Veteran Welfare in India: A 2025 Snapshot of Service and Support

 

Veteran Welfare in India: A 2025 Snapshot of Service and Support

Veteran welfare in India is a multifaceted framework designed to honor and support those who have served in the armed forces. The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW), established under the Ministry of Defence, plays a central role in policy formulation, pension regulation, and rehabilitation efforts for ex-servicemen and their families. Key initiatives include the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), which provides cashless medical care through empanelled hospitals and polyclinics, and the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme that ensures equitable pension disbursement across ranks and service durations. The Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) offers grievance redressal, SPARSH migration support, and welfare grants, while organizations like Veterans India foster community engagement, patriotism, and mentorship programs for youth.

Mental wellness is gaining traction through collaborations with NGOs such as Brahma Kumaris, and CSR partnerships are increasingly contributing to infrastructure and healthcare upgrades. With digital life certificate campaigns, smart card enhancements, and skill development programs, India’s veteran welfare ecosystem is evolving to meet the needs of its heroes in both urban and rural settings.

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Soldiers to get salute at toll plazas

Pune: Now, soldiers will be given a salute or standing ovation at the toll plazas while on the move. All personnel of the armed forces are exempted from paying toll tax while on official duty.

After getting complaints of rude behaviour meted out to soldiers by toll plazas staffs, last week, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a policy circular stating, “The armed forces personnel deserve the highest regard and should be given due respect at the toll plaza including salute or standing ovations as deemed fit.”

The circular dated December 6 is issued by NHAI General Manager (IT & HO) Shailesh Yadav. “A lot of complaints are received from armed forces personnel that toll plazas agencies are not honouring the directions of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and are not allowing exemption from toll fee while discharging their official duty. In-spite of personnel/ officers showing their identity card and explaining that they are on official duty, toll plaza employees often use harsh languages and ask for further proof,” the circular noted.

Taking note of the complaints, the NHAI also ordered that only a competent authority or officer of the toll operating agency, and not the lower staff, can check the identity cards in case of any doubt.

“Considering the unparalleled service of armed forces towards the safety and security of the country, such type of rude behaviour is not acceptable. The toll plaza agencies are directed to train the toll operating staff accordingly to pay due respect to armed forces/ salute their selfless dedication to country. The verification of I-card of armed forces personnel should be done by some senior/competent authority and not left to the untrained lowest staff,” the diktat ordered.

The Indian Tolls (Army & Air Force) Act, 1901, provides for exemption from toll charges to all members of the armed forces. However, the controversy occurred after a letter issued by the MoRTH said only those ‘on duty’ would be entitled to the exemption. This resulted in toll operators insisting defence personnel pay toll charges and this often led to misbehaviour by toll attendants. As the tussle between defence forces and the transport ministry escalated, the matter was dragged to court and later the Supreme Court (SC) also ruled in favour of the armed forces, upholding the exemption.

Now, the NHAI, while extending relief to the armed forces, has asked the toll operators that in case of any doubt, the benefit must be given to the defence persons.

“It is needless to emphasise that considering the extreme sacrifice of armed forces to the nation, in case of doubt with respect to nature of their official duty, a benefit of the doubt
should be given appropriately to armed force personnel,” it said.

Mubarak Ansari  : Esakal 13 Dec 2017

http://www.sakaltimes.com/nation/soldiers-get-salute-toll-plazas-10176

Salute the soldiers, government orders toll plaza staff in the country

A policy circular issued by the ministry instructs toll plaza staff to salute the soldiers or give them standing ovation when they pass the toll plaza.

Rakesh Ranjan  | Posted By Manas Joshi

New Delhi, December 13, 2017 | UPDATED 07:52 IST

There were complaints of boorish behaviour from toll staff

Highlights

• 1 There were complaints of boorish behaviour by the toll plaza staff.

• 2 The ministry has instructed toll plaza staff to salute the soldiers or give them standing ovation when they pass.

• 3 It says that the move is in response to the 'unparalleled service' of the defence personnel.

Defence personnel who complained of boorish behaviour by attendants at toll plazas across the country will now encounter a course correction. The soldiers will be given a salute or standing ovation at the road tax collection kiosks while on the move.

A policy circular issued by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) last week said the move is in view of the "unparalleled service" of defence personnel towards the country for which they deserve the highest regard and honour.

The circular came on the heels of complaints that soldiers were not only forced to pay toll charges but were also treated rudely by attendants. Personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force have been exempted from paying at any toll plaza in the country.

