Lok Sabha Question No. 322 (STARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Welfare of Ex-Servicemen
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Shrikant Eknath Shinde

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  December, 2019

## WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN

## *322. DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of welfare and rehabilitation schemes and financial assistance provided to ex-servicemen by the Government through various agencies;
- (b)  the  total  amount  distributed  for  the  welfare  of  ex-servicemen  under  Raksha Mantri's  Discretionary  Fund  (RMDF)  and  the  number  of  beneficiaries  of  the  Fund during the last three years, year-wise;
- (c) the main activities of Kendriya Sainik Board and the manner in which the activities are beneficial to ex-servicemen and their families; and
- (d) the efforts made to activate Grievances Redressal Mechanism for ex-servicemen and to expedite the redressal of their grievances?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF DEFENCE                                    (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)

j{kk ea=h

¼Jh राजनाथ स िंह )

(a) to (d):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  322  FOR  ANSWER  ON  11.12.2019 REGARDING 'WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN'.

- (a) The  Welfare,  Rehabilitation  Scheme  and  Financial  Assistance  is  provided  by  the Government through  Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) and the Service Headquarters. In addition various State Governments also have separate schemes for welfare of Ex-servicemen (ESM).

Details of Schemes run by KSB are at Annexure- A

Details of Rehabilitation schemes run by DGR are at Annexure -B

Details of measures instituted by Service Headquarters are at Annexure- C

- (b) The  nomenclature  of  Raksha  Mantri's  Discretionary  Fund  (RMDF)  has  been changed to Raksha Mantri's Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF). The details of total  amount  distributed  along  with  number  of  beneficiaries  for  the  welfare  of  Exservicemen under Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF) during last three years  is as under :-
- (c) Details of the main activities of Kendriya Sainik Board are  placed at Annexure- D

| Financial Year   | No of beneficiaries   |   Total Amount Disbursed Rs (In Crores) |
|------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 2016-17          | 37,572                |                                   67.21 |
| 2017-18          | 29,303                |                                   57.81 |
| 2018-19          | 24,066                |                                   64.4  |
| Total            | 90,941                |                                  189.42 |

All the above activities are primarily for the welfare of Ex-servicemen and their dependents    to  lead  a  dignified  life  after  retirement.  It  may  be  seen  that  the  support created  through  the  various  schemes  like  penury  grant,  daughters'  marriage  grant, education grant, disabled children grant, house repair grant, medical treatment grant , serious disease grant, orphan grant etc have resulted in more compassionate support to the  families  and  children  of  ex-servicemen.    The  educational  opportunities  of  exservicemen's children have been expanded.  A growing involvement of civil society and the private sector with ex-servicemen's welfare has resulted in improved mobilization of welfare funds.

A total  of  90941  ESMs  and  their  dependents  have  been  benefited  under  these schemes during last three years (from 2016-17 to 2018-19).

(d) Redressal  of    grievances  is  a  key  function  of  the  Department  of  Ex-Servicemen Welfare.  In  the  direction  of  prompt  and  satisfactory  resolution  of  grievances,  the following initiatives were taken subsequent to 2014 :-

- (i) Personal  contact  with  petitioners :  Apart  from  written  communications, petitioners  are  contacted  over  phone  to  obtain  specifics  of  the  grievance including service/pensioners' details, Feedback about resolution of grievances and  to ascertain level of satisfaction.
- (ii) Categorization of grievances: The  department has categorized the grievances in  27  categories  according  to  the  nature  of  grievances  received  from  exservicemen to know the cause of the grievances and issuing instructions to the concerned offices for redressal.
- (iii) Periodical monitoring at higher level: The status of pending pension grievances  is  being  monitored  at  the  highest  level  of  the  department  by  the Secretary in regular weekly meetings.
- (iv) Synergy of the existing infrastructure: The existing set up  of Sainik Boards is  being  utilized  for  assisting  the  petitioners  and  other  ex-servicemen  for completion of documents/Records required for release of pension and assisting in State Govt. related issues/grievances.

Overall percentage of disposal of grievances is 97% and the data are available in  the  pgportal.gov.in.  This  has  been  achieved  due  to  intense  follow  up,  regular interaction with the concerned offices as well as weekly review. The impact of the above indicated initiatives, together with strict compliance with shorter timeline of 30  days  for  resolution  of  grievances  and  use  of  technology  has  resulted  in reduction of average disposal time from 87 days in 2014 to 25 days in 2018 and further reduced to 21 days in 2019.

