District sainik boards aid jawans in post-retirement life

Bhopal, May 15 (UNI) When a jawan retires from the Indian Army after having served under cast-iron discipline for two decades, district sainik boards provide crucial support to him in a battle of a rather different kind -- civilian existence.

''We play the role of facilitators, serve as platforms for information dissemination and ensure execution. From the Centre's side, ex-servicemen are entitled to treatment in military hospitals and canteen facilities. We also sponsor them for civilian employment,'' Lt-Col (Retd) Suresh Chandra Dixit -- who is District Sainik Welfare Officer and Secretary, District Sainik Board (DSB), Bhopal -- told UNI.

At the state government level, ex-servicemen are aided during financial distress and scholarships provided to their children.

A jawan, recruited between the age of 17 and 21 years, is compulsorily retired after 20 years of service. At the time of superannuation a soldier's children may not be in an earning capacity.

While in service, jawans undergo annual checkups but it was felt that post-retirement medicare was insufficient. Therefore, the Army proposes to now extend the annual checkup facility to widows and ex-servicemen.

Earlier, trainee accident victims were not given facilities provided to ex-servicemen as the logic was that 'recruit' was not a rank.

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