Veterans pay tribute to retired army soldier Ram Kishan Grewal who committed suicide on OROP issue, at Jantar Mantar. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 3The suicide by subedar Ram Kishen Grewal (retd) has brought the focus back on OROP (One Rank, One Pension) scheme.Though OROP has been granted by the government and arrears disbursed, the use of the term ‘OROP’ is being questioned by protesting veterans, who claim this is not the version promised by the Rajya Sabha committee led by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari in 2011.The government has allowed equalising pensions every five years – which is unprecedented – but the veterans want an annual increase.Though OROP benefits have been given to 20.63 lakh retired soldiers, owing to procedures and red-tape, almost one lakh are still waiting for the same. Subedar Grewal was one among the ‘anomaly’ cases, which was at the bank’s end, the SBI in Bhiwani.As per an internal note of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), most complaints relate to problems with banks. A large number of pensioners live in remote areas where banks are still coming to grips with the new calculations. The MoD has now arranged for special officers in such branches. Furthermore, banks have been directed to release OROP arrears to those pensioners whose papers are yet not complete. This can be done in due time, they have been told.Meanhwhile, Justice Narsimha Reddy has submitted a report on — Rs 3,866 crore as part of first installment and the remaining for second installment. The total annual financial burden of OROP is Rs 7,500 crore (arrears Rs 11,000 crore). Sources in the MoD clarified that subedar Grewal was entitled to OROP, laying to rest speculation on the social media if he was elegible for the same.A majority of anomaly cases are being sorted out by the Ex-Servicemen Welfare cells.