The government rolled back its decision of restricting education waiver to Rs 10,000 per month on fees for children of soldiers from the armed forces killed or disabled in action six months after it came out with an order triggering resentment from various sections.
Acting on a request from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Finance in order dated March 21, 2018 said the education concession will continue without any cap.
It said this will be applicable in government, government aided schools, colleges and institutes or those recognised by state and central governments. There were several representations made to the MoD to revoke the order as it could demoralise the families of soldiers.
Soon after the 1971 war with Pakistan, the scheme to bear the cost of martyrs’ children was introduced.
Sources said there had been several instances of the scheme being misused that prompted the change.
Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, in his capacity as chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, had earlier written to the government to revoke the order putting a monthly cap of Rs 10,000 on education fees for children of martyrs and disabled soldiers belonging to Army, Navy and Air Force.
Making a strong case to rollback the order of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Admiral Lanba wrote to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stating that educational concessions are small gesture to the families of personnel who made the supreme sacrifice.