Governor N.N. Vohra, President J&K Rajya Sainik Board (RSB) emphasized the need for ensuring that there is an institutionalized system from the village to the State level for hearing and promptly settling the grievances and problems faced by serving Defence Personnel, ex-Servicemen (ESM), widows and their dependents. He gave this direction while presiding over the 78th Meeting of J&K RSB at the Raj Bhavan. The Governor asked the State Home Secretary, Mr. R.K. Goyal, to ensure that instructions in this regard were early issued to all concerned echelons. Mr. Goyal was deputizing for the Chief Secretary at this meeting.
The Governor also directed the State Home Secretary and Director Sainik Welfare to take urgent steps for collecting data about all essential aspects of ex-Servicemen and their families. The availability of such data would enable the preparation of target oriented and pragmatic policies and programmes for promoting the welfare of all serving personnel and ex-Servicemen who belong to J&K. Later in the day, the Governor chaired the 63rd Meeting of the State Managing Committee for Funds (SMC), which discussed various issues relating to the support being provided by the Kendriya Sainik Board to the J&K Rajya Sainik Board for implementing various welfare schemes for ex-Servicemen.
The SMC approved disbursement of financial assisstance out of Flag Day Fund through ‘On Line Payments’and enhancement of rates of one time educational incentive paid to the wards of ESM JCOs from Rs. 800 to Rs. 1600 for 8th class, Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000 for 10th class, Rs.1200 to Rs.2400 for 12th class, Rs.2500 to Rs.3000 for Graduation (Part 1 to 111- 70 % and above), Rs.3000 to Rs.5000 for Post Graduation ( 65% marks and above), Rs. 3000 to Rs. 10,000 on joining NDA/IMA/OTA, Rs. 3000 to Rs.5000 for all professional courses which are not covered under PM Scholarship scheme ( 50% marks and above).
SMC also approved increase in subsidy from Rs. 1500 to Rs.2500 being paid to the wards of ESM and Widows undergoing SSB training/coaching and enhancement of Daughter Marriage Grants from Rs. 12,000 to Rs 16,000.Brig. (Retd.) Harcharan Singh, Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board, made a detailed presentation and provided details of the various measures taken for the welfare of the ex-Servicemen and financial status of the Board. The Governor lauded the efforts of the RSB for collecting Rs. 40 lakh under Flag Day Fund this year as compared to Rs. 15.79 lakh last year. He also informed that Rs. 3.81 crore was disbursed to 1892 cases during 2015-16 under welfare grants from J&K Government on account of WW-11 Relief, Miltia Relief, Penury, sewing machines, wheel chair, house repair, educations scholarship and gallantry awards. Rs. 31.57 lakh was disbursed to 1433 cases of penury, marriage, demise and one time incentive and medical relief from the Flag Day Fund.
Present in the RSB J&K meeting were Mr. P.K Tripathi, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Mr. R.K Goyal, Principal Secretary, Home; Mr. Navin K. Choudhary, Commissioner Finance; Lt. General DS Hooda, GoC-in-C, HQ Northern Command, 2nd Vice-President, J&K Rajya Sainik Board; Maj. Gen. A S Karki, Chief of Staff, 9 Corps; Maj Gen A.S Chowdhary, COS HQ 14 Corps; Chief of Staff HQ 15 Corps; Maj Gen. Anil Chouhan, Chief of Staff, 15 Corps; Representative of Chief of Staff, 16 Corps; Lt.Col. Ashish Kumar, Deputy Director Resettlement, Zone (North); and Maj Gen. G S Jamwal (Retd.) President J&K Ex- Services League; Sqn Ldr (Retd.) and former Minister R.S Chib; Maj Gen N S Jamwal (Retd.); Brigadier R S Jamwal (Retd.); Brigadier OP Abrol (Retd.) and Hony Capt. Mohd. Hanief Bakshi (Retd.).
Those present in the meeting of State Managing Committee for Funds were Mr. P.K Tripathi, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Mr. R.K Goyal, Principal Secretary, Home; Mr. Navin K. Choudhary, Commissioner Finance; Lt. General DS Hooda, GoC-in-C, HQ Northern Command; Maj Gen. Anil Chouhan, Chief of Staff, 15 Corps; Maj Gen Kulpreet Singh, representative of Chief of Staff, 16 Corps; Lt.Col. Ashish Kumar, Deputy Director Resettlement, North Zone; Maj. Gen.(Retd.) Shamsher Singh; Mr. S S Wazir, IPS (Retd.); Lt. CDR (IN) Jagbir Singh (Retd.), non official members of the SMC for Funds and Brig. Harcharan Singh, Secretary J&K RSB.