Ex-servicemen News

General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said Defence Minister has promised to resolve the issue of a cap of Rs 10,000 on educational expenses paid to the children of defence forces martyrs.

The police on Tuesday arrested an ex- serviceman and his accomplice and seized arms and ammunitions, including an AK-47 assault rifle, in Batala here, an official said on Tuesday. 

Several ex-servicemen, demanding the implementation of One Rank One Pension or OROP, were forcefully evicted from Jantar Mantar on Monday following an National Green Tribunal (NGT) order banning protests and dharnas around the historic monument.

 The government might have launched a Skill India mission with much fanfare but a defence ministry scheme to train ex-servicemen for a second career has failed to fulfill its objectives with no new initiatives introduced in the last 10 years, an audit report says.

The One Rank-One Pension scheme, brought in last November to benefit more than 2.5 million ex- servicemen and war widows, today received ex-post facto approval from the Union Cabinet.

The minister also expressed his gratitude to banks and defence department which have worked overtime to disburse some 2,293 crores by March 17.

Unsatisfied with the detailed instructions and tables for One Rank One Pension scheme issued by the government, protesting military veterans on Thursday vowed to continue their agitation.

The annual recurring financial implication of One Rank One Pension at the current rate will be approximately Rs 7,500 crore, the government said on Wednesday as it issued detailed instructions for the scheme.

For the first time ever, the Republic Day parade will witness a tableau by the ex-servicemen where the Army veterans will showcase their role in building the nation.

A protest by ex-servicemen outside FM Arun Jaitley`s residence on the OROP issue was called off after a late-night meeting with MoS for Finance Jayant Sinha.

Hundreds of former servicemen at India Gate on Tuesday paid homage to the soldiers martyred during Pathankot attack.

Pakistani intelligence agency ISI had plans to spy on Military installations, as per a media report.

The Committee has been given a six-month deadline for submission of its recommendations. 

The government came out with a notification on OROP on November 7 but the veterans still remain unsatisfied.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to assuage protesting military veterans against "diluted" notification of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme saying any issue relating to it can be taken up with the judicial committee set up by government to make it "fool-proof."

The ex-servicemen protesting for the implementation of the OROP scheme tried to burn their medals on Wednesday.

Manohar Parrikar termed one rank, one pension decision as his biggest achievement in the last one year.

The ex-servicemen have rejected the Centre's notification on the implementation of One Rank, One Pension.

With the protesting ex-servicemen dissatisfied with the formal notification of one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said that everyone has a right to make a demand in democracy but not all demands can be fulfilled.

The chorus over ''growing'' intolerance has been rising in the country as scores of activists, writers, scientists and filmmakers have returned their national awards.