Lok Sabha Question No. 4632 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Unemployed Ex-servicemen in West Bengal
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Shri Saumitra Khan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4632 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH  MARCH, 2026

## UNEMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN IN WEST BENGAL

## 4632. SHRI SAUMITRA KHAN:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of ex-servicemen residing in West Bengal along with the number of those who are currently unemployed/underemployed, district-wise;
- (b) whether any region-specific skilling or entrepreneurship support has been provided under the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has partnered with Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) or private firms to offer remote work/contract opportunities for veterans in non-metro areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to formulate any roadmap to bridge the urban-rural disparity in post-retirement welfare schemes for soldiers; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE

IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(a)  and  (b)  District-wise  details  of  the  number  of  ex-servicemen  residing  in  West  Bengal  is enclosed  as Annexure  'A' .  The  Directorate  General  Resettlement  (DGR)  runs  resettlement schemes and skill development training for ex-servicemen, disabled soldiers, widows and their dependents to provide job opportunities based on the region specific skilling/entrepreneurships facilities as well as the demand. Data on Ex-Servicemen currently unemployed or underemployed in  the  State  of  West  Bengal  is  not  maintained.  DGR  conducts  skilling  and  entrepreneurship schemes pan India to cater for Ex-Servicemen (ESM) from all three services across all states. In West  Bengal,  a  total  number  of  34  courses (Kolkata-27,  Midnapore-7)  have  been  conducted wherein 1,096 ESMs have been trained in the year 2025-26.

## A N S W E R

(SHRI SANJAY SETH)

(c) to (e)   Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance has advised all Public Sector Undertakings  to  undertake  provisioning  of  security  services  through  the  Directorate  General Resettlement empanelled Security Agencies under the DGR Security Agencies Scheme. These security agencies also work in remote areas. Further, DGR's Tech Service Scheme also provides all  PSUs, the private sector, Industry and Departments of Central and State Governments technical manpower through the State Ex-Servicemen Corporations. To provide post-retirement employment welfare to ex-servicemen, various schemes/ programmes run by the Government such as Coal Loading and Transportation Scheme, Coal Tipper Attachment Scheme, Security Agency Scheme,  Common  Service  Centres  (CSC)  Scheme,  Village  Level  Entrepreneurship  training, Agriculture, Management of Company Owned Company Operated (COCO) Outlets, Mother Dairy Milk Booths, Safal Shop, Company Owned Retail Outlet Dealerships and reservation in Central Government Posts provide ex-servicemen an opportunity for post retirement employment panIndia including in rural areas.

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ANNEXURE-A  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  and  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4632 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 REGARDING UNEMPLOYED EX-SERVICEMEN IN WEST BENGAL

| Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   | Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   | Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   | Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   | Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   | Census Data of ESMs as on 30.06.2024 - West Bengal   |
|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                               | Districts                                            | Army                                                 | Navy                                                 | Air Force                                            | Total                                                |
| 1                                                    | Kolkata                                              | 4,465                                                | 833                                                  | 1,885                                                | 7,183                                                |
| 2                                                    | Howrah                                               | 1,448                                                | 294                                                  | 588                                                  | 2,330                                                |
| 3                                                    | Hooghly                                              | 2,878                                                | 461                                                  | 1,002                                                | 4,341                                                |
| 4                                                    | 24 Pgs (N)                                           | 11,896                                               | 1,817                                                | 4,946                                                | 18,659                                               |
| 5                                                    | 24 Pgs (S)                                           | 3,429                                                | 546                                                  | 1,548                                                | 5,523                                                |
| 6                                                    | Midnapur (E)                                         | 4,620                                                | 171                                                  | 392                                                  | 5,183                                                |
| 7                                                    | Midnapur (W)                                         | 3,473                                                | 147                                                  | 458                                                  | 4,078                                                |
| 8                                                    | Bankura                                              | 2,690                                                | 64                                                   | 319                                                  | 3,073                                                |
| 9                                                    | Purulia                                              | 745                                                  | 34                                                   | 174                                                  | 953                                                  |
| 10                                                   | Jhargram                                             | 37                                                   | 0                                                    | 5                                                    | 42                                                   |
| 11                                                   | Burdwan (E)                                          | 4,044                                                | 317                                                  | 978                                                  | 5,339                                                |
| 12                                                   | Burdwan (W)                                          | 1,423                                                | 143                                                  | 477                                                  | 2,043                                                |
| 13                                                   | Bribhum                                              | 2,262                                                | 57                                                   | 236                                                  | 2,555                                                |
| 14                                                   | Murshidabad                                          | 6,825                                                | 230                                                  | 190                                                  | 7,245                                                |
| 15                                                   | Malda                                                | 2,165                                                | 41                                                   | 83                                                   | 2,289                                                |
| 16                                                   | D/Dinajpur                                           | 1,117                                                | 40                                                   | 63                                                   | 1,220                                                |
| 17                                                   | U/Dinajpur                                           | 1,088                                                | 23                                                   | 95                                                   | 1,206                                                |
| 18                                                   | Jalpaiguri                                           | 2,525                                                | 66                                                   | 60                                                   | 2,651                                                |
| 19                                                   | Coochbehar                                           | 1,710                                                | 48                                                   | 67                                                   | 1,825                                                |
| 20                                                   | Alipur Duar                                          | 1,009                                                | 50                                                   | 106                                                  | 1,165                                                |
| 21                                                   | Darjeeling                                           | 15,984                                               | 206                                                  | 285                                                  | 16,475                                               |
| 22                                                   | Kalipong                                             | 1,766                                                | 13                                                   | 6                                                    | 1,785                                                |
| 23                                                   | Nadia                                                | 8,879                                                | 394                                                  | 1,014                                                | 10,287                                               |
| Total                                                | Total                                                | 86,478                                               | 5,995                                                | 14,977                                               | 1,07,450                                             |

Source: Rajya Sainik Board, West Bengal

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