HP government hikes pension for ex-servicemen, Veer Naris by 40%

Himachal Pradesh government has made a one-time increase of 40 per cent in the pension given to ex-servicemen and their widows, Veer Naris, through the Sainik Welfare Department, officials said on Friday.

The pension given to ex-servicemen and their widows who took voluntary retirement before the year 1987 has been increased by Rs 2,000 per month, officials said. They will now receive a monthly pension of Rs 5,000 instead of Rs 3,000.

In the first quarter of the financial year, in the month of June, a lump sum of Rs 15,000 will be released for three months — April, May and June — Brigadier Madansheel Sharma, Director of Sainik Welfare Department, said.

A total of 507 ex-servicemen and their widows in the state will benefit from the increase in pension. These ex-servicemen do not receive any pension from the Government of India, he said.

Currently, 246 ex-servicemen and 261 widows of ex-servicemen in the state will get the benefit of pension increase. Earlier Rs 15,21,000 was the allotted monthly budget for the pensions of ex-servicemen and their widows, which has now been increased to a budget of Rs 25,35,000.

Himachal Tribune