Welfare and Rehabilitation Schemes for Ex-Servicemen

There are several welfare and rehabilitation schemes and financial assistance being provided by the Ministry of Defence to ex-servicemen. Kendriya Sainik Board is the Apex Body of Government of India responsible for laying down policies / guidelines for the welfare, rehabilitation and resettlement of ex-servicemen / dependents in the country.  These policies / programmes are also being implemented by the Kendriya Sainik Board for the benefit of ex-servicemen and their families.

Armed forces

The Armed Forces of the Union means the Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union including the Armed Forces of the former Indian States, but excludes the persons who have served in Defence Security Corps, General Reserve Engineering Force, Lok Sahayak Sena and Para Military Forces (PMF).

To access the definition of Ex-servicemen, click here.

Raksha Mantri Ex-servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF)

Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF) - Financial assistance for treatment of the listed serious diseases

Financial Assistance to institutions involved in Rehabilitation of Disabled ESM

Financial assistance for procuring mobility equipment to disabled ESM (All ranks)

Rupees 1 lakh 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 of Ministry of Defence (Army Navy & Air Force).

For eligibility criteria, application forms and other details of the above schemes, click here.

Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme

To support higher technical / professional education of dependent wards/widows of ex-servicemen and Ex-Indian Coast Guards, the scheme was introduced in the year 2006.  5500 scholarships are being awarded annually under this scheme to wards of Ex-servicemen/widows to be shared equally between boys and girls.  The rates of Scholarship are as follows:-

• Rs. 2,500/- per month for boys.
• Rs. 3000/- per month for girls.

For eligibility criteria, application forms and other details of the above scheme, click here.

Reservation for ESM in Central Government posts

Central Government Ministries/Departments:

• 10% Direct recruitment posts upto the level of Asst Comdt. in CAPF.
• 10% Direct recruitment posts in Group ‘C’.
• 20% Direct recruitment posts in Group ‘D’.

Including 4.5% for Disabled ESM and dependents of those killed in action.

Central Public Sector Enterprises

• 14.5% in Group ‘C’ Posts
• 24.5% in Group ‘D’ Posts

Including 4.5% for Disabled ESM and dependents of those killed in action.

Nationalized Bank

• 14.5% in Group ‘C’ Posts
• 24.5% in Group ‘D’ Posts

Resettlement Training

An option to undergo resettlement courses in reputed institutes pan India is provided to Officers, JCOs/OR and retired personnel’s through the office of Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) to enhance their educational qualifications and increase employment options post retirement. An exemption of 100% of the course fees is given to JCOs/ORs and 60% to officers. The exempted amount against the course fees is paid by the office of DGR.

Reservation in Allotment of Oil Product Agencies Under 8% Defence Quota

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has reserved 8% quota for LPG Distributorship and Petrol / Diesel Retail Outlets for armed forces personnel, Central / State government employees, Central / State PSU employees and CAPF. This reservation is applicable to widows/dependents of those members of Armed Forces who died in war or in harness due to attributable or aggravated causes to Military Service. The eligibility certificate for the above distributorship is issued by the office of DGR.

For eligibility criteria, application forms and other details of the schemes, click here.

Self-Employment Options

• ESM Coal Loading & Transportation Scheme: Based on a MoU signed between CIL and DGR on 12 Dec 2013, this scheme involves formation and running of a coal loading & transportation Company which is formed by ex-servicemen officers against demand by Coal Subsidiaries. The said company is registered as a Private Limited Company and carries out loading and transportation work at a designated site. It initially commences operations with 01 pay loader and 10 tippers which subsequently increases to maximum of 04 Pay loaders and 40 Tippers. All pay loaders are owned by the ESM Company.
• Tipper Attachment Scheme: This scheme is linked with the ESM Coal Loading and Transportation Scheme run under the aegis of DGR. Retired JCOs/OR/Widows/Dependents who have registered for the said scheme are required to attach a tipper truck with the above company. Ex-servicemen JCOs/OR pay the seed money to procure the tipper.
• Management of CNG Station: DGR has tie up with IGL to operate Company Owned and Company Operated CNG stations of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) in NCR and Delhi by ex-servicemen officers. Retired defence officers who have registered for the said scheme are sponsored to IGL for interview. On selection, the officer is contracted for management of a CNG station on a yearly contractual basis for a maximum period of five years. The scheme is presently operational in Delhi/NCR and Pune.
• Management of Company Owned Company Operated Retail Outlets: Retired defence officers who have registered for the said scheme are sponsored to concerned oil company for interview to manage the COCO retail outlet of the concerned oil company. On selection, the officer is contracted for management of the retail outlet on a contractual basis for a maximum period of three years. The scheme is operational in Pan India.
• Management of Mother Dairy Booths / Safal Outlets: Retired JCOs / NCOs who have registered for the said scheme are sponsored to Mother Dairy Corporation for interview to manage their milk booths / Safal outlets in Delhi and NCR area. An initial training for the selected candidates is provided by Mother Dairy.
• Security Agency Scheme : Under the security agency scheme, all the ESM while transiting through the process of resettlement after retirement from the Armed Forces, a stop gap arrangement for the ESM till such time a meaning full end respectful employment is made available to the ESM. The aim of the scheme is to facilitate some kind of earnings by the ESM through ESM (O) till he gets a job and also to keep ESM occupied and contribute positively towards society.