The efforts made above underscore our concerted efforts to reduce grievances, bring down the disposal time, and promote dialogue and interaction with our exservicemen as also to sensitize the Rajya Sainik Boards (RSBs) Zila Sainik Boards (ZSBs) for resolving the grievances of ESM.

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## ANNEXURE-A REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322 FOR ANSWER ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING 'WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN'.

## DETAILS OF VARIOUS WELFARE SCHEMES PROVIDED TO ESM /WIDOWS BY KENDRIYA SAINIK BOARD (KSB)

## 1. Benefits given from Armed Forces Flag Day Fund under RMEWF :-

| S No.   | Grants                                                                                                                                              | Amount(in Rs)                          |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| (a)     | Penury Grant (65 Yrs and above) (Non-Pensioners uptoHav Rank)                                                                                       | Rs 4,000/-pm (Life time) Wef 01 Apr 17 |
| (b)     | Education Grant (upto two children) (i) Boys/Girls upto Graduation (ii) Widows for PG (Pensioner/Non Pensioner upto Hav Rank) and upto two children | Rs 1,000/-pm                           |
| (c)     | Officer Cadet Grant (for Cadets of NDA only) Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)                                                                       | Rs 1,000/-pm                           |
| (d)     | Disabled Children Grant (Pensioner/Non-pen upto Hav Rank)                                                                                           | Rs 1,000/-pm                           |
| (e)     | House Repair Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)  100% Disabled ESM  Orphan Daughter (of all ranks)                                           | Rs 20,000/- (One time)                 |
| (f)     | Daughter's Marriage Grant (upto 02 Daughters) (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)                                                                     | Rs 50,000/- *                          |
| (f)     | Widow Re-Marriage Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank) * If married solemnly on or after 21 Apr 16.                                              | Rs 50,000/- *                          |
| (g)     | Funeral Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)                                                                                                     | Rs 5,000/-                             |
| (h)     | Medical Treatment Grant (Non-pensioner upto Hav Rank)                                                                                               | Rs 30,000/- (Max)                      |

| (j)   | Orphan Grant (Pensioner/Non-pen All Ranks)  Daughters of ex-servicemen till she is married.  One Son of ex-servicemen upto 21 years of age.   | Rs 1,000/-pm           |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|
| (k)   | Vocational Trg Grant For Widows (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)                                                                               | Rs 20,000/- (One Time) |

2. Modified Scooter Grant .  Rs  57,500/provided to  those  ESM,  who  are disabled after service with a disability of 50% or more and who are not covered under the scheme of AG's Branch of IHQ (Army, Navy & Air Force).
3. Serious diseases Grant from AFFD Fund to Non Pensioners ESM of all Ranks :-
4. Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme :    Total 5500 scholarship are provided to eligible wards based on merit for the entire duration of the courses from National Defence Fund (NDF). The rates of Scholarship are as follows : -
4. (a)   Rs. 2500/- per month for boys.
5. (b)   Rs. 3000/- per month for girls.

| (a)   | Serious Diseases as listed below: - Angioplasty, Angiography, CABG, Open Heart Surgery, Valve Replacement, Pacemaker Implant, Renal Implant, Prostate Surgery, Joint Replacement and Cerebral Stoke. Other Diseases : Where more than Rs 1.00 Lac has been spent on treatment   | 75%/90% of total expenditure Officer and PBOR respectively Upto Rs 1.25 Lac (max)                 |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (b)   | Dialysis and Cancer treatment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 75%/90% of total expenditure Officer and PBOR respectively Upto a max of Rs 75,000/- per FY only. |

## 5. Financial support to institutions involved in rehabilitation of ESM :-

i) Rs 1.20 crore       30,000/- ii) Rs 10,00,000/-      inmate

| S. No.   | Organisation                                                                                                                                       | Quantum of Aid/Grant                                                                              |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a)      | Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centers (i) Kirkee (ii) Mohali                                                                                           | Estt Inmates i) Rs 1.20 crore 30,000/- wef Apr 16 pa per ii) Rs 10,00,000/- inmate (wef Apr 2015) |
| (b)      | All India Gorkha Ex-servicemen welfare association, Dehradun                                                                                       | Rs. 12,00,000/- pa                                                                                |
| (c)      | Cheshire Homes (i) Lucknow (ii) Dehradun (iii) Delhi                                                                                               | Rs 9,000/- pa per inmate                                                                          |
| (d)      | War Memorial Hostels. There are 36 WMHs which provide shelter to the children of War Widows/War disabled, attributable and non attributable cases. | Rs 1350/- per month                                                                               |

