Defence Minister intervenes to get pensionary dues released to deceased soldier’s mother

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the Adda on Saturday. (Express Photo: Prashant Nadkar)

Taking cognisance of The Indian Express report of April 1 