Parliament Question: Scheme for widows of martyred soldiers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2591 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16TH MARCH, 2026 SCHEME FOR WIDOWS OF MARTYRED SOLDIERS 2591 SMT. P. T. USHA: Will the Minister of Defence be pleased to state: (a) the details of various schemes and programs available for widows of martyred soldiers of the armed forces; and (b) if so, the details of total amount allocated under such schemes for the last three years and current year? A N S W E R MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SANJAY SETH) IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (a) Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) Secreteriat and Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR) provide welfare schemes/ benefits to ex-servicemen/ widows/ war widows and their dependents. The details are placed at Annexure-I and Annexure-II. (b) The details of allocation of funds with respect to schemes of KSB and DGR for last three years and the current financial year are placed at Annexure-III and Annexure-IV respectively. ..2/--2- ANNEXURE I REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2591 FOR 16.03.2026 REGARDING SCHEME FOR WIDOWS OF MARTYRED SOLDIERS. Sr Grants Amount (in Rs) 1 Penury Grant (65 Yrs and above) Rs 8,000/-pm (Non-Pensioners upto Hav Rank) 2 Education Grant (upto two children) (i) Boys/Girls upto Graduation Rs 2,000/-pm (ii) Widows for PG (Pensioner/Non Pensioner upto Hav Rank) and upto two children 3 Disabled Children Grant Rs 3,000/-pm (Pensioner/Non-pen upto JCO Rank) 4 Daughter’s Marriage Grant (upto 02 Daughters) (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank) Rs 1,00,000/- Widow Re-Marriage Grant (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank) 5 Medical Treatment Grant Rs 50,000/- (Max) (Non-pensioner upto Hav Rank) 6 Orphan Grant (Pensioner/Non-pen All Ranks) Rs 3,000/- pm  Daughters of ex-servicemen till she is married.  One Son of ESM upto 21 years of age. 7 Vocational Trg Grant for Widows Rs 50,000/- (Pensioner/Non-Pen upto Hav Rank) (One Time) 8 Serious Diseases as listed below: - 75% & 90% of total Angioplasty & Angiography, CABG, Open Heart Surgery, expenditure for officers & Valve Replacement, Pacemaker Implant, Cerebral stroke, PBORs respectively. Prostrate Surgery, Joint Replacement and Renal Failure. Upto Rs 1.50 Lakh (max). 75% & 90% of total Other Diseases: Dialysis and Cancer treatment expenditure for officers & PBORs respectively. Upto a max of Rs (Applicable to Non pensioners ESM/Widows/Dependents 75,000/- per annum for for wife of ESM in all ranks) Cancer and Dialysis. ..3/--3- 9 Modified Scooter to Disabled Ex-servicemen applicable Rs 1,00,000 upto JCO rank. (re-apply after 10 yrs) ESM who are disabled after service with a disability 50% or more. 10 Interest Subsidy on Home Loan applicable upto JCO Rs 1,00,000 max (one rank. Reimbursement of 50% interest charged by the banks time) or Govt/Public Sector including LIC,GIC and HUDCO etc for construction of house to War bereaved , War disabled and attributable peace time casualties. 2. Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme: Total 5500 scholarship are provided annually to eligible wards based on merit for the entire duration of the courses. The rates of scholarship are as follows: - (a) Rs. 2500/- per month for boys (a) Rs. 3000/- per month for girls 3. Financial support to institutions involved in rehabilitation of ESM :- Ser Organisation Quantum of Aid/Grant 1 Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centers Establishment grant (per annum) (i) Kirkee (ii) Mohali (i)Rs 1.20 Cr 30,000/- pa wef Apr 2016 per inmate (ii)Rs 10 lakh (wef Apr 2015) 2 All India Gorkha Ex-servicemen Rs. 12 lakh per annum (enhanced to Rs 18 welfare association, Dehradun lakh per annum wef FY 2026-27). 3 Cheshire Homes (i) Lucknow Rs 15,000/- per annum per inmate (ii) Dehradun (iii) Delhi 4 War Memorial Hostels. There are Rs 1350/- per child per month 36 WMHs which provide shelter to the children of War Widows/War disabled, attributable and non attributable cases. …4/--4- 4. Reservation of seats in Medical/Dental Colleges for wards of Defence Personnel as Govt of India Nominee. A total of 42 MBBS seats and 3 seats in BDS courses for FY 2025- 26 were allotted by Ministry of Health Family Welfare to KSB for wards of defence personnel as a Govt of India nominee. …5/--5- ANNEXURE II REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2591 FOR 16.03.2026 REGARDING SCHEME FOR WIDOWS OF MARTYRED SOLDIERS. 1. DGR has no schemes exclusively earmarked for the war widows, widows and their families. However, DGR runs following Re-settlement and Skill Development Training schemes for which Widows of Armed Forces Personnel and Widows & Dependents of Ex-servicemen are also eligible:- (a) Coal Tipper Attachment Scheme for Widows/ Disabled and Dependents of Ex- Servicemen as Beneficiaries. Disabled soldiers/widows & dependents of ex-servicemen pay a seed money of Rupees One Lakh and they get monthly reimbursement of Rs.3,000/- . At the end of contract, Rupees One Lakh is returned to the widows/ Disabled Soldiers. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Skill Development (Resettlement Training) Courses. Directorate General Resettlement is mandated to conduct skill development (resettlement training) course for retiring / retired officers, JCOs/ OR & Equivalent of Indian Army, Navy & Air Force at various training institutes of India. There is also a built-in provision for widows to undergo above stated skill development training courses. Towards this, a quota 3% of vacancies are reserved for them in each financial year. ..6/--6- 2. The existing quota of reservations available for Ex-Servicemen (ESM) in Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) in which widows can apply are as follows: - (a) Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs): (i) 14.5% in all Direct Recruitment Group ‘C’ Posts. (ii) 24.5% in all Direct Recruitment Group ‘D’ Posts. (Including 4.5% for Disabled ESM and Dependents of Service personnel killed in action) (b) Central Civil Services & Posts (CCS&P) of Central Government Ministries/ Departments and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs): The benefit of reservation has been extended to two dependents (including widows) and given Priority II-A to secure a job in Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ categories of posts under Central Govt Organizations. …7/--7- ANNEXURE III REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2591 FOR 16.03.2026 REGARDING SCHEME FOR WIDOWS OF MARTYRED SOLDIERS. Details of amount allocated under schemes of KSB FY Amount allocated 2022-23 Rs 248.16 Cr 2023-24 Rs 366.54 Cr 2024-25 Rs 372.11 Cr 2025-26 Rs 170.23 Cr (current year) …8/--8- ANNEXURE IV REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2591 FOR 16.03.2026 REGARDING SCHEME FOR WIDOWS OF MARTYRED SOLDIERS. Details of amount allocated under schemes of DGR (I) As part of skill development training courses, a quota 3% of vacancies are reserved for widows of martyred soldiers in each financial year. Details of budget allocated for training courses in last three years is as follows: FY Amount Allocated 2022-23 25.16 Cr 2023-24 29.06 Cr 2024-25 29.35 Cr 2025-26 46.04 Cr (II) Balance schemes referred to are primarily resettlement and employment facilitation initiatives meant for the welfare of widows of martyrs. Under these arrangements, the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) facilitates employment opportunities by sponsoring eligible candidates to various organizations and agencies. These initiatives are not implemented as budgetary schemes of DGR, and no dedicated funds are allocated under the DGR budget for this purpose. Accordingly, no separate budgetary allocation has been made during the last three years or the current year. *****