Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh has welcomed the Centre’s latest initiative of acceding to the demand of ex-servicemen and announcing One Rank One Pension (OROP) benefits for them.Dr Singh said the Union Government by announcing OROP has finally resolved the long pending demand of the ex-servicemen who have been agitating for it for the past four decades. “The successive Governments have done nothing for acceding to the demand of OROP for the ex-servicemen, who have rendered commendable services in safeguarding the nation against the evil and nefarious designs of the enemy. It is due to the visionary approach of the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi that this demand has been met which speaks a lot about his concern about various issues”, he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the scheme is also going to benefit thousands of ex-servicemen of the State who have also played yeoman’s role in defending the borders. He said now the onus lies on the people to come forward and strengthen the hands of the Prime Minister by actively involving themselves in the implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes, which form the basis of the democratic setup.The Deputy Chief Minister also condemned the latest shelling by the Pakistani army along the LoC in Poonch in which one civilian died. He said that a befitting reply would be given to the enemy as has been done on several occasions and they should refrain from violating the ceasefire time and again.