CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONCESSIONS AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO WAR WIDOWS/WAR DISABLED AND RETIRED/SERVING DEFENCE PERSONNEL

Education

Educational Concessions

Children of Defence personnel killed or disabled in action, including casualties of OP PAWAN and MEGHDOOT, who are studying in educational institutions under the Department of Education are entitled to the following educational concessions (Authority : AG's Branch, Army HQ letter No.56268/Policy/AG/ CW 3(b) dated 17 Aug 90 and Ministry of Human Resources Development (Dept. of Education) letter No.F.14-1/94-School-1 dated 10 Nov 95) :

Complete exemption from tuition fee and other fees levied by the educational institution concerned,
Grants to meet hostel charges in full for those studying in Boarding Schools and Colleges.
Full cost of books and stationery.
Full cost of uniform where this is compulsory.

The above concessions would be available up to and inclusive of the first Degree Course. If any entitled child is, however studying in a Post Graduate Course, the concession would be admissible to him also.

The educational concession is also applicable to the following:

Children of Officers and Personnel below officers rank (PBOR) who have been declared missing for a period of six months or till the date of return of the missing officer or PBOR, whichever is earlier.
Children of prisoners of war.
Widows of officers and men of Armed Forces including Para military personnel killed during Indo Pak conflict of 1971.
Children of war widow would continue to get the educational concession even if she re-marries.

Admission into Professional Colleges

Medical and Engineering. Around 28 seats in MBBS and one seat in BDS and 2 seats in Engineering College at Annamalai University are available through KSB for wives/widows and wards of categories of Defence personnel in the following order of priority:

Killed in action.
Disabled in action and boarded out from service.
Died while in service with death attributable to military service.
Disabled in service and boarded out with disability attributable to military service.c
Gallantry Award/Other Award Winners.

Reservation of seats in IITs. A joint entrance examination is conducted every year by the six IITs for admission to the IITs at Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Banaras Hindu University Institute of Technology. Two seats in each of the above six institutes are reserved for children of the Defence/Para Military Force Personnel killed or permanently disabled in action. Such candidates are however, required to qualify in the joint entrance examination.

Reservation in Sainik and Military Schools.

Sainik Schools. 25 percent seats for serving and ex Services personnel.
Military Schools. Reservation of seats for wards of JCOs/ORs: 67 percent & Officers: 20 percent.

Reservation of seats in professional colleges for ex Servicemen and serving personnel granted by States/UTs are covered in the later chapters under each State/UT.

Accommodation in War Memorial Hostels

35 War Memorial Hostels have already been constructed in various Regimental Centres. These hostels provide accommodation to wards of war bereaved, disabled and attributable/non attributable peace time casualties to enable them to pursue their studies. KSB provides Rs.600/ p.m., education grant for each child except in respect of non attributable cases where the grant is Rs.300/ p.m,. To see "Location of War Memorial Hostels in States/UTs" clickhere

MEDICAL

Entitlement for Medical Treatment from Service Hospitals for ex Service Pensioners and their Families

Ex Service pensioners and their families are entitled to medical treatment from service hospitals under provision of Para 296(O) of RMSAP 1983. The pensioners/widows are required to produce a non employment certificate at the hospital to ensure proper recovery of hospital stoppages vide DGAFMS letter No.1630/ DGAFMS/ DG3A dated 08 Oct 86.

This entitlement card has come into effect from 01 Jan 94.

All ex Service pensioners/widows are advised to get the entitlement card made through Zila/Rajya Sainik Boards.

Medical Benefits for ex Servicemen/Widows and Dependents

Through Service Hospitals and Medical Establishments. Ex Servicemen, their families and families of deceased service personnel drawing pension of any kind are entitled to free out patient treatment at Military Hospitals. These personnel can also be provided in patient treatment in such hospitals subject to certain conditions. 24 MI Rooms and 12 Dental Centres have been created from the funds provided by the Service HQs and KSB for providing medical facilities to ex Servicemen pensioners and their dependents. The location of these MI Rooms and Dental Centres are given as under:

