Rajnath Doubles Aid for Ex-Servicemen
To be funded through ex-servicemen welfare fund
New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved a 100 per cent increase in financial assistance for ex-servicemen and their dependents under various welfare schemes.
These welfare schemes are implemented by the department of ex-servicemen welfare through the Kendriya Sainik Board.
According to the defence ministry, the penury grant has been doubled from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 per month per beneficiary, providing sustained lifetime support to aged and non-pensioner ex-servicemen (ESM) and widows above 65 years of age with no regular income.
The education grant has also been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month per child for up to two dependent children (from Class I to graduation) or widows pursuing a two-year postgraduate course.
Similarly, the marriage grant has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per beneficiary. This assistance applies to the marriages of up to two daughters of ex-servicemen and to widows who remarry. The revised grant will apply to marriages solemnised after the issuance of the new order.
“The revised rates will take effect for applications submitted from November 1, 2025, with an annual financial implication of approximately Rs 257 crore, to be met from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF),” the ministry said in a statement.
These schemes are funded through the defence minister’s ex-servicemen welfare fund, a subset of the AFFDF.
“The decision strengthens the social security net for non-pensioner ex-servicemen, widows, and dependents from lower-income groups, reaffirming the government’s commitment to honouring the service and sacrifice of veterans,” the statement added.
The AFFDF was constituted for the welfare and rehabilitation of the ex-servicemen community. India currently has over 32 lakh ex servicemen, with around 60,000 added every year due to superannuation.