Military Veterans Welfare
The sacrifice of a soldier is immeasurable, and the nation expresses its gratitude by extending multiple welfare schemes and financial benefits to the widows and dependents of fatal battle casualties. These benefits are processed through various authorities at the central, state, and regimental levels. This article provides a comprehensive structured overview of entitlements and facilities … Read more
The National Cadet Corps (NCC) has always been a proud institution, shaping the discipline, leadership, and patriotism of India’s youth. Today, it is undergoing a remarkable transformation—adopting modern technology, embracing inclusivity, and inspiring the next generation to build a future-ready India. The New-Age NCC: Technology Meets Training NCC for Society: Eco-Drives & Community Engagement Women … Read more
The Indian Armed Forces often require soldiers to move at very short notice for duty, training, leave, medical needs, and family requirements. Recognizing this, the Indian Railways has extended special support through Movement Control Office (MCO) Quota, which allows serving soldiers and veterans to obtain railway reservations on priority even when normal quotas are exhausted. … Read more
The pay structure for Central Government employees in India has undergone significant transformation over the years, driven by recommendations of successive Central Pay Commissions (CPCs). The objective of these revisions has been to ensure fair compensation, transparency, and parity across different roles in the government sector. It is obvious that 8th CPC will study a … Read more
Introduction The Canteen Stores Department (CSD) plays a crucial role in supporting serving and retired Armed Forces personnel, ex-servicemen, widows, and their dependents. CSD provides consumer goods, vehicles, and other essential items at concessional rates, ensuring welfare and financial relief for the defence community. Over time, the entitlement rules and procedures for purchasing high-value items—such … Read more
परिचय भारतीय सशस्त्र बलों (Indian Armed Forces) की निस्वार्थ सेवा, वीरता और समर्पण को सम्मान देते हुए, Hotel United House, शिर्डी (महाराष्ट्र) ने कृतज्ञता का एक विशेष कदम उठाया है। यह होटल एक Ex-Serviceman द्वारा संचालित है और यहां पर विशेष रियायती दरें (Concessional Tariffs) केवल serving और retired defence personnel तथा उनके परिवारों के … Read more
Introduction The Canteen Stores Department (CSD) plays a vital role in supporting the welfare of serving defence personnel, ex-servicemen, and their families. CSD offers a wide range of consumer products at subsidized rates, including Automobiles under AFD (Against Firm Demand) items such as cars, bikes, scooters, and white goods. Purchasing a car through CSD not … Read more
Author : Bikash De – Editor, ESM Info Club Why Trade Equivalence Certificate is Essential Each year, a significant number of trained personnel retire from the Indian Armed Forces—Army, Navy, and Air Force—at a relatively young age. While they have served the nation with utmost dedication, their transition to civilian life often presents challenges, especially … Read more
For veterans and family pensioners, timely resolution of pension and pensionary benefit-related issues is critical. The Indian Army has established dedicated Record Offices and helplines to address grievances and queries. Below is a consolidated directory of important contact numbers for various Regimental and Corps Record Offices. Importance of Record Office Helplines 📋 Contact Directory (Regiments … Read more
Key legal / administrative references (primary documents) These five documents are the most load-bearing authoritative references for family pension eligibility and processing for defence personnel. I cite them again in the relevant sections below. Who may get family pension (short summary) Order of precedence & sharing Practical interpretation of the PCDA (P) circular you uploaded … Read more
FIGHT FOR RIGHT : PAY FIXATION OF REEMPLOYED JCOS/OR Latest News on pay fixation. Pay fixation of reemployed Exserviceman is a long pending issue and now I want to narrate the entire case history and present status of the case. After putting several years of bona fide military service in Indian Armed forces, soldier, sailors … Read more
This document, issued by the Central Organisation of ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme), provides a crucial advisory regarding preventive health checkups and Annual Medical Examinations (AME) for its beneficiaries. The primary goal is to clarify the official policy and procedures to ensure proper adherence and avoid misunderstandings. 🏥 Key Points of the Advisory The advisory … Read more
SPARSH: A Game-Changer for Defence Pensioners The System for Pension Administration (Raksha)—popularly known as SPARSH—is a digital platform launched by the Ministry of Defence for the automation of pension sanction and disbursement to defence pensioners, including veterans and family pensioners. Key Utilities of SPARSH: This system empowers pensioners with greater control, visibility, and accessibility over … Read more
Grocery and liquor items we usually purchased from CSD is much cheaper than the open market price of the products. But CSD also retains a certain percentage of margin as profit to maintain the organization. You might have basic concept of the CSD operations in multiple hierarchies from the top controlling HQ to URC. The … Read more
Many pensioners often wonder whether disability pension is still exempt under the new income tax rules and e-filing system. Let us clarify—disability pension exemption is very much applicable, and the belief that it is not is completely incorrect. Below is the step-by-step process to file your Income Tax Return (ITR) correctly while claiming disability pension … Read more
The Central Organisation, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), under the Integrated HQ of MoD (Army), has issued an advisory dated 08 April 2025 regarding Annual Medical Examination (AME)/Preventive Health Checkup for ECHS beneficiaries. This advisory provides clarity on the procedures, permitted facilities, and reimbursement rules related to AME. Reference The advisory refers to Government of … Read more
Serving and retired defence personnel often have to travel to Delhi for official work or for the medical treatment of their dependents. Delhi houses two of the top Armed Forces hospitals – Base Hospital and Research & Referral (R&R) Hospital – which makes the city a frequent destination for defence families. However, finding suitable accommodation … Read more
The NCC Special Entry Scheme 123rd Course (April 2026) offers a prestigious opportunity for unmarried male graduates, including wards of battle casualties of Army personnel, to join the Indian Army as Short Service Commissioned Officers. Candidates with a minimum of 50% marks in graduation and at least a ‘B’ grade in the NCC ‘C’ Certificate … Read more
Good news for ECHS members! Changing your parent Polyclinic has become easier thanks to a new feature on the ECHS portal. Beneficiaries with the 64KB ECHS Smart Card can now update their parent Polyclinic online, once every three months. What is an ECHS Polyclinic? An ECHS Polyclinic is a dedicated healthcare center for retired armed … Read more
हाल ही में रक्षा मंत्रालय द्वारा भारतीय सैनिकों के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण आर्थिक निर्णय लिया गया है। जनवरी 2024 से सैनिकों के भत्ते में ₹1688 प्रतिमाह की वृद्धि की गई है। यह निर्णय 13 महीनों की देरी के बाद आया है, लेकिन इसके तहत सभी रैंक के सैन्यकर्मियों को बराबर लाभ मिलेगा। आइए जानते हैं … Read more