However, members of the Territorial Army and NCC were entitled for exemption only when they were on duty. The defence forces had complained to the NHAI that despite explaining to the toll attendants that they were on official duty, they often used harsh language against the personnel and insisted on checking their identity cards.

Taking note of the complaints, the NHAI also ordered that only a competent authority or officer of the toll operating agency, and not the lower staff, can check the identity cards in case of any doubt. "Considering the unparalleled service of the armed forces towards the safety and security of the county, such kind of rude behaviour is not acceptable.

The armed forces personnel deserve the highest regards and should be given due respect at the toll plaza including salute and standing ovation as deemed fit," the circular issued by the highways authority said.

The NHAI has also directed toll operators to train their staff to pay due respect and salute the men in uniform for their "selfless dedication to the country".

"The verification of the identity cards of armed forces personnel should be done by some senior/competent authority and should not be left up to the untrained lowest staff," the circular reads.

The Indian Tolls (Army & Air Force) Act, 1901, provides for exemption from toll charges to all members of the armed forces. However, the controversy occurred after a letter issued by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) said only those "on duty" would be entitled for the exemption.

This resulted in toll operators insisting defence personnel to pay toll charges and this often led to misbehaviour by toll attendants. The armed forces claimed the letter was in contravention of the Indian Tolls Act.

The transport ministry also cited a noting of the law ministry that Section 3(b) of the Act only permits toll exemption to defence personnel who are "on duty". However, sources said the condition was only applicable to the Territorial Army and National Cadet Corps (NCC) personnel.

The government of India has exempted 15 categories, including dignitaries, from paying toll charges. These include the President, vice president, Prime Minister, chief justices and judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, governors and chief ministers, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, MLAs and foreign dignitaries.

The exemption is also extended to the armed forces, paramilitary forces, gallantry award winners and emergency vehicles like ambulance and fire tenders. Recently physically challenged persons with more than 40 per cent handicap were also exempted from paying toll tax on highways. As the tussle between defence forces and the transport ministry escalated, the matter was dragged to court and later the SC also ruled in favour of the armed forces, upholding the exemption.

The NHAI, while extending relief to the armed forces, has told the toll operators that in case of any doubt, the benefit must be given to the defence persons.

"Considering the extreme sacrifices of the defence forces towards the nation, in case of any doubt with respect to nature of their official duty, the benefit of doubt must appropriately be given to the armed personnel," it said.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/toll-staff-soldiers-salute/1/1108944.html

 

सैनिक कुटुंबीयांसाठी गावात प्रतिनिधी असावा : लेफ्टनंट जनरल सतीश नवाथे (निवृत्त)

पुणे : ''देशाच्या रक्षणार्थ लढणाऱ्या सैनिकांच्या कुटुंबाकडे समाज फारसे लक्ष देत नाही, ही वस्तुस्थिती आहे. देशातील खेड्यांमध्येही सैनिकांची कुटुंबे वास्तव्यास आहेत. त्यासाठी प्रत्येक गावात सैनिक कुटुंबीयांसाठी एक प्रतिनिधी असायला हवा, तरच सैनिकांच्या कुटुंबीयांची खरी परिस्थिती समाज व सरकारसमोर येऊ शकेल,'' असे मत लेफ्टनंट जनरल (निवृत्त) सतीश नवाथे यांनी व्यक्त केले.

रोटरी क्‍लब ऑफ पूना मिडटाउन आणि सैनिक मित्रपरिवार आयोजित भाऊबिजेनिमित्त शहीद व बेपत्ता जवानांच्या वीरपत्नींचा सन्मान करण्यात आला.

हभप मकरंदबुवा औरंगाबादकर, अशोक मेहेंदळे, आनंद सराफ, अभिजित म्हसकर, सुरेश पवार, विष्णू ठाकूर, राजू पाटसकर, शिल्पा पुंडे, स्वाती ओतारी, कल्याणी सराफ, जयश्री देशपांडे उपस्थित होते. विश्‍वलीला ट्रस्ट, सेवा मित्रमंडळ, पूना गेस्टहाउस यांसह विविध संस्थांनी उपक्रमाला सहकार्य केले. अशोक मेहेंदळे यांनी स्वागत केले. गिरीश पोटफोडे यांनी सूत्रसंचालन केले.

