Punjab earmarks Rs 77 crore for defence services welfare in fiscal year 2024-25, down from Rs 84 crore in 2023-24, Rs 130 crore in 2022-23

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, March 5

Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema has proposed to allocate Rs 77 crore ‘to deliver welfare services’ to military veterans and their dependents during the fiscal year 2024-25.

Rs 84 crore had been proposed for the fiscal year 2023-24, while Rs 130 crore had been projected for 2022-23.

Punjab has the second highest number of ex-servicemen in the country after Uttar Pradesh.

According to a recent data shared by the Ministry of Defence with the Parliament, there are over 3.27 lakh registered ex-servicemen in Punjab. The state also has the highest number of soldiers’ widows in the country, accounting for over 10 percent of the total number.

Delivering the budget speech in Chandigarh on Tuesday, the finance minister said that the pension for war jagirs would be increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per annum.

Under the major initiatives, Rs 8 crore has been allocated for upgrading and development of two new galleries at the War Memorial Complex in Amritsar, while Rs 50 lakh have been earmarked for the War Museum in Ludhiana.

A grant-in-aid of Rs 5.33 crore has been projected for the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for girls at Mohali, including Rs 1.7 crore for building up capital assets.

The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Services Preparatory Institute for boys at Mohali has been allocated a grant-in-aid of Rs 4.69 crore, including Rs 1.89 crore for building up capital assets.

Sainik School in Kapurthala has been granted Rs 5 crore for the construction of a new building and upgradation of its infrastructure.

Additionally, the Punjab Defence and Security Relief Fund has been pegged a grant-in-aid of Rs 1 crore, which is the same as that proposed last year.

Punjab troops, referred to as the sword arm of the nation, comprise about eight percent of personnel below officer rank in the Army, whereas the state’s share of the national population is 2.29 percent. While Punjab is ranked 16th among all states in the nation’s population, it is the second highest contributor of troops to the Army.

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