Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday reiterated that the Narendra Modi government was committed to ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme for the armed forces, and added it would be implemented at an appropriate time.
His assurance came a day after ex-servicemen held a relay hunger strike in Delhi to press their demand for ‘One Rank One Pension’, and said they would request no more for a meeting with Parrikar after a promised meeting failed to materialise on Wednesday.
“There are some stumbling blocks (in the implementation of OROP) and efforts are being made to remove them,” the defence minister said.
Parrikar also asked journalists not to hazard a guess on the date of implementation of the scheme and said that everyone would come to know of it in due course of time.
Responding to Pakistani defence minister’s recent comment on the use of nuclear weapons in case of a face-off with India, Parrikar said, “The nation is competent to meet any threat.”
Parrikar, a Rajya Sabha member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh, was in the state capital to attend a function at the Cantonment Board.
He said all possible help would be extended to the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation regarding problems related to the route of the ambitious project through the Cantonment area.
“Whatever plans and proposals are sent to the defence ministry will be dealt with a positive and forward-looking approach,” he added.
IANS
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