Military Asks Govt to End Cap on Educational Aid to Martyrs’ Kids

The scheme was implemented in 1971, after India had won the war against Pakistan.

The military has been seeking the reversal of the government’s July order to place a cap on the educational aid given to the children of martyrs or disabled soldiers, reports ANI. The same report states that the government order placed the cap at Rs 10,000.

According to Hindustan Times, the cap which was put in place on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, has impacted over 3,000 students since its implementation on 1 July. As a result, several defence leaders and politicians have been writing to the Defence Ministry, asking them to withdraw the order, reports ANI.

Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, as per his capacity as Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), wrote to the Defence Ministry and later told reporters in Ahmedabad that the government was going to review the decision and that it had always been a big supporter of the armed forces, reported PTI.

At the same time, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a Rajya Sabha MP, had written to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, telling her that the cap on the educational aid to the children of martyrs and disabled soldiers is against the main principle of the scheme, said ANI.

The services and sacrifices of our soldiers cannot be repaid ever and it is our moral obligation to ensure their families do not face any hardships and difficulties.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote in his letter, as reported by ANI

According to ANI, this scheme to provide educational aid to the children of martyrs and disabled soldiers was first implemented back in 1971, a few days after India emerged as victor in the war against Pakistan. PTI adds to this by saying that while the original scheme had made provisions for fees ‘other’ than the tuition fee, they were later removed in 2010.