No-holds-barred education for children of dead, injured soldiers

Following protests from the men in uniform, the Central Government has withdrawn its controversial decision to cap educational expenses of children whose parents either died or were injured in a military action.

Last year, the Defence Ministry introduced a cap of Rs 10,000 per month on hostel and tuition charges of such children on the basis of 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

The cap would help save Rs 3.2 crore for the government, Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence stated, responding to an MP's query in January.

With the move evoking sharp criticism of the government for its insensitivity, the Finance Ministry on Wednesday came out with a revised order, dropping the Rs 10,000 a month cap.

There is, however, a rider that the concession would be available to children studying in government or government-recognised schools and colleges, ruling out foreign education.

The concession would be available to the children of armed forces officers and persons below officer rank (PBOR), who is missing, disabled or killed in action.

Govt bows

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had requested Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to remove the cap after she was approached by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, with a request to lift the cap as a humanitarian gesture.

Sitharaman received similar requests from Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Minister of State for External Affairs and former Army Chief Gen V K Singh.

There is no such ceiling in the existing scheme that was announced in the Lok Sabha two days after India's victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan and implemented from 1972.

In 1990, the Defence Ministry extended the scheme to children of officers and soldiers killed or disabled in Operation Meghdoot (Siachen) and Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka). Another amendment in 2003 brought the children of those killed or disabled in counter-insurgency operations under the ambit of the scheme.

Approximately 250 students would be benefited in the current financial year.

In 2017-18, out of 2,679 students (up to December 27, 2017), 193 students were drawing more than the capped amount. The highest amount drawn was Rs 18.95 lakh per annum.