Despite protests, defence ministry sticks to Rs 10,000 monthly cap on tuition, hostel fee for martyrs' children

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry will keep on with its fresh choice to cap the training bills in the form of tuition and hostel fees paid to children of martyrs and disabled squaddies to Rs 10,000 per 30 days in keeping with the recommendation of the 7th Central Pay Commission despite fashionable protests from the affected families in addition to the militia.
This has been conveyed to those that had despatched representations to the defence ministry inquiring for the Rs 10,000 ceiling to be lifted, said minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre, in a written respond to a query in Rajya Sabha.

Around 250 scholars "have been reported to be affected during the current financial year" due to the verdict to cap the mixed amount of tuition and hostel charges to Rs 10,000 per 30 days. "The allowance shall go up by 25% each time DA rises by 50%," he said.

"Out of the total reported 2,679 students during 2017-2018, 193 students have been reported to be drawing more than the capped amount of tuition/hostel fee, and savings have been reported to be Rs 3.20 crore (approximately). The highest amount drawn has been reported to be Rs 18.95 lakh per annum per student," he added.

The unique scheme, underneath which a martyr's child was once provided complete tuition and hostel fees with none cap till she or he bought the primary stage (like BA, B.Tech, MBBS, B.Com and so forth), had come into drive after the 1971 battle to disencumber Bangladesh. It was once later prolonged to children of officers and squaddies killed or disabled in Operation Meghdoot (Siachen-Saltoro Ridge) and Operation Pawan (IPKF in Sri Lanka) in addition to in counter-insurgency operations.

But a letter issued by the ex-servicemen welfare division on September 13 held that just a maximum of Rs 10,000 per 30 days would be now paid or reimbursed underneath the scheme. It had resulted in fashionable protests, with Punjab leader minister Captain Amarinder Singh (retd) also writing to defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman that the verdict was once 'immoral' and 'unprincipled', as was once reported earlier by TOI.

"The fee being paid to the children of martyrs and disabled soldiers was a small price in exchange for what they had given, and continued to give, to the nation," said Singh, inquiring for a evaluation of the verdict in an instant.

Former Army leader and minister of state for external affairs General V K Singh (retd), too, had joined in by tweeting: "Have written on the issue to RM (Raksha Mantri). Am sure Babus of the MoD will rectify this as early as possible."

The chiefs of team of workers committee (CoSC), which accommodates the Army, IAF and Navy chiefs, has also written to the MoD that the verdict will have to be revised to ensure the Rs 10,000 cap is lifted. "This small gesture would assure the families of our brave women and men that the nation cares for them and their sacrifices are truly appreciated by the government," said CoSC chairman and Navy leader Admiral Sunil Lanba, in the letter.

"These personnel have made the supreme sacrifice for the country and the provision of educational concessions to their wards is a small gesture to recognize their commitment to the defence of the country," he added.