Ex-servicemen get assistance

Bhopal, Jan 9 (UNI) Financial assistance of Rs 1,000 each was given to 41 ex-servicemen and widows today during the monthly sainik sammelan at the District Sainik Welfare Board (DSWB) here.

''Ever since disbursal of ex-servicemen's pensions is being done through banks, there have been certain delays in payment of increments and complaints of this nature have been dispatched to the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Allahabad,'' Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Suresh Chandra Dixit -- who is District Sainik Welfare Officer and Secretary, DSWB, Bhopal -- told UNI.

Among those present at the gathering was Brigadier (Retd) S Dasgupta, who recently assumed charge as Madhya Pradesh's Director, Sainik Welfare. In his first meeting with ex-servicemen from Bhopal, Raisen, Vidisha and Sehore districts, the former officer assured that their problems would be looked into on priority basis.

''A Defence Pensions Court will be organised at the 3 EME (Electronics and Mechanical Engineers) Centre in nearby Bairagarh on February 14 and 15 for hearing pension-linked complaints of retired Army personnel,'' Lt-Col Dixit explained.

Such pensioners may address their complaints, either in Hindi or in English, to the Pensions Court Officer, Office of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Draupadi Ghat, Allahabad.

''It is a matter of pride that the DSWB, Bhopal, collected more than Rs 11 lakh, between December 7, 2005 and December 6, 2006 -- for the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund,'' Lt-Col Dixit claimed.

UNI