3 days Ago By Sandip Dighe
Pune: Chief minister Eknath Shinde has given in-principle approval to an increase in the financial allocation to Sainik welfare schemes from the present Rs16 crore to Rs33 crore, state Sainik welfare department director Col Deepak Thonge (retd) said. The decision was taken last week during the Maharashtra Sainik Welfare Board's meeting in Mumbai. The CM is the president of the board.
"A govt resolution (GR) related to this decision is expected to be issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), under which the department functions," Thonge told TOI on Tuesday. The doubling of allocations to the 46 welfare schemes will benefit nearly 2.7 lakh retired military personnel, apart from their dependents (parents, wives, and children).
"The total volume of the beneficiaries is close to 10 lakh in the state. We endeavour to implement these schemes effectively to extend financial assistance to the maximum number of retired military personnel in the state," Thonge said. The last revision in the state allocation to the Sainik welfare schemes was done in 2016.
As per the revised funding, if a serving soldier dies due to physical causality (medical reasons, etc.), the family will get Rs3 lakh from the department. The self-help groups run by the wives of military personnel will get a maximum of up to Rs15 lakh.
A special incentive of Rs1 lakh will be given to those wards pursuing higher education abroad. "Similarly, various welfare schemes have received double hikes. It was necessary in the current socio-political scenario.
These financial benefits will be apart from the monthly pension. It will certainly reduce their financial burden," said Lt Col Satesh Hange (retd), deputy director of the department. Hange said they have decided to conduct tehsil-level drives in all districts to reach out to the maximum number of military personnel.
"Post-retirement, many personnel settle down in their villages. We have observed that they do not register with the department due to a lack of awareness. Through ex-servicemen organisations, we have decided to hold rallies at tehsils to register them so that they can benefit from these welfare schemes," added Hange.
Meanwhile, a section of ex-servicemen said the department needs to use technology to address impending problems in the rural sectors. "The department needs to make its website effective to reach out to ex-servicemen and create awareness about its schemes," said Satayavan D, retired naik from Khed. "With the absence of the Zilla Sainik Welfare Officers (ZSWO), it is difficult for the department to cover all the regions of the state.
So, it should make its website vibrant for the benefit of all personnel," said Naib Subedar BS Shikare (retd) from Ahmednagar..