माजी सैनिकांच्या तक्रारींचे तात्काळ निवारण करावे - डॉ. रणजीत पाटील

मुंबई, दि. २० : राज्यातील माजी सैनिक व कुटुंबियांच्या तक्रारींचे तात्काळ निवारण करावे,  असे निर्देश आज गृह राज्यमंत्री डॉ. रणजीत पाटील यांनी दिले. राज्यातील माजी सैनिकांच्या विविध समस्या जाणून घेण्यासाठी माजी सैनिकांच्या विविध संघटनांच्या पदाधिकाऱ्यांसोबत मंत्रालयातील दालनात बैठक आयोजित करण्यात आली होती. यावेळी ते बोलत होते.
यावेळी पदाधिकाऱ्यांनी,पाल्यांना शिक्षण घेताना येणाऱ्या अडचणी, माजी सैनिकांच्या नोकरीसाठी असलेल्या समस्या, माजी सैनिक कल्याण मंडळ व इतर तत्सम मंडळातील कामकाजात येणाऱ्या अडचणी, त्याचप्रमाणे शहिद सैनिकांच्या विधवा पत्नींना नोकरी देताना येणाऱ्या अडीअडचणी सांगितल्या.
या सर्व सूचना आणि तक्रारी डॉ. पाटील यांनी ऐकून घेतल्या आणि संबंधितांना उपरोक्त निर्देश दिले.

7th Pay Commission: Revised pay matrix table as notified by Finance Ministry

The Finance Ministry in its resolution dated May 16 said that the Government of India has accepted the recommendations made by the 7th Pay Commission. The Government has considered it necessary to make the following changes in the recommendations of the pay panel in respect of the certain categories of employees the resolution also said.

Here are the categories:

1. The Defence Pay Matrix, (except Military Nursing Service (MNS)), which has 24 stages shall be extended to 40 stages similar to the Civil Pay Matrix.
2. The Index of Rationalisation (IOR) of Level 12A and 13 of Defence Pay Matrix shall be enhanced from 2.57 to 2.67. The Defence Pay Matrix (except MNS) shall, accordingly, be revised.
3. To rectify the factual errors appearing in Level 10B and Level-12 of the pay matrix of MNS and in view of the changes in the IOR in the Defence Pay Matrix, the first stage of corresponding Levels of Pay Matrix of MNS shall also change. Accordingly, the Pay Matrix (MNS) shall be revised;
4. The IOR of Level-13 of Civil Pay Matrix shall also be enhanced from 2.57 to 2.67. Accordingly, the Civil Pay Matrix shall be revised.
5. The provision shall be revised to the extent that the benefit of pay protection in the form of personal pay of officers posted on deputation under Central Staffing Scheme, as envisaged therein, shall be given effect from 1st January, 2016 instead of 25th July, 2016.
6. Further, this benefit shall also be extended to officers from Services under Central Staffing Scheme, coming on deputation to Central Government, on posts not covered under Central Staffing Scheme.

source: oneindia.com

Know your Dues, Rights and Claim Veteran Dilip Hiray

Government of India has given to JCOs & ORs  higher pension w.e.f. Jul 2009 to 23 Sep 2012 vide Circular 430 and again pension was enhanced from 24 Sep 2012 to Jun 2014 vide Circular 501. Since pension fixed in Circular 568 was highest, all pre – 2006 JCOs and OR who did not put in 33 years with rank weightage got arrears few in Dec 2016 however few banks are yet to pay due to their negligence.
Post – 2006 JCOs and OR are NOT eligible for this arrear as they do not have the restriction of 33 years with rank weightage.

OROP. The Pension of all pre – 2012 pensioners got enhanced by OROP vide Circular 555 w.e.f. Jul 2014. The arrears are paid in four equal six monthly instalments. Family pensioners and gallantry award winners were paid in one go. The first OROP instalment was paid in Mar 2016, second one in Sep 2016 and third one in Mar 2017. Last instalment will be paid in Sep 2017.

7thCPC Pension Arrears. All pre – 2016 pensioners were paid arrears once the new pensions in 7th CPC were approved w.e.f Jan 2016. The pension paid was OROP pension with DR while the 7th CPC pension was hiked to 2.57 x OROP with NO DR from Jan to Jun 2016 and with 2% DR from Jul to Nov 2016.
 
Your banks paid these four arrears in two financial years i.e. 2015 – 16 and 2016-17. Your bank deducted Income Tax (IT) known as TDS. This is because banks assume arrears is your additional income in the fin years 2015 – 16 and 2016-17 where as the arrears belong to period from Jan 2006 to Nov 2016. You have to split the arrears financial year wise and get  benefit of lower or NIL income tax during financial  year 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Know your Dues, Right and Claim !!