MI Rooms Dental Centres

Large Hospitals
- Base Hospital, Delhi (3)Delhi Cantt.
- CH, Chandimandir Chandimandir (1)
- MH, Jalandhar Jalandhar (1)
- MH, Ambala Ambala (1)
- 159 GH, Ferozpur
- MH, Amritsar
- 166 MH, Jammu
- 167 MH, Pathankot
- BH, Lucknow Lucknow (1)
- MH, Dehradun
- BH, Barrackpore
- CH (EC), Kolkatta Kolkata (1)
- MH, Jodhpur
- MH, Agra Cantt
- CH (SC), Pune Pune (1)
- INHS Asvini, Mumbai Mumbai (1)
- AF Hospital, Bangalore Bangalore (1)
- INHS Sanjeevani, Cochin
Small Hospitals
- MH, Chennai
- MH, Secunderabad
- MH, Jaipur
- MH, Aurangabad
- MH, Dharamshala
- MH, Faizabad
- Trivandrum (1) -

Through State Government Hospitals. Ex-Servicemen can also avail medical treatment from their State Govt. Hospitals as normal State citizens.

Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment

All Ex Servicemen suffering from serious diseases are given financial assistance for treatment in civil hospitals in case they cannot be treated in Military Hospitals and have not availed similar assistance from other sources. These are :

(i) By pass surgery	90% and 75% of the authorised expenditure in case of JCOs/ORs and Officers respectively.
(ii) Angiography	-do-
(iii) Kidney/Renal transplant	-do-
(iv) Cancer/spastic Paraplegic	-do- (restricted to Rs. 75,000/- per annum)
(v) Coronary Artery Surgery/Angioplasty	-do-
(vi) Open Heart Surgery/Valve replacement	-do-
(vii) Pace Maker implant	-do-
(viii) Stroke	-do-
(ix) Arterial Surgery	-do-
(x) Prostate Surgery	-do-
(xi) Total Joint Replacement	-do-
(xii) Dialysis	-do-(restricted to Rs 75,000/- per annum)

Procedure for Application. Financial assistance for medical treatment for serious diseases mentioned in para (a) above to ex Servicemen and their dependents is available from the Kendriya Sainik Board. For this purpose the individual has to apply to the Secretary, KSB, West Block 4, R K Puram, New Delhi 110 066 through his Zila/Rajya Sainik Board with the following documents:
- Original cash receipts in support of medicines purchased for the treatment/operation duly countersigned by the hospital authorities.
- Photocopy of Hospital's discharge slip/prescription slip.
- If the case was referred by Military Hospital, a copy of the Military Hospital's letter referring the case to Civil Hospital.
- The details of financial assistance, if any, received.
- If re employed, the details of Medical facilities being provided by the employer.
- If also a civil pensioner, the details of the medical facilities being provided by the Civil authorities to their pensioners.
- Photocopy of discharge book/ex Servicemen Identity Card/ and MBS of AGIF Card.
NOTES
- KSB has tied up with different specialised hospitals in the country for direct payment of 90 percent and 75 percent of the stipulated amount on account of treatment of JCOs/ORs & Officers respectively. For the purpose, letter issued by KSB is required to be sent by the ESM to the concerned Hospital.
- Those ex-Servicemen who have been members of AGI/AFGI Medical Benefit Scheme and have already availed financial benefits from them are considered for financial assistance from Kendriya Sainik Board if they go in for subsequent treatment of serious disease and are not eligible for availing AGI/AFGI benefits for any further financial assistance.

TRAVEL

Rail Travel Concession. Govt. of India have announced free rail travel in I Class/II AC Class to the recipients of PVC, Ashok Chakra, MVC, Kirti Chakra, VrC and Shourya Chakra and the widows of posthumous winners of these Gallantry Awards along with a companion. (Ministry of Railways letter No. E(W)96PS 5 6/22 dated 23 Feb 96.)

75 percent concession in rail fare for travel in II Class is available to war widows including those of IPKF and Kargil casualties. This concession can be availed on production of the I Card issued by the KSB.

Air Travel Concession. Following categories of personnel are eligible to 50 percent concession in fare for air travel in domestic flights of the Indian Airlines:

Recipients of Gallantry Awards of Class I & Class II viz., PVC, Ashok Chakra, MVC, and Kirti Chakra.
Permanently war disabled officers who have been invalidated out of service and the dependent members of their families.
War widows of post Independence era.

