Financial aid to ex-servicemen and dependents gets 100% increase, penury grant doubles; check details

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday approved a 100 per cent increase in financial assistance for ex-Servicemen (ESM) and their dependents under schemes implemented by the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Department through the Kendriya Sainik Board, the Ministry of Defense said in an official statement.

According to the ministry, the penalty grant has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 per month per beneficiary, providing continuous lifelong support to elderly and non-retired ESM and their widows over 65 years of age without regular income.

The educational stipend has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month per person for widows with a maximum of two dependent children (Class I to Graduation) or pursuing a two-year postgraduate course.

Marriage allowance has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per beneficiary. It is valid for up to two daughters of the ESM and for the remarriage of the widow, for marriages concluded after the publication of this decision.

The revised rates will be valid for applications submitted from 1 November, resulting in an annual financial consequence of approximately R257 billion to be borne by the AFFDF.

These programs are funded through the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund, a subset of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF).

He added that the decision strengthens the social safety net for non-retired ESM, widows and dependents from low-income groups and reaffirms the Government’s commitment to honor the service and sacrifice of veterans.

(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by DNA staff but is published directly from ANI)