MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(SHRI A.K. ANTONY)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 291
FOR ANSWER ON 3.9.2007
The number of disabled soldiers in the country as on 1.4.06 is 2,78,301. Out of them 241 disabled soldiers are on live
register of ex-servicemen cell of Directorate General of Employment &Training, Ministry of Labour awaiting employment
assistance upto July, 2007.
2. Resettlement of disabled soldiers is an ongoing process. The Government has the following schemes in this regard:-
ECONOMIC REHABILITATION:
(i) COAL TIPPER SCHEME:
Eligible widows/disabled soldiers can participate in a self-employment scheme under which they are required to make a
deposit of Rs. 85,000/- with any of the coal transport company nominated by Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR).
The nominated coal transport company pays Rs.3000/- per month to the widows/disabled soldiers for 5 years and thereafter
refunds the amount of Rs.85, 000/- deposited by them.
(ii) ALLOTMENT OF OIL PRODUCT AGENCIES:
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has reserved 8% of the Oil Product Agencies, i.e. LPG dealership, petrol pumps,
kerosene distributorship etc in the marketing plan for widows and dependents of those who died in war/peace with
death attributable to Military service and disabled soldiers.
3.The number of persons who have benefited from the above schemes during the last 3 years is indicated below:
(i) COAL TIPPER SCHEME:
The number of widows/disabled ex-servicemen benefited by the scheme.
Widows Disabled Total
2005- 98 08 106
2006- 69 15 84
2007- 97 34 131
till date.
(ii) ALLOTMENT OF OIL PRODUCT AGENCIES:
Number of eligibility certificates issued by Directorate General of Resettlement to widows/dependents/
disabled soldiers:
Widows/dependents Disabled Total
2005- 336 106 442
2006- 123 32 155
2007- 33 15 48
HEALTH REHABILITATION:
The number of disabled soldiers who have been provided artificial limbs is as given below:-
Year No.of disabled soldiers No. of families provided provided Artificial Limbs with Artificial Limbs
2005 1389 309
2006 1663 245
2007 813 146
till June.
The number of disabled soldiers rehabilitated at various Paraplegic Centres and Cheshire Homes during
the last three years are as under:
2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
PRC Kirkee 75 73 78
PRC Mohali 26 35 38
St.Dunstan`s 112 75 98
Cheshire Homes 21 19 19
War Memorial Hostels 563 509 480
(For wards of war widows/
war disabled)
Motor Tricycles 0 10 10
4. Besides, disabled soldiers are also encouraged to avail the benefit of loan assistance on liberalised terms
under self-employment schemes from financial institutions/banks.
5. There is no separate reservation for disabled ex-servicemen who are fit for employment. However, reservation
is available to handicapped persons including disabled ex-servicemen in appointment to Group C & D posts filled
through direct recruitment to the extent of 3% (1% each for the blind, deaf and orthopaedically handicapped).
The Central Government has also reserved 10% of vacancies in Group ‘C’ posts and 20% in Group ‘D’ posts for
Ex-Servicemen. Central Public Sector Undertakings and Nationalised Banks provide 14.5% reservation in Group
‘C’ and 24.5% in Group ‘D’ posts with them. Besides 10% vacancies of Assistant Commandants in Para Military
Forces are also reserved for Ex-Servicemen.