CSD CANTEEN

Canteen Facilities. In accordance with Army Order AO 32/84, Ex Servicemen and their families and ex-Defence personnel with minimum 5 years of service are entitled to CSD (I) Canteen facilities available in units/establishments. Cadets/Recruits boarded out on medical grounds are also entitled to avail CSD facilities. In addition, the following categories of TA personnel are entitled to canteen facilities after their retirement:

Pension holders for continuous embodied service.
Persons with disability attributable to Military Service.
Gallantry Award Winners.

PRIORITY TELEPHONE FACILITIES

The following categories of subscribers are exempted from payment of Registration Charges and installation charges for priority telephones connection under Non-OYT/Special Category and are entitled to 50 percent concession in normal rental charges. However, Gallantry Award winners are entitled to full concession in normal rental charges. (Authority : Ministry of Communications (Deptt. of Telecom Services) letter No. 2-47/92-PHA dated 19 Mar 93, circular NO 7/2000 dated 13 Jun 2000 and 2.47/92 PHA dt 18 Sep 2000):-

Gallantry Award Winners in the three Services (PVC, Ashok Chakra, MVC, KC, VrC & SC).
War widows.
Disabled soldiers.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE KSB THROUGH AFFDF/RMDF/DMACP FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM ARMED FORCES FLAG DAY FUND

Grant for Construction/Repair of Houses. 50 percent of the grant, paid to War Widows, War Disabled by the State Govt.s for construction/repair of houses is reimbursed by the KSB subject to a maximum of Rs.10,000/ (KSB letter No.105 SB(7)/EC/91/KSB/D dated 16 Nov 92).

Grant for Marriage of Daughters of War Widow/War Disabled. Kendriya Sainik Board gives a grant of Rs.8,000/ for the marriage of daughters of a war widow or war disabled ex Servicemen whose disability is more than 50 percent. .

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM RAKSHA MANTRI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND (RMDF)

The following cases of financial assistance from RMDF are considered by KSB:-

(a) Assistance to old infirm Ex‑Servicemen/ widows of ESM	Rs 1000/‑ p.m. for two years.
(b) Marriage of daughter Ex‑Servicemen/ widows in penury	Rs 8,000/‑.
(c) Repair of house for ESM/Widows in penury.	Rs 10,000/‑c
(d) Medical treatment Depending on the nature and gravity of ailment	Subject to a maximum of Rs 15,000/‑
(e) Education of children of ESM/ widows in penury	Rs 100/‑ p.m. per child for max of three children up to XII class.
(f) Other cases in respect of ESM/widows in penury. like natural calamities, accidental or where feels that the case deserves sympathetic consideration)	No single transaction to exceed Rs 15, 000/‑

Note : The cases of financial assistance from RMDF are submitted by the concerned Zila/Rajya Sainik Boards to KSB.

DEFENCE MINISTER’S APPELLATE COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS (DMACP)

Cases where family pension claims have been rejected or where disability is neither attributable nor aggravated by military service are given the following types of grants by the DMACP:

Educational allowance Rs 25/ p.m. up to three children of ex Servicemen who were enrolled prior to 01 Jan 85. For personnel enrolled on or after 01 Jan 85, the grant is admissible to only two children. The maximum amount of educational grant is, however, restricted to Rs. 3,000/ .
A lump sum grant up to Rs. 2,000/ to aged parents of the deceased ex Servicemen.
Cost of sewing machine to the wife of deceased/ disabled ex Servicemen.
A one time grant of Rs 1,000/ for daughter's marriage.

Appeals for financial assistance on rejection of pension claims should be made to the Defence Minister's Appellate Committee on pension within six months of rejection of the claim. The appeals are considered by the Committee based on merits of each case and the financial assistance granted which is, subsequently, paid by the Kendriya Sainik Board through the concerned Rajya/Zila Sainik Board.

Ex gratia allowance to Burma Army Pensioners. Burma Army Pensioners who are Indian Nationals and are drawing their pension in India are given ex gratia allowance so as to raise their existing pension and relief drawn thereon to Rs 1275/ per month w.e.f 01 Nov 97. This allowance would be admissible to the families of such pensioners in the event of their death.

