sa@adinik

About the Department

The Department of Sainik Welfare under Government of Kerala is formed to look after the welfare of all personnel of Armed Forces from the State both serving and retired. The Department is also responsible for the implementation of various programmes for the welfare and settlement of Ex-servicemen, their dependents and War widows.

The Administrative Control of the Department of Sainik Welfare is with the General Administration (Sainik Welfare) Department of the State Government, which comes under the portfolio of Hon’ble Chief Minister. The Director of Sainik Welfare is the Head of the Department and Zila Sainik Welfare Officers are the Controlling Officers for the District. The Director is also the Secretary of the State Managing Committee of Amalgamated Fund and Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board and Flag Day Fund Committee.

At the national level, Director General Resettlement and Kendriya Sainik Board under the Ministry of Defence have overall responsibility to plan and organize activities of resettlement and welfare of ex-servicemen.

Zonal Resettlement Directors attached with Army Commands maintain close liaison with the State Government. The Directorate of Resettlement located at Command Headquarters, Southern Command, Pune maintains liaison with all southern States including our State.

Role of Department

The Department of Sainik Welfare is responsible for the implementation of various programs for the welfare and resettlement of ex-servicemen, their dependents and war widows. All the ex-servicemen, who are willing to be re-employed /resettled to register their names with the respective Zila Sainik Welfare Offices. The Zila Sainik Welfare Offices in turn sponsor their names for re-employment against vacancies notified in the Government Departments/ PSU etc. Zila Sainik Welfare Offices also prepare and send index cards of all ex-servicemen so registered to the respective Employment Exchanges of each district of the State so that ex-servicemen can be sponsored against general vacancies also. The Department also looks after the welfare of families of both ex-servicemen and serving personnel of the State. The activities of the Department include formulation of schemes for re-orientation training and rehabilitation of ex-servicemen. The department maintains close liaison with all Government Offices, private and public Enterprises, Banks and all prospective employers who are in a position to help ex-servicemen in their re-settlement. The Department regularly organizes various forms of orientation training and welfare measures to help this section of society who faces many hardships due to their long period of absence from their native State for the service of the nation.

Co-ordination of work

All activities of the Department of Sainik Welfare are organised to extend various forms of assistance to needy ex-servicemen and their dependents. The following schemes are financed by the State Government:

  1. Cash award to the recipients of Gallantry Decorations.
  2. Cash award to recipients of T.A. Medal/Decorations in the Territorial Army Service and dependents of T.A personnel.
  3. Ex-gratia grant to the disabled and to the dependents of those killed in actions.
  4. House building grant to disabled ex-servicemen and widows of Jawans killed in action/died in harness.
  5. Scholarship to children of ex-servicemen.
  6. Monthly financial assistance to Second World War Veterans, who are in indigent circumstances.
  7. Re- habilitation training to ex-servicemen, widows and dependents.

There are three Welfare Funds administered by this department. They are

  1. State Military Benevolent Fund.
  2. Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.
  3. Amalgamated Fund.

The “Rajya Sainik Board” presided over by the Hon’ble Chief Minister and the “State Managing Committee of Amalgamated Fund” presided over by His Excellency the Governor. Work is carried out through Zila Sainik Welfare offices in each district.

Expenditure

The expenditure on the establishment charges of the department are included in the State’s Budget (Non-Plan). This expenditure on establishment charges, viz.salary, travel expenses, office expenses, Rent, Rates and Taxes, motor vehicle charges and POL are shared equally by the Central and State Government on 60:40 basis. Corpus of Amalgamated Fund is augmented by contribution from National Defence Fund and State Government. State Military Benevolent Fund is financed by contribution from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. Fund for various welfare schemes viz. House building grant to disabled and boarded out ex-servicemen, war widows/widows of jawans died in harness, scholarship to bright students among the children of ex-servicemen, cash award to the recipients of gallantry decorations are also provided by the State Government through Budget Allocation (Non-Plan). A new scheme to provide rehabilitation training to Ex-servicemen/ Widows/Dependents under State Budget (Plan) is introduced during the year 2005-2006 and is still continued.