Please do not hesitate to approach your PDAs immediately if not paid above.

Warm Regards and Jai Hind
Veteran Dilip Hiray
Gen Sec Malegaon Taluka Maiji Sainik Sangh

सामाजिक उपक्रम राबविण्यासाठी सरसावले माजी सैनिक - शिवाजी पालवे

जय हिंद सैनिक सेवा फौंडेशनचे खा.गांधी यांच्या हस्ते शुभारंभ. पेन्शनमधील पैश्यातून राबविण्यात येणार सामाजिक उपक्रम

अहमदनगर (प्रतिनिधी)- सामाजिक उपक्रम राबविण्यासाठी सरसावलेल्या माजी सैनिकांनी स्थापन केलेल्या जय हिंद सैनिक सेवा फौंडेशनचा शुभारंभ खा.दिलीप गांधी यांच्या हस्ते झाला. खा.गांधी यांच्या हस्ते संघटनेच्या फलकाचे अनावरण करण्यात आले. यावेळी  उपमहापौर श्रीपाद छिंदम, नगरसेवक सुवेंद्र गांधी, फौंडेशनचे अध्यक्ष शिवाजी पालवे, उपाध्यक्ष जालिंदर फुंदे, सचिव जगन्नाथ जावळे, निवृत्ती भाबड, भाऊसाहेब कर्पे, दिगंबर शेळके, शेरखान पठाण आदिंसह माजी सैनिक उपस्थित होते.

खा.दिलीप गांधी म्हणाले की, देश सेवेबरोबर सामाजिक सेवेसाठी पुढाकार घेणार्‍या माजी सैनिकांचा उपक्रम कौतुकास्पद आहे. आपल्या पेन्शनमधील ठराविक रक्कम समाजकार्यासाठी खर्च करण्याचा त्यांचा संकल्प प्रेरणादायी आहे. त्यांची शिस्त व कामाच्या नियोजनाने विविध सामाजिक उपक्रम यशस्वी होणार असल्याची आशा त्यांनी व्यक्त केली. 

जय हिंद सैनिक सेवा फौंडेशनच्या माध्यमातून एकत्र आलेले सर्व माजी सैनिक आपल्या पेन्शनमधील ठराविक रक्कम दरमहा जमा करुन विविध सामाजिक उपक्रम राबविणार आहे. यामध्ये वृक्षरोपण, गरजू विद्यार्थ्यांना शैक्षणिक साहित्य वाटप, स्वच्छ भारत अभियान, मुलगी वाचवा, पाणी वाचवा जनजागृती यांचा समावेश असणार असल्याची माहिती अध्यक्ष शिवाजी पालवे यांनी दिली.

7th Pay Commission: Wait for higher allowances gets longer, Central govt to pay bonanza after Budget 2017-187th Pay Commission: Wait for higher allowances gets longer, Central govt to pay bonanza after Budget 2017-18

New Delhi, Jan 2: The suspense over the payment of higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission ended on Tuesday with Central government saying the higher allowances will be paid after the Budget 2017-18. The ‘Committee on Allowances’ had got extension till February 22, 2017 to give its report on higher allowances, which suggested that the government will pay higher allowances as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission after February. The government has decided to advance the date of Budget presentation by a month and present it on February 1. The government plans to complete the entire exercise related to Budget before March 31, after which it will pay the higher allowances under the 7th Pay Commission.

“Government is very pleased to pay the higher allowances to its employees after Budget,” a Finance Ministry official was quoted as saying by the Sen Times. “The acute cash crunch in banks and ATMs that prevailed for a month following the demonetization move of the government has eased from January 1, as the daily withdrawal limit from ATMs has been increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,500. Hence, the Finance Ministry felt it would be wiser to announce of higher allowances after Budget,” the top official added.

The cash crunch post demonetisation drive affected the preparations of the government about payment of higher allowances as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The government wanted to start payment of higher allowances under 7th Pay Commission for its 48 lakh employees and 52 lakh pensioners, but the cash shortage compelled the government to delay it.

The central government employees have been waiting for fatter allowance since July when the government issued the notification for the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The 7th Pay Commission had recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming 37 others out of 196 allowances, however central government employees were unhappy with the move.

