Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday hiked the financial assistance package to non-pension World War II veterans in the country.
These ex-defencemen will no longer receive the paltry Rs. 500 per month they were receiving so far - they will now receive Rs. 3,000 per month.
Similarly, the financial assistance of Rs. 400 per month being given to widows of World War II veterans has also been raised to Rs. 3,000 per month.
The Chief Minister reportedly approved the hike after listening to an account of the sorry conditions of these WW II heroes and widows.
Most of these pensioners are now aged between 85 and 90 years.
During 2009, the Government Of India had recommended that veterans of the World War II and their widows need financial support from their respective state governments at the fag end of their lives.
At present, AP has 533 World War II veterans and 2,376 widows veterans.
With the Chief Minister's decision of enhancing their financial assistance, the expenditure on ex-armymen will now be about Rs. 10.48 crore per annum, from the existing expenditure of Rs. 1.46 crore. (INN)