6. Reservation  of  seats  in  Medical/Dental  Colleges  for  wards  of  Defence Personnel as Govt of India Nominee . A  total  of  35  MBBS  seats  and  3  seats  in BDS courses are allotted by Ministry of Health Family Welfare to KSB for wards of defence personnel as a Govt of India nominee.
7. Reservation  of  seats    in  Medical/Dental/Professional/  Non  professional Courses by States/UTs/Central/State Universities/Autonomous Institutions: There are provisions of Reservation of Seats in  Medical/Dental/Professional/ Non professional Courses by States/UTs/Central/State Universities/Autonomous Institutions for wards/widows of ESMs as per the priority laid down by MoD.
8. Subsidised accommodation in Sainik Rest House: There are Sainik Rest Houses spread all across the country, which is available at nominal costs.
9. 75 percent concession in rail fare for travel in II Class is available to war widows. This concession for War Widows can be availed on production of the I-Card issued by the KSB .

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## ANNEXURE-B REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322 FOR ANSWER ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING 'WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN'.

## RESETTLEMENT SCHEMES ARE RUN BY DGR

Following Ex-servicemen Resettlement schemes are run by DGR  to  provide resettlement opportunities to  Ex-servicemen of three Armed Forces Services.

- (a) Placement  Assistance  through  on-line  registration  at  DGR.  Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) sponsors Ex-Servicemen to various Govt organizations, Public Sector Undertakings, Corporate Houses, Private Sector, Central Para Military Forces etc based on their requisition for re-employment of ESM.
- (b) DGR Sponsored Security Agency Scheme .  -  The DGR empanels / sponsors ESM  run  Private  Security  Agencies,  and  State  ESM  Corporations  for  providing security guards to various CPSUs, Corporate Houses, Private sector Undertakings etc.
- (c) ESM  Coal  Loading  And  Transportation  Scheme. -The Scheme  is administered on the basis of MoU between the Coal India Ltd (CIL) and DGR.
- (d) Management  Of  CNG  Station  By  ESM  In  NCR. -    Desirous  ESM(O)s registered  in  the  scheme  are  sponsored  on  receipt  of  requisition  from  IGL  (New Dellhi) & MNGL (Pune).
- (e) Allotment Of BPCL/IOCL COCO Outlets Pan India. - ESM (Officer)/JCO who is registered with DGR and has not availed any other benefit is sponsored for the COCO outlets in the state of choice given by ESM (Officer) based on Oil Company's requisition.
- (f) Allotment  Of  Mother  Dairy  Milk  Booths  And  Fruit  &  Vegetable  (Safal) Shops In NCR. -  The  ESM  register  for  Milk  /  SAFAL  (Fruit  and  Vegetable booths separately and  give  multiple choice of zones for the purpose of areas where booths are required.
- (g) Coal Tipper Attachment Scheme. - This scheme is linked with the ESM Coal loading and transportation scheme.

- (h) Tipper  attachment  Scheme  for  War  Widows  and  Disabled  Soldiers .  -War  Widows  upto  age  of  65  and  disabled  soldiers  having  50%  or  more

disability are also allowed to enrol for this scheme.

- (i) Allotment of Regular LPG Distributor Ship . -  War Widows/Dependents of those  who  died  in  war,  war  disabled/disabled  on  duty  while  serving  in  operational area,  widows/dependents  of  those  who  died  in  harness  due  to  attributable  or aggravated  causes  to  Military  Service  and  ex-servicemen  disabled  in  peace  due  to attributable or aggravated causes to Military Service are eligible.
- (j) Retail  Outlet  Dealership  (Petrol/Diesel) .  -  War  Widows/Dependents  of  those who  died  in  war,  war  disabled/disabled  on  duty  while  serving  in  operational  area, widows/dependents  of  those  who  died  in  harness  due  to  attributable  or  aggravated causes to Military Service and ex-servicemen disabled in peace due to attributable or aggravated causes to Military Service are eligible.
- (k) DGR  ESM  Employment  Seminars  /  Job  Fairs .  -  A  Memorandum  of Understanding  (MoU)  was  signed  in  2014  between  DGR  and  the  Confederation  of Indian Industry (CII) with the aim to generate employment opportunity for ESM in the corporate sector.   Based on the MoU, ESM Job Fairs have been organized with the help  of  CII.  These  Job  Fairs  are  conducted  at  a  suitable  venue  where  the  suitably identified ESM are provided to the corporate employers based on the openings offered matched with the skills of the ESM.

