Narendra Modi government deserves all credit for OROP, says Subhash Bhamre

Noting that OROP was hanging fire for four decades, Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government deserved all the credit for sorting out the vexed issue.

“The credit for ending the dilemma faced by successive previous governments over OROP goes without doubt to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who showed the determination to solve the issue,” Bhamre said at a programme held here this evening to honour former servicemen and war widows.

Asserting that the Centre was sensitive to issues related to ex-servicemen, the Union Minister said an amount of Rs 5,745.15 crore had been paid so far to ex-servicemen under OROP.

He said a judicial commission had also been constituted to look into the anomalies related to OROP. The Prime Minister is himself is monitoring everything and ex-servicemen had nothing to worry, he said.

He also asked them not to pay attention to a misinformation campaign sponsored by some political parties in this regard.

Bhamre said no changes had been made in the letter dated October 18 as regards military ranks vis-a-vis civilians down gradation issue. He said the letter had been misinterpreted.

Designations of officers deployed at the headquarters remain the same as earlier and their reporting channels are also the same.

He also paid tribute to members of the Indian armed forces who laid down their lives fighting terrorists during Mumbai’s 26/11 terror attack on its eighth anniversary.

With a large number of youths from Uttarakhand making a career in the armed forces, Bhamre said it was a matter of great pride for the state which produced brave men in such large numbers. It must inspire young men all over the country to join the armed forces, he said.