UP Announces Major Welfare Package for Soldiers; Gallantry Award Benefits to Double, Property Tax Relief Raised to Rs 50 Lakh

Meerut: Families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country and personnel who have completed their military service are set to receive enhanced benefits under a new set of measures announced by the Uttar Pradesh government.

The package, unveiled by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a gathering of former servicemen in Meerut on Saturday, includes a twofold increase in financial rewards for gallantry award winners and a higher ceiling for stamp duty relief on property transactions.

The exemption available to ex-servicemen and dependents of deceased soldiers will now extend up to Rs 50 lakh, compared with the earlier limit of Rs 20 lakh.

The government has also decided to facilitate employment for a member of each martyr’s family.

The proposed appointment will be in the family’s native district or, where necessary, an adjoining district.

The enhanced financial package will benefit recipients of the country’s highest military decorations, including the Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, as well as Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra awardees.

Eligible personnel honoured with the Sena Medal, Vayu Sena Medal and other distinguished service decorations will also receive twice their existing cash awards and annuities.

Finding suitable positions for the families of fallen soldiers will require coordination across government departments.

Adityanath said the Sainik Welfare Department would take up the responsibility of identifying vacant posts and facilitating appointments.

The announcements were accompanied by the inauguration of eight new Sainik Welfare offices in the state.

Built with an investment of Rs 27.50 crore, the facilities are intended to strengthen the administrative support available to the military community.

A publication titled Shaurya Gatha was also presented during the programme. It records the achievements of soldiers from Uttar Pradesh who have received seven Ashok Chakras, 30 Kirti Chakras and 133 Shaurya Chakras.

Extensive assistance for veterans and bereaved families

The Chief Minister used the occasion to outline the scale of assistance already being extended to the armed forces community in Uttar Pradesh.

He said compensation for families of soldiers killed in service had been increased to Rs 50 lakh from Rs 20 lakh. A total of 150 families have received Rs 59.50 crore under this arrangement, according to the figures he presented.

The state has also developed a network of memorials and public infrastructure to preserve the memory of its fallen soldiers.

This includes 200 memorials, 61 commemorative gateways and 78 statues. The names of martyrs have additionally been given to 31 schools, 48 roads and three stadiums.

Several categories of veterans and their families receive recurring financial assistance. Former servicemen who participated in the Second World War, along with their wives, are paid a monthly pension of Rs 6,000.

Similar pension support is available to war widows and parents of soldiers killed during the Kargil conflict.

For soldiers with disabilities who are undergoing treatment at paraplegic centres, the annual financial grant has been raised to Rs 1.5 lakh.

Government jobs and rehabilitation opportunities

Employment remains another important component of the state’s welfare programme.

Adityanath said former military personnel have been given five per cent reservation in Group B government positions. During the last three years, 647 ex-servicemen have entered government service through recruitment.

The Sainik Kalyan Nigam has also helped approximately 31,700 former soldiers secure employment, he said.

A separate provision provides 20 per cent horizontal reservation for Agniveers in selected state government departments and services, including the police, prisons and forest departments.

Financial assistance under various soldier welfare programmes has reached Rs 96.78 crore since 2017, according to the Chief Minister.

He further said that more than 15,000 beneficiaries had received a combined Rs 115 crore through the Sainik Punarvas Nidhi.

The fund has supported the education of over 8,600 children, provided marriage grants of Rs 1 lakh each to 907 daughters and assisted 269 young people who secured admission to military academies.

Uttar Pradesh’s contribution to the armed forces

Making a case for greater community participation in military recruitment, Adityanath appealed to retired soldiers to mentor young people in villages.

He said their experience could prove valuable in preparing candidates for recruitment into the armed forces and police.

He also urged veterans to help discourage drug consumption among rural youth and promote discipline and a sense of national responsibility.

The Chief Minister cited several decorated soldiers from the state, including Param Vir Chakra recipients Naik Jadunath Singh, Abdul Hamid, Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey and Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.

He specifically mentioned Gahmar village in Ghazipur district as a notable contributor to the country’s military manpower.

According to the statistics he shared, 2,685 soldiers from Uttar Pradesh have died defending the nation, while more than 2,000 have received gallantry decorations.

He estimated that around 12,000 of the nearly 60,000 military personnel retiring across the country each year belong to Uttar Pradesh.

Political criticism and defence reforms

The Meerut address also included criticism of the previous Samajwadi Party administration. Adityanath referred to two incidents from earlier years to highlight what he described as the disregard shown towards soldiers and their families.

One concerned former serviceman Ganesh Kumar Shukla, who had completed 22 years in the Army’s Maha Regiment and served during the Kargil War.

The Chief Minister alleged that Shukla was attacked in 2016 by supporters of a political leader after refusing to salute him. He claimed the police registered a case against the veteran rather than taking action against those accused of assault.

He also recalled the controversy surrounding the 2013 funeral arrangements for Lance Naik Hemraj Singh, alleging that administrative shortcomings forced the martyr’s family to protest.

Turning to national defence policy, Adityanath credited the BJP-led Union government with implementing the long-pending One Rank, One Pension scheme after decades of demands.

He also cited the National War Memorial, increased defence allocations and the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff as significant developments in India’s defence administration.

Reiterating his government’s position, the Chief Minister said the contribution of serving personnel, retired soldiers and bereaved military families would continue to receive priority.

He maintained that the state had a responsibility not only to honour those who defend the country but also to ensure that their families receive meaningful support.