The Telangana Government has announced a series of sops for soldiers and ex-servicemen, including significant enhancement of cash awards being presented to soldiers who are conferred with gallantry awards.
The State Government has decided to give a cash award of ₹2.25 crore to the “sons of soil” who are conferred Param Veera Chakra and Ashok Chakra awards. This is the highest cash award announced by any State Government for soldiers and it is against Rs. 2 crore being paid by the Punjab Government and Rs. 10 lakh given in united Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao made a statement in the Assembly on a comprehensive policy relating to soldiers and ex-servicemen. The policy would benefit in-service soldiers, families of deceased soldiers, those injured in war and ex-servicemen. The Telangana Government had accordingly decided to constitute a special fund for the welfare of soldiers which no other State is implementing and the fund would be spent for the welfare of soldiers and their families.
“The Chief Minister and Ministers have decided to give ₹25,000 each a year, and MLAs, MLCs and MPs ₹10,000 each a year for the sainik welfare fund. The Government employees too expressed their willingness to contribute their one-day salary to the special fund,” Mr. Rao said.
The Government had also focussed on the variation in the compensation being paid to those who died in a war and those who died due to other reasons and there was also variation in other facilities. In addition, the government had decided to give two pensions to ex-servicemen who worked as employees of Telangana Government, and the facility would be extended to wife in case of death of the ex-servicemen. “We have decided to give same compensation to families of soldiers who died due to other reasons like ill health and road accidents,” the Chief Minister said. The Government had decided to provide reservations to children of soldiers and ex-servicemen in the government gurukul school admissions. The government had exempted soldiers from paying life tax for their vehicles and property tax on their houses. “We have decided to give two per cent quota to ex-servicemen in the double bedroom housing scheme,” he said.
