No new scheme for welfare of ex-servicemen
Thursday, 21/06/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120621/punjab.htm#6
While the state government has almost doubled the budgetary outlay for defence for the 2012-13 fiscal to Rs 24 crore from Rs 13 crore last year, no new welfare schemes or benefits for ex-servicemen have been announced.
A significant portion of the Budget has been allocated for infrastructural development. A sum of Rs 5 crore has been earmarked for the construction and renovation of Sainik Rest Houses in the state and an equal amount for Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum at Ludhiana.
At present, there are 14 Sainik Rest Houses, including the one at Chandigarh, functioning under the Department of Defence Services Welfare. These rest houses are located at district headquarters. While some of these need to be upgraded and refurbished, the department has initiated projects to construct new rest houses in new districts or places with a high number of visiting ex-servicemen. Fatehgarh Sahib, Nawanshahr, Mohali, Mansa, Moga, Pathankot and Tarn Taran are among the places identified for the purpose.
The Budget has also proposed to spend Rs 4 crore for pre-recruitment training for wards of ex-servicemen as well as civilians belonging to the state. This includes expenditure on infrastructure and training costs at the state-run centres. In addition, Rs 3 crore has been earmarked to pay incentives to youngsters from the state getting commissioned as officers in the armed forces. Two years ago, the state government had devised a policy to give an incentive of Rs 1 lakh to each cadet. For the welfare of martyrs’ families, Rs 2 crore has been provided for.
