FACILITIES BEING GIVEN TO VEER NARIS AND THEIR CHILDREN BY THE DEFENCE MINISTRY

The state-wise details of War Widows (Veer Naris) are given below:

S No	STATE/UT	No of War Widows (Veer Naris)
	ANDHRA PRADESH	226
	ARUNACHAL PRADESH	5
	ASSAM	119
	BIHAR	539
	CHHATTISGARH	16
	GOA	3
	GUJARAT	58
	HARYANA	1,566
	HIMACHAL PRADESH	1,076
	JAMMU AND KASHMIR	1,218
	JHARKHAND	134
	KARNATAKA	204
	KERALA	265
	MADHYA PRADESH	276
	MAHARASHTRA	953
	MANIPUR	55
	MEGHALAYA	17
	MIZORAM	17
	NAGALAND	10
	ODISHA	116
	PUNJAB	2,132
	RAJASTHAN	1,317
	SIKKIM	7
	TAMIL NADU	359
	TELANGANA	4
	TRIPURA	13
	UTTARAKHAND	1,407
	UTTAR PRADESH	1,805
	WEST BENGAL	252
	A & N ISLANDS (UT)	0
	CHANDIGARH (UT)	33
	PUDUCHERRY (UT)	1
	DELHI	202
	Lakshadweep	0
	Dadra and Nagar Haveli	0
	LADAKH (UT)	0
	state data not held	62
Total		14,467

The details of facilities to the Veer Naris are as follows:

INDIAN ARMY

ENTITLEMENT SHEET: NEXT OF KIN
S No	Entitlements	Entitled Amount
		Officers	Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs)	Other Ranks (OR)
1.	Ex-Gratia central Government	Rs 25 to 45 lakh	Rs 25 to 45 lakh	Rs 25 to 45 lakh
2.	AGI Maturity	As per contribution
3.	Pension	Liberalised/Special Family Pension 100%/ 60% of last RE (Basic Pay +MSP)
4.	DCRG	Based on length of service (Max 20 lakh)
5.	FSA (Including leave encashment & DSOP/AFPP Fund)	As applicable
6.	Ex-Gratia(Army Central Welfare Fund-ACWF)	Rs 8,00,000	Rs 8,00,000	Rs 8,00,000
7.	Ex-Gratia (Domicile State Government)	As applicable

ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED BY DTE OF INDIAN ARMY VETERANS (DIAV) NoK (BC Fatal)
S No	Category	Amount	Remarks
(a)	Financial Grants
	Ex-Gratia out of Army Central Welfare Fund (K) is provided to NoK of BC (Fatal)	Rs  8,00,000	1st Tranche – 1,00,000 (on occurrence of casualty) 2nd Tranche – 7,00,000 (On Receipt of final documents)
(b)	Welfare Schemes
	(i) Daughter’s marriage / orphan son’s Marriage remarriage of widow	Rs 1,00,000
	(ii) Education Scholarship to Children (aa) Up to graduation	Education scholarship covering the entire expenditure up to graduation through CW-3
	(ab) Post Graduation	Rs 25,000 per year (max)
	(ac)Professional Courses	Rs 50,000 per year (max)
	(iii) One Time Computer Grant for wards & widows (pursuing graduation & above)	Rs 35,000
	(iv) Higher Education of Widow
	(aa) Graduation	Rs 20,000 per year(max)
	(ab) Post Graduation	Rs 25,000 per year (max)
	(ac) Professional Courses	Rs 50,000 per year (max)

INDIAN NAVY

Pensionary benefits (LFP/SFP/OFP, Ex-Gratia, DCRG/Gratuity) as per entitlement are paid to NOKs of the Naval Personnel. Financial assistance in terms of benefits like ex-gratia is provided under various categories to widows & dependents of deceased soldiers as per pension regulation promulgated by the Government. Family pension and gratuity to families and dependents is based on the last pay drawn and last rank held by the deceased soldiers at the time of his death whilst Ex-gratia amount is given to the NoK of a soldier killed in action or in course of duty irrespective of rank and qualifying service, based on circumstances of death. Ex-Gratia compensation are given in the range of Rs 25-45 lakh.

INDIAN AIR FORCE

An institutional mechanism by way of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for timely dispensing of pension and other Non-Effective (NE) benefit to NoK/dependents has been put in place in Indian Air Force (IAF). However, the following pensionary benefits are being provided to the Next of Kin (NoK) of the Air Warriors killed in action as per the Government Policy:

1. Liberalised Family Pension: Liberalised Family Pension (LPF) is being granted to Next of Kin of the Air Warriors killed in Action. It is granted in case of death of an Armed Forces Personnel due to acts of violence/attack by terrorist, anti-social elements, enemy action in international war, action during deployment with a peace keeping mission abroad, border skirmishes etc. It is granted @ 100% of reckonable emolument + admissible Dearness Relief applicable from time to time. It continues even after re-marriage of the widow.

1. Death cum Retirement Gratuity (DCRG): It is payable to the widow / NOK / nominated family member of the deceased Officer / Airmen / NCs (E) who die in harness as per the length of qualifying service.

1. Ex-Gratia Payment: Ex-gratia Lump Sum Compensation given as per the following details:

S No	Circumstances	Rates (in Rs)
(aa)	Death occurring due to accident in course of performance of duties	25 Lakh
(ab)	Death in the course of performance of duties attributed to acts of violence by terrorists, anti-social elements etc.	25 Lakh
(ac)	Death occurring in border skirmishes and action against militants, terrorist, extremists, sea pirates.	35 Lakh
(ad)	Death occurring while on duty in the specified high altitude, Inaccessible border posts, on account of natural disasters, extreme weather conditions.	35 Lakh
(ae)	Death occurring enemy action in war or such war like engagements, which are specifically notified by Ministry of Defence and death occurring during evacuation of Indian National from a war-torn zone in foreign country.	45 Lakh

Details of various welfare schemes being provided by Kendriya Sainik Board (Ksb) are as follows:

1. Financial assistance / benefits given from Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF) under Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF):

S No	Grants	Amount (in Rs)
	Education Grant (upto two children) Boys/Girls upto Graduation Widows for PG (Pensioner/Non Pensioner upto Hav Rank) and upto two children	Rs 1,000/-pm
	Disabled Children Grant (Pensioner/Non-pen upto JCO Rank)	Rs 3,000/-pm
	Daughter’s Marriage Grant (upto 02 Daughters) (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)	Rs 50,000/-*
	Widow Re-Marriage Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank) *If married solemnly on or after 21st April, 2016.
	Orphan Grant (Pensioner/Non-pen All Ranks) Daughters of ex-servicemen till she is married. One Son of ex-servicemen upto 21 years of age.	Rs 3,000/-PM
	Vocational Trg Grant For Widows (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank)	Rs 20,000/- (One Time)

1. Subsidy on Home Loan: KSB Reimburses 50% of interest by way of subsidy on home loan from Bank / public sector institutions for construction of house to war bereaved, war disabled and attributable peace time casualties. Rs 1,00,000/-(Max).
2. Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme: Total 5,500 scholarship are provided to eligible wards based on merit for the entire duration of the courses. The rates of Scholarship are as follows:
   1. Rs 2,500/-per month for boys.
   2. Rs 3,000/-per month for girls.
3. Financial support to institutions involved in rehabilitation of ESM:

S No	Organisation	Quantum of Aid/Grant
	Cheshire Homes Lucknow, Delhi & Dehradun	Rs  15,000/-per annum per inmate
	War Memorial Hostels. There are 36 WMHs which provide shelter to the children of War Widows / War disabled, attributable and non-Attributable cases.	Rs 1,350/-per month

1. Reservation of seats in Medical/Dental Colleges for wards of Defence Personnel as Govt. of India Nominee: A total of 42 MBBS seats and three seats in BDS courses are allotted by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to KSB for wards of Defence personnel as a Govt. of India nominee. Priority I is given to Widows/Wards of Defence Personnel killed in action.
2. Rail Travel Concession Identity Cards: KSB Secretariat issues rail travel concession identity cards to war widows.

Other facilities:

Free Health Scheme: Ex- Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) provides cashless health care to war-widows/war disabled defence personnel and their NoKs. War Widows are not required to pay the membership fee.

Allotment of SAFAL Outlets: SAFAL outlets, a subsidiary of Mother Dairy Private Limited comprising of Fruit & Vegetable Shops, are provided to Widows/ Dependents of service personnel who passed away in service/Ex-Servicemen. The same is only applicable in Delhi & NCR Region.

Issue of DGR Eligibility Certificate for allotment of Oil Product Agencies advertised under 8% Reserved Quota: The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has reserved 8% quota for allotment of LPG Distributorship and Petrol / Diesel Retail Outlets for Defence personnel which also include Widows/dependents of members of Armed Forces who died in war or in harness due to attributable or aggravated causes to Military Service. The eligibility certificate, certifying an individual’s eligibility to apply for the above distributorship, is issued by the office of DGR to eligible persons. The final selection/ allotment is done by the concerned Oil Company as per their policy in vogue on the subject issue.

Reservation in CPSEs and Banks: As per Ministry of Finance, Bureau of Public Enterprises OM No. 6/55/79-BPE (GM-I) dated 13 March 1980, 14.5% vacancies in Group ‘C’ and 24.5% vacancies in Group ‘D’ jobs are reserved for Ex-Servicemen including 4.5% for disabled ESM & dependent of Service personnel killed in action in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). Also Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (Banking Division) vide OM No. F/2/11/79-SCT (B) dated 09.06.1980, 14.5% vacancies in Group ‘C’ and 24.5% vacancies in Group ‘D’ jobs are reserved for Ex-Servicemen including 4.5% for disabled ESM & dependent of Service personnel killed in action in Public Sector banks.

As per the recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission Rs 700/- is provided as clothing charges per year to each child of Veer Naris studying in an educational institution. In addition to this Rs 2,000/per annum is also given as cost of uniform. Apart from these, full amount of Tuition Fees and Hostel Charges, Rs. 2,000/ per annum as Cost of Books/stationary is also given to the child of Veer Naris.

All allowances including clothing allowance are revised in each Pay Commission.  However, there is already a provision in the guidelines mentioned against reply of question (d) that allowance shall go up by 25 percent each time DA rise by 50 percent.

This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to Shri Mukul Balkrishna Wasnik in Rajya Sabha today.