Tool Kit for ex Servicemen Technicians. Out of Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, tool kits are provided, amount not exceeding Rs.2,000/ , provided the following conditions are fulfilled:

The upper limit is Rs.10,000/ for eligibility of grant of interest subsidy, even though the loan taken may be of a higher amount.
Apart from the Banks, loan taken from reputed organisations in Government/Public Sector Undertakings, LIC. GIC and HUDCO except private organisations are also made eligible for the grant of interest subsidy subject to the condition that the loan given by these organisations are based on genuineness of the requirement and the repaying capacity of the individual.
The rates of the interest subsidy and the period for re payment of loan is as under:
- The subsidy will be paid up to a maximum period of five years or the date of final repayment of loan whichever is earlier.
- The subsidy will be paid up to a maximum period of five years or the date of final repayment of loan whichever is earlier.

INSTITUTIONAL WELFARE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY KSB

Sainik Rest House Facility

To facilitate short stay of ex Servicemen during their visit to District HQs in connection with settlement of their pensionary claims, for medical treatment, litigation, etc. a number of Sainik Rest Houses have been established all over the country. At present, there are 243 Sainik Rest Houses in the country. For details of Sainik Rest Houses click here . After Care of ex Servicemen/their dependents for Leprosy/TB etc. in the Cheshire Homes.

Kendriya Sainik Board is providing grants to Cheshire Homes/Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre/QMTI so that the ex Servicemen/their dependents inmates are looked after by them. At present the following Cheshire Homes/Centres are being given grants:

Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre, Dehradun.
Cheshire Home, Thiruvananthapuram
Cheshire Home, Delhi
Cheshire Home, Lucknow
Cheshire Home, Vellore
Cheshire Home, Bangalore (g) QMTI, Pune

Grant in Aid in respect of Welfare Services undertaken by the Indian Red Cross Society

Annual grant is provided to the Indian Red Cross Society for welfare Services provided by the Society to sick and wounded Servicemen/ex Servicemen in the Armed Forces Hospitals.

Indian Gorkha Ex Servicemen Welfare Organisation

Kendriya Sainik Board provides grants to Indian Gorkha Ex Servicemen Welfare Association, Dehradun to look after the welfare of Indian Gorkha Ex Servicemen and their families.

Rehabilitation Centres/Training cum Production Centres for Widows of Defence Personnel

There are 18 Rehabilitation Centres/Training Centres/ Training cum Production Centres/Vocational Centres. These Centres provide Training Courses in Tailoring, Knitting, Stitching, Typing, Sewing, Stenography, Computer Programming, etc. For details of the location of Rehabilitation Centers clickhere .

Hostels for War Widows/Widows of Defence Personnel

Kendriya Sainik Board shares expenditure on 50 percent basis of the cost of the construction and thereafter the maintenance of Widows Hostels and Old Age Homes. These Hostels/Homes are at Bihar (Albert Eeka Memorial Complex, Patna), J&K (Jammu), Maharashtra (Naval War Memorial Hostel at Mumbai for Naval War Widows), Madhya Pradesh (Mahar Regimental Centre, Saugor and J&K Rifles Regimental Centre, Jabalpur), Meghalaya (Assam Regimental Centre, Shillong), Uttar Pradesh (Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne, Kumaon Regimental Centre, Ranikhet, Rajput Regimental Centre, Fatehgarh and AMC Centre & School, Lucknow), Delhi (War Widow Home Capacity for 30 inmates located at 18/1, Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110057) and Tamil Nadu (War Widows Home, Chennai 600 004).

REHABILITATION OF DISABLED SOLDIERS

Queen Mary’s Technical Institute, Pune

The Queen Mary's Technical Institute (QMTI), Range Hills, Pune, a private Charitable Institution conducts ITI recognised vocational trades training courses for disabled Servicemen, ex Servicemen and their dependents salient of which are as follows :

Course	Duration	Education
(a) Fitter	Two years	SSC Pass
(b) Electrician	do	do
(c) Mechanic Radio & TV	do	do
(d) Wireman	do	do
(e) Mechanic, Diesel	One year	SSC Fail
(f) Steno (English)	do	SSC Pass (50% marks in English)
(g) Cutting & Tailoring	do	VIII Pass

The session commences on 01 Aug every year and terminates on 31 Jul next year. Admissions are completed by 15 Jul for the next session.