Until acceptance of higher allowances, under 7th Pay Commission, the allowances are now paid according to the 6th Pay Commission recommendations.

Source: india

Disabled may get 5 pc quota in colleges from next session

New Delhi: The government is keen to finalise the rules of the recently passed Disabilities Bill by April 14 which will allow disabled persons to avail 5 per cent reservation in higher education institutions from next academic session.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill raising reservation in government jobs for persons with benchmark disabilities from 3 to 4 per cent and in higher education institutes from 3 to 5 per cent.

According to the bill, specially-abled persons with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years will also have the right to free education.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, which was passed in the Winter Session, provides for raising reservation in government jobs for persons with benchmark disabilities from 3 to 4 per cent and in higher education institutes from 3 to 5 per cent.

"The Disabilities Bill was passed by Parliament in the Winter Session and it has already been notified. Now I'm keen for earliest implementation of this act. We are working on to finalise its rules by April 14, including reservation benefits for the disabled," Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot told PTI.

He further said that this very important legislation would be a game changer for disabled persons and it brings Indian laws in line with the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Under the newly enacted Act, the government has increased the types of disabilities from the existing seven to 21.

The newly added types include mental illnesses, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, specific learning disabilities, multiple sclerosis, speech and language disability, thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities, including deaf blindness, acid attack victims and Parkinsons disease.

Also, disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept and government will have the power to add more types of disabilities.

As per the Act, assaulting, insulting, intimidating, denying food to a person with disability or sexually exploiting a differently-abled woman and performing a medical procedure on such women without consent which may lead in termination of pregnancy will draw a jail term up to five years once the law is passed.

Any person who contravenes any provision of the act will be punished with a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh.

PTI

Welcome to Indian Ex Services League Pune

Rehabilitation letter to Defence Minister – Dilip Hiray

Rehabilitation letter to Prime Minister – Dilip Hiray

Rehabilitation letter to President – Dilip Hiray

Maji Sainik Sanghatana and Kalyan Karyalaya Osmanabad : Swatchhata Abhiyan – Shahaji Chalukya

 

 

 

Letter to Director Department of Sainik Welfare on Ex Servicemen Resettlement – Dilip Hiray

Letter to Minister of State for Defence on Ex Servicemen Resettlement – Dilip Hiray

Right to Information: No problem with applicants asking questions, rules SIC* Slaps a fine of Rs 3,000 on PIO for failing to reply to one such application.

If Public Information Officers (PIOs) reject Right to Information (RTI) applications on the ground that the applicant have asked questions, it will be deemed contrary to the RTI Act, according to the latest ruling from Ravindra Jadhav, State Information Commissioner (SIC), Pune bench.

Jadhav, while hearing a second appeal application, ruled that instead of rejecting applications, the PIOs in such cases should try to provide information or call the applicant for file inspection.

Jadhav made the observation while hearing a second appeal filed by Y A Gosavi, an RTI applicant from Pune. Gosavi had filed an application with the Naib Teshildar Haveli’s office which went unanswered, following which he had filed a first appeal with the Teshildar Haveli. During the first appeal hearing, the Haveli teshildar, who is also the first appellate authority (FAA), rejected the application on the ground that the application had questions.

PIOs rejecting applications containing questions is a common complaint of RTI applicants. Around 30 per cent of applications are rejected on this ground.

Following the rejection, Gosavi appealed before the SIC, who consequently held a hearing on the matter. During the course of hearing, the PIO stated that due to work-load, paucity of staff and extra work due to the ongoing local body elections, he was not able to provide information on time.

In his order, Jadhav said, “The PIO should have made efforts to provide the information asked for instead of rejecting the applications on ground that the applicant had asked questions. The applicant might have been called for file inspection under the Act,” the order said. Rejecting the arguments put by the PIO and FAA, Jadhav found the PIO guilty of not providing information under the RTI Act and slapped a fine of Rs 3,000 on him for dereliction of duty.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said the PIO was bound by law to provide information asked under RTI. However he expressed his reservations about the option of file inspection being suggested by Jadhav.

“Many a time, PIOs opt for this option instead of providing information asked for. PIOs should be asked to give the information asked for and not take this option as an easy way out,” he said.

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/right-to-information-no-problem-with-applicants-asking-questions-rules-sic/

Voice of the Force.

Letter to Defence Minister on Ex Servicemen Resettlement – Dilip Hiray

Letter to Prime Minister on Ex Servicemen Resettlement – Dilip Hiray