J&K major beneficiary: Dr Jitendra
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 23: In a major decision that would benefit number of families of defence martyrs, the Prime Minister’s (PMO) and the Defence Ministry have decided to bear entire expenditure of the studies of martyrs’ children by removing the ceiling of just Rs 10,000 kept for educational concessions since 1971.
The decision followed the martyrdom of a number of young Army officers and jawans, both along Line of Control (LoC) and hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir during cross-border shelling and anti-militancy operations, leaving behind their minor children with “uncertain future”.
Official sources told the Excelsior that a proposal moved by the PMO and Defence Ministry was today finally approved by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, thus, fulfilling the long-pending demand of armed forces, who had been batting for “unlimited expenditure” on the studies of the children of martyrs for quite a long time in the wake of number of losses suffered by the troops along Jammu and Kashmir borders and internal areas while fighting with Pakistani troops and quelling the militancy especially in the Valley.
The decision will be applicable on the families of Army jawans, who attain martyrdom across the country, sources pointed out. It will be applicable to all three Services’ personnel including Army, Indian Air Force and Navy. The Garud Commandos of the IAF have also been joining several anti-militancy operations in Kashmir and some of them had recently attained martyrdom in the Valley.
“The Centre will bear entire expenditure of the studies of Army martyrs’ children in all Government or Government-aid schools, institutes, which also included institutions recognized by Centre or State Governments, autonomous schools and Universities recognized by the Government,” an official order issued by the Finance Ministry, said.
It added that ceiling of Rs 10,000 on the studies of Army martyrs’ kin has been removed.
The Centre, according to sources, would now bear as much expenditure as incurred on studies of the children of martyrs including higher studies in the Government approved educational institutions and Universities.
Comment on the historic decision mooted by the PMO and the Defence Ministry and approved by the Finance Ministry, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh tonight tweeted: “Jammu-Kashmir is a major beneficiary of this path- breaking decision by the @narendramodi Government, to fully fund education of martyrs’ children. Cap of Rs.10,000 removed on expenses of children’s education”.
Sources said the limit of Rs 10,000 on the education of martyrs’ children was going on since 1971 when the scheme was first announced by the then Government after Indo-Pak war. The scheme was then called “educational concession” for martyrs’ children.
The three Services’ chiefs had repeatedly been taking up the issue with the PMO and the Defence Ministry.
After takeover, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman once again took up the matter with Finance Minister. The PMO also intervened. Sources said the Finance Minister finally approved the decision today, thus, conceding long pending demand of the three Services.
“Initially, the Government has brought the children of three Services’ martyrs under the “unlimited expenditure” but, according to sources, a similar scheme might also be considered at some later stage for the children of para-military forces including BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, CISF etc as proposal for them had to be mooted separately.
The BSF has been deployed along the International Border with Pakistan besides Bangladesh while CRPF was playing major role in operations against militants in Kashmir and Naxalism in many States along with other para-military personnel.
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