Application for admission are to be routed as under:

Disabled ex Servicemen. Through respective Zila Sainik Welfare Officers and Secretary, Rajya Sainik Boards.
Disabled Servicemen. Through Units, Record Offices, Army HQ (AG's Branch).
Dependents. Directly to Supdt.,QMTI.

Fees

Disabled ex Servicemen. Fees and Boarding expenditure is payable by respective Rajya Sainik Boards.
Disabled Servicemen. By respective parent Units.
Dependents. By individuals.

Hostel facilities are provided for disabled ex Servicemen within the QMTI premises. Disabled soldiers are attached to MH, Kirkee

Training. The syllabus followed is as per norms laid down by the National Council for Training in Vocational Trades and the successful trainees receive ITI certificates and stand a good chance for employment all over the country. Also, they can obtain National Trade Certificates after undergoing Apprenticeship training and examinations

Placement. Training in QMTI helps a disabled soldier to acquire the all important will to live independently. Disabled ex Servicemen can easily find jobs after obtaining vocational training. Those who wish to start their own ventures can now do so better with technical qualifications and knowledge.

Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centres (PRC) at Kirkee and Mohali

In addition to QMTI, Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centres at Kirkee and Mohali with a capacity of 80 and 30 beds respectively are being run for rehabilitation of Paraplegic and Tetraplegic ex Servicemen. Financial assistance is also provided by the respective States to ex Servicemen during the period of training. The KSB provides a lump sum of annual grant to the PRCs Kirkee and Mohali for upkeep of the establishment in addition to grant per inmate actually housed in the Centres.

St Dunstan's After Care Organisation

St Dunstan's Organisation was formed to provide psychological support to over come the devastating shock of blindness as well as to impart vocational training to the blinded ex Servicemen, to enable them to find a place back in the society and to set them up in their homes and also after care services. The administration is looked after by the After care Organisation headed by an After Care Officer under the overall control of the Sub Committee at Dehradun. Sub Area Commander, Dehradun is its Chairman.

Kendriya Sainik Board provides annual grant to After Care Organisation at Dehradun to meet the expenditure on the welfare of blinded ex Servicemen in the country. After Care Officer is responsible for operating the organisation and also maintaining a link with National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) for training of blind ex Servicemen as well as new cases sponsored by MH Dehradun. St Dunstan's After Care Organisation is located at Rajpur Road, PO NCB, Dehradun 248 001.

The items required by the disabled and other categories of physically handicapped are permitted to be imported duty free by any person. Also, any drugs, medicines or equipment, certified to be a life saving drug/medicines, equipment etc., by the DGHS/DDGHS/ ADGHS can also be imported duty free.

Duty Free Import of Therapeutic Gadgets for Paraplegic ex Servicemen Patients

Under Custom Notification No.208/81 Cus dated 22 Sep 81, items required by the disabled and other categories of physically handicapped are permitted to be imported duty free by any person. A perusal of the notification shows that it specifically covers the following items:

"Instruments and implants including self curing acrylic Bone Cement for replacement and bonding of hips, knee and other joints for severely crippled and handicapped”.

The following items required by spinal patients and other categories of physically handicapped people are covered :

Wheel & other chairs:
- Folding wheel chairs with detachable arms and foot rests.
- Special light wheel chairs for easy handling.
- Motorised wheel chairs.
- Special purpose chairs for stairs climbing for tetraplegic and paraplegic workers.
Aids for disabled namely, folding walking frames.
Aids to extend reach to pick up small items (with small magnet pick up).
Specialised fixtures for orthopaedic and spastic tetraplegic for manoeuvring and providing dexterity to fingers and wrist.
Turning beds for prevention of pressure sores.
Emulsion cushions for tetraplegic and working paraplegics to avoid pressure sores.

Further, under the same notification any other drug, medicine or equipment which is certified by the DGHS/DDGHS/ADGHS to be a life saving drug, medicine, equipment, etc., can also be imported duty free by any person.

Similarly, under notification No.63/88 Cus and 64/88 Cus dated 01 Jan 88, Government hospitals and certain categories of charitable hospitals are permitted to import their requirements duty free.

Visit official website https://indiannavy.nic.in/content/central-govt-concessions-and-benefits-war-widowsdisabledserving-personnel

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