Welfare schemes, jobs for ex-servicemen and dependents: CM

Hyderabad, Jun 7 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the Government had restored the scheme of Compassionate Appointments to the dependents of Defence personnel killed or disabled in action.

Laying the foundation stone for the construction of Sainik Aram Garh near Somajiguda here today, Dr Reddy said the Government had launched schemes for the welfare of ex-servicemen and families of the Defence staff killed or disabled while rendering service.

Detailing the various schemes, he said the Government had decided to allot house sites to the ill-fated dependents of the staff and to issue orders of Compassionate Appointments of eight war widows, four war disabled and one kin of a martyr.

The ex-servicemen welfare schemes further include, filling of vacancies reserved for them, under the state government, Local Bodies and Public Sector Undertakings and, relaxing the physical efficiency test standards in police recruitment.

Speaking on the occasion, Major General Resettlement Harwant Krishan said the Sainik Aram Garh would be completed in one year and urged the ex-servicemen to think about ventures useful for their economic upliftment.

Sainik Boards, he said, was to look after the welfare of the ex-servicemen and disabled personnel and their families and added that there were 60,000 ex-servicemen and 18000 war-widows in the state.

It would be constructed by the Andhra Pradesh Police Housing Corporation, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.97 crore, to be borne by both the Centre and State governments.

UNI BR JJ AD ND1602