In a major relief, the Central Government has decided not to cap the educational concession provided to the children of armed forces officers or personnel below officer ranks (PBORs), killed or missing or permanently disabled in action.
Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has written to the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to convey the Centre’s decision to continue the said concession without capping it at Rs 10,000 per month.
Capt Amarinder, who had personally put forward the proposal before the Centre, has welcomed the decision to reverse the cap, saying that it would go a long way towards boosting the morale of the armed forces and their families, particularly the children of martyrs and disabled soldiers, to whom the nation owed its security and sovereignty.
The Defence Minister’s communication is in response to Capt Amarinder’s DO letter, dated December 1, 2017, urging her to revoke the decision to put a cap of Rs 10,000 per month on the combined amount of tuition fee and hostel charges under the scheme of educational concession to such children.
Expressing serious concern about the proposed move of the Defence Ministry, the Chief Minister had then said that it would make a mockery of the objective behind the scheme which was announced in the lok Sabha in 1971.
Capt Amarinder felt that it would undermine the sacrifice of the defence personnel, and amounted to a shameful disregard for their contribution to the country and its citizens. He was of the opinion that 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.
The educational concession was initially being given to the children of armed forces personnel killed or missing or permanently disabled in 1962, 1965, 1971 wars, Operation Pawan and Operation Meghdoot.
However, on August 6, 2003, the Defence Ministry had extended the concession to the children of armed forces personnel who were killed or declared missing or permanently disabled during all post Meghdoot operations in India and aboard, including counter insurgency operation, studying in government or government aided schools or educational institutes, military sainik schools and other schools or colleges recognized by the Central or State Government including the autonomous organizations financed entirely by Central or State Governments.