For eligibility criteria, application forms and other details of the schemes, click here.

Children Education Concession

Children’s Educational Concession is given to the wards of Armed Forces Personnel killed/missing/permanently disabled in various operations.

For eligibility criteria, application forms and other details of the scheme, click here.

Other Concessions

• Rail Concession: Kirti and Shaurya Chakra Gallantry Awardees and their widows are provided with First Class / AC-II Tier Complimentary Card Pass along with one companion in all express/mail trains except Rajdhani and Shatabadi Express trains. Awardees and widows of posthumous awardees of PVC, MVC, VrC and Ashok Chakra are entitled to travel by Shatabadi and Rajdhani Express trains. War Widows and Widows of Defence personnel killed in action against terrorists and extremists are facilitated with 75% concession for travel in 2nd class Mail/Express trains.
• Air Travel Concession: Recipients of Level-I and Level-II Gallantry Awards, Pre-Independence Awards Level-I & Level-II, War disabled officers of 1962, 1965, 1971 war & Kargil war and war widows of Indian Armed Forces Personnel killed in action are eligible for 75% concession in normal economy class INR fare for travel in domestic flights by Air India.
• Telephone Concession: The Chakra Series Gallantry Award Winners, War Widows and Disabled Soldiers get exemption from registration charges, installation charges including full and 50% concession in rental charges. They are also given priority under NON-OYT Special category for release of telephone connection.

Grievance redressal mechanism

The following efforts / arrangements are made for expeditious redressal of grievances of ex-servicemen:

• CPGRAMS:- Online Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System is maintained by Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances for effective and timely resolution of public grievance.  Joint Secretary (ESW) is the nodal officer for Department of Ex. Servicemen Welfare.  Joint Secretary (ESW) reviews the status on monthly basis.
• Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) :- Public grievances redressal mechanism for ex-servicemen has already been functioning in the CGDA and are being closely monitored at various level. The grievances are also processed through online Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) and disposed of as per prescribed time line. A dedicated call centre in PCDA (P), Allahabad has also been established with Toll free number 1800-180-5325 where an ex-serviceman can get the queries resolved through phone calls.
• Army Headquarters (AG/PS-5):- The redressal of public grievances system for ex-servicemen have been strengthened with setting up of dedicated Directorate in the IHQ of Ministry of Defence (Army) called Directorate of Indian Army Veterans(Army). Apart from this, time bound redressal of grievances has also made through the CPGRAMS, which is web-based programme hosted in pg-portal Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The grievances redressal is accorded priority and efforts made to redress any grievance within stipulated 60 days of lodging the grievances.
• Naval Hq/DPA:-The redressal of Public Grievances System for ex-servicemen have been strengthened with setting up of dedicated Directorate in the IHQ of Ministry of Defence (Navy) called “Directorate of Ex-Servicemen Affairs”. Similarly, a dedicated unit called “Naval Pension Office” at Mumbai has also been set-up by the Navy to resolve the grievances of Naval Pensioner’s / family Pensioners. Grievances received through letters / telephone by Navy are addressed by these organizations. Apart from time-bound redressal of grievances through above mechanism, the same are also resolved by Navy through CPGRAMS, an online web-enabled system over NICNET developed by NIC in association with the DARPG to provide speedy redressal and effective monitoring of grievances of citizens by ministries & departments of Govt. of India. The redressal of grievances through CPGRAMS is accorded highest priority and efforts are made to redress any grievance within stipulated 60 days from the date of lodging the grievance.
• Air Hqrs/DAV:-  A dedicated Air Veterans Cell is functioning for the Air Force Veterans to redress the grievances of ex-servicemen and every effort is in place to ensure early redressal of queries, if any, with respect to Air Veterans.
• Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare:-There is specific cell in Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) for handling grievances relating to pension.  The grievances received electronically through CPGRAMS are disposed off electronically and the remaining grievances are disposed off manually.  Grievances relate to pension fixation, disbursal, rehabilitation, re-employment, financial assistance, grant of benefits to ESM / families by the State Governments such as land / houses / flats, compensation, ex-gratia, criminal complaints etc.  The grievances are forwarded by the Pension Grievance Cell and other sections in the DESW to the respective Government agencies / units in the Armed Forces, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) etc. for necessary action and disposal.
• All the three attached offices under the administrative control of DESW namely, Kendriya Sainik Board Sectt., Directorate General of Resettlement and Central Organization, ECHS have their own grievance redressal mechanism in place.
• ECHS toll-free Helpline has been made available to all ECHS members at 1800-114-115 for resolving queries on Membership, Treatment and Enrolment.
• A dedicated toll free helpline 1800115250 is functional in Kendriya Sainik Board Secretariat for redressal of ESM grievances and answering their queries.
• References / communications from MP/VIP, NHRC, DARPG, RTI cases as well as grievances / petitions having specific directions of higher authorise are followed up and monitored till final disposal.

Source : Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW)

Related resources

• Kendriya Sainik Board - Guide Book 2022
• SPARSH portal