Vij visits ex-servicemen, supports OROP

Our Correspondent

Ambala, June 24

Health Minister Anil Vij is all for granting one rank one pension (OROP) to ex- servicemen and said that he would take up the matter with the party high command.

Vij met the ex- servicemen on a hunger strike for the past eight days at the polytechnic chowk in Ambala City. “The PM wants to implement OROP at the earliest but for some reasons it has been delayed. A provision of Rs.1000 crore has been made in the budget in this context, he added.

Criticising the Congress government, he said it did not fulfill any of its commitments to the ex-servicemen. The NDA has full sympathy for ex- servicemen and the PM was serious about resolving this issue, he said.

Subedar Atar Singh Multani, president, Ex-servicemen Welfare Association said although the PM had promised OROP in the Rewari rally but nothing has been done. But we are still hopeful, he added.

It is unfortunate that jawans who fought on the borders had been forced to sweat it out in the heat now. The hunger strike would continue till our demand was not met, he added.