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## ANNEXURE-C REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322 FOR ANSWER ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING 'WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN'.

## MEASURES INSTITUTED BY VARIOUS SERVICE HEADQUARTERS FOR ESM /WIDOWS

1. Following measures have been taken by various Service Headquarters  :-

| S. No.   | SHQ                | Measures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a)      | Army Headquarters  | An exclusive Directorate viz. Dte of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) have been formed at Army HQ to assist Veterans in resolving their Pensions and Welfare Issues.                                                                                                                                                       |
| (b)      | Air Headquarters   | (i) An exclusive Directorate viz. Dte of Air Veterans (DAV) have been formed at Air HQ since Sep 2012 to assist Air Veterans in resolving their Pensions and Welfare Issues. (ii) IAF Placement Cell (IAFPC) have been functional at DAV for providing employment assistance to retired/ retiring Air Force Personnel |
| (c)      | Naval Headquarters | An exclusive Directorate viz. Dte of Ex Servicemen Affairs (DESA) have been formed at Naval HQ to assist Naval Veterans in resolving their Pensions and Welfare Issues. It also facilitates skill certification of retiring Naval personnel.                                                                          |

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## ANNEXURE-D REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322 FOR ANSWER ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING 'WELFARE OF EX-SERVICEMEN'.

## MAIN ACTIVITIES OF KENDRIYA SAINIK BOARD (KSB) SECTT.

1. Organize and conduct following :-
2. (a) The meeting of KSB and Director, DSW / Secy RSBs.
3. (b)  Annual Meeting of Management Committee of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.
4. (c) Periodic meetings of the Executive Committee of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.
2. Progressing implementation of the decisions taken with concerned agencies.
3. Provide policy directive, as approved by the MoD, to Depts of Sainik Welfare in States / UTs on matters of welfare of Ex-Servicemen.
4. Monitor  and  guide  the  Depts  of  Sainik  Welfare  in  the  States  in  their functioning as per guidelines laid down by KSB / Ministry of Defence.
5. Provide budgetary support for establishment and maintenance costs of Depts of Sainik Welfare and Zila Sainik Welfare Offices to State / UTs.
6. Attend as member of the Selection Committee convened invariably under the Chief  Secretary  of  the  State  for  selection  of  Director,  Dept  of  Sainik  Welfare  / Secretary RSB and Zila Sainik Welfare Officer / Secretary ZSB convened one month prior to the post falling vacant.
7. Inspect the Department of Sainik Welfare of States / UTs each year and report on their functioning to State Govt / MoD.
8. Attend  Rajya  Sainik  Board  and  Amalgamated  Fund  Meeting  in  States  as special invitee.
9. Administer Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF).
10. Deal  with  redressal  and  queries  related  to  welfare  of  Ex-Servicemen  and families of deceased service personnel.
11. Operate the Scheme for allotment of Medical, Dental and Engineering seats under Ministry of Defence quota.

12. Organize and conduct 'Armed Forces Flag Day Collection' at Central Govt. Depts located at Delhi.
13. Provide flags, posters and publicity material for conduct of the AFFD in States / UTs and Indian Mission abroad.
14. Operation of centrally  sponsored  schemes  such  as  RMEWF (Raksha Mantri Ex-servicemen Welfare Fund) and PM Scholarship Schemes.
15. Issue I-Card for availing Rail Travel Concession to War Widows and to ESM in special case.
16. Provide financial assistance to paraplegic homes at PRC Kirkee & Mohali, 35 War  Memorial  Hostels,  Cheshire  Homes  and  various  institutes  and  visit  them  to check its proper distribution.
17. Advise on the correct investment of the Amalgamated Fund by the RSBs of the States / UTs.
18. Inspect ZSBs at random to check their functioning and effectiveness.

All activities mentioned above  cater for providing financial assistance related to welfare of ESM /Widows/wards and to redressal  of grievances through 33 Rajya Sainik Boards and 403 Zila Sainik Boards, across the country.

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