revision of pension every five years.

5. Veterans have opposed to excluding ex-servicemen, who had opted for pre-mature retirement, from the ambit of OROP.

6. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced the setting up of a One member Judicial Committee, which will give its report on OROP in six months.

7. Veterans have rejected this committee, and instead demanded a committee under the Defence Minister which will include an ex-serviceman too.

8. To begin with, OROP would be fixed on the basis of calender year 2013.

9. Officials said the annual burden on the pension bill will be about Rs. 8,000 crore which would progressively go up with revision in pensions. The current pension bill of the defence ministry stands at Rs. 54,000 crore.

10. Close to 22 lakh retired servicemen and over six lakh war widows stand to be the immediate beneficiaries of the scheme