The Army Welfare Fund That You Might Think is a Hoax, But Isn’t

A WhatsApp message explaining an Army welfare fund is doing the rounds and here’s the real deal behind it.

Many of you might receive the following text or WhatsApp message and think it’s a hoax.

Except, it isn’t.

Pay only Rs 1 per day (Rupee one only). Like never before, the Modi government has started a new scheme exclusively for the Indian Army Battle Casualties and Weapon Purchase. The government has opened a bank account where people can donate funds directly to the Army Welfare Account which will be used for purchasing weapons for the Indian Army and providing facilities for war casualties. People had suggested to the government to open a bank account to collect funds exclusively for battle casualties and purchasing weapons for the army, the Modi government has accepted the suggestion and opened an account in Syndicate Bank, New Delhi for the same. 

The above is only a part of the message, one that further goes on to give bank details where a person can deposit money for this scheme.

The most immediate psychological response to something like this would be thinking that it’s a racket of some sort.

However, the Indian Army on Tuesday took to Twitter to put out a clarification:

As is clear from the army’s clarification, the text message is not a hoax, but it’s also not entirely true.

While the text says the money received will fund weapons for the Indian army and facilities for the war casualties, the army’s clarifications explains that it will be used for financial assistance to widows of battle casualties, their next of kins and dependents.

Anup Sinha, retired colonel and director of the fund’s accounts section also put out a notice explaining the rationale and motive behind the scheme:

Syndicate bank, too, issued an official statement on the its involvement with the fund on its website.

The Army’s National Defence Fund

The Indian Army also has something called the National Defence Fund. Set up in 1962, the fund is used for the welfare of the members of the Armed Forces (including Para Military Forces) and their dependents, according to the website www.pmindia.gov.in/national-defence-fund.

According to the website, the fund is “entirely dependent on voluntary contributions from the public and does not get any budgetary support.”