The Telangana Chief Minister announced several incentives, cash rewards and veteran benefits several among others.
The Telangana government in the floor of the State Assembly announced the mulling of a new policy for the welfare of the Defense forces and their families stationed in the State, which will include a special welfare fund for the armed units.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced it stating that Society and the State government were bound by duty to look after the well being of its Armed forces. He added that Telangana would serve as a role model for all other States in the nation.
As per the Chief Minister, the policy included Sainik Welfare Fund and would be supported financially by Ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and government employees. While the Chief Minister and Ministers would give Rs. 25,000 per year, MPs, MLAs and MLCs would contribute Rs. 10,000 per annum.
Associations of State government employees also promised to extend their support by contributing to the welfare fund, and will give one day's salary each year as part of it.
Other sops and incentives within the welfare policy include pensions for ex-servicemen and war veterans. The Central government was giving pensions through.
As per reports, the State government would give two pensions to veterans and other retired servicemen who work for the State government after retirement. The TRS government will also extend the pension scheme to the wives of deceased veterans/ex-servicemen, something that was not made available by the Central government's scheme for the Army.
Apart from these, the Chief Minister said that the State government would give a hike in cash awards to the recipients of Param Veer Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Veer Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Keerthi Chakra, Sourya Chakra and other medals. He promised that the amount given would be more than what any other State has ever given.
"While the Punjab government was giving a maximum of Rs. 2 crores to Param Veer Chakra and Ashok Chakra awardees, the united Andhra Pradesh government had declared Rs. 10 lakhs. But now the Telangana government will change that and give Param Veer Chakra awardees an amount of Rs. 2.25 crores. Similarly, the Punjab government was giving a maximum of Rs. 1 crore for the Mahaveer Chakra and Keerthi Chakra winners. But the TRS government will give them Rs 1.25 crore," the CM announced.
The rest of the medal holders, too, would get a sizeable increase in cash awards, as per the CM.
The State government also announced the equalization of compensation provided to the families of those soldiers who died while on duty and of those who died due to other reasons (illness, accidents, etc.).
KCR also announced several other sops including setting up Sainik Welfare Boards, Sainik Schools, cash money worth lakhs to students studying at the NDA, reservations for Army children in "Gurukuls", pensions for the immediate family members of World War II veterans, 2% quota in the Free Double Bedroom Housing scheme, and several others.