New Delhi: As many as 113 numbers of widows/families of defense personnel have been granted employment in the past five years, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The information came in as a written response from the Minister of State (MoS) for Defense Ajay Bhatt in response to a question from Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Dr. Santanu Sen and Abir Ranjan Biswas inquiring whether the Union Government has given any employment on compassionate ground to war widows/families of defense personnel in the last five years.
According to the information shared by the Union Minister, a total of 66 widows/families of the Army were granted employment in the past five years with 17 in 2018, 15 in 2019, 06 in 2020, 10 in 2021, and 18 in 2022.
The MoS further stated that in the Indian Navy, a total of 28 widows/families of defense personnel were granted employment with 6 in 2018, 5 in 2019, 1 in 2020, and 8 each in 2021 and 2022. As for the Indian Air Force as a total of 19 were granted employment with 2 in 2017, 1 in 2018, 4 in 2019, 5 in 2020, and 7 in 2021.
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The Minister also apprised the members of the steps taken by the Government for the welfare of ex-servicemen in the country which includes Disabled Children Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pensioner upto JCO Rank) amounting to Rs. 3,000/-pm, Widow Re-Marriage Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pensioner upto Rs. 50,000 per month.
He further stated that the affected families of soldiers can also benefit from the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF) which is a Tri-Service Fund for grant of ex-gratia amount given to the Nok/Dependent of those who have laid down their lives, making the supreme sacrifice for the Nation or get grievously injured/disabled.
"This fund helps them mitigate immediate financial stress and is in addition to other grants given to NoK of Battle causalities," he added.
