Welfare Measures for Families of Martyred Soldiers

The details regarding educational concessions, healthcare and other facilities for children of martyred soldiers is as under:

Educational Concessions:

The following educational concessions are provided to the Children of Armed Forces Officers / Personnel Below Officer Ranks, Missing / Disabled / Killed in action:

·         Tuition Fees:  Full reimbursement of tuition fee (Capitation fee and caution money not included) levied by the educational institutions concerned (including charges levied for the school bus maintained by the school or actual fare paid for railway pass for students or bus fare certified by the Head of Institutes).

·         Hostel Charges:   Full reimbursement of Hostel charges for those studying in boarding schools and colleges.

·         Cost of books / stationery:  Rs.1,000/- (Rupees One Thousand Only) per annum per student or the amount claimed by the student, whichever is less.

·         Cost of Uniform where Compulsory:  Rs.1,700/- (Rupees One Thousand Seven Hundred Only) at the maximum during 1st year and Rs.700/- (Rupees Seven Hundred Only) for the subsequent years per annum per student or the amount claimed by the student, whichever is less.

·         Clothing:  Rs.500/- (Rupees Five Hundred Only) for the 1st year and Rs.300/- (Rupees Three Hundred Only) for the subsequent years per annum per student or the amount claimed by the student, whichever is less.

The above educational concessions are admissible only for undertaking studies in Government / Government aided schools / educational institutes, Military / Sainik Schools and other Schools or colleges recognized by the Central or State Governments including the autonomous organizations financed entirely by the Central / State Governments.

Reimbursement of Children Education Allowance (CEA) shall have no nexus with the performance of the child in his / her class.  In other words, even if a child fails in a particular class, the re-imbursement of CEA shall not be stopped.

Healthcare:

Central Organization, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme provides for free healthcare to all dependents of martyred soldiers.  The dependents of martyred soldiers are also exempted from payment of one time contribution for becoming ECHS members.

Other facilities:

·         The wards of Defence / Coast Guard Personnel killed in action are the first priority for award of Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme under which 5500 Scholarships are awarded annually to the wards of ex-servicemen / widows in order to support their higher technical / professional education.

·         The wards of Defence Personnel killed in action are the first priority for MBBS / BDS seats (normally 20-24 MBBS and 2-3 BDS seats annually) reserved for Defence personnel.

·         Recurring grant of Rs.1350/-p.m. is provided to War Memorial Hostels for the children of War Widows / war-disabled.

An institutionalized mechanism at all levels down to the unit at Services’ Hqrs. exists to ensure that families / dependents of martyred soldiers are provided with uniform and adequate financial assistance.  Kendriya Sainik Board Secretariat, an attached office of Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare implements other facilities / welfare measures for ex-servicemen including martyred soldiers.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Prabhat Jha in Rajya Sabha today.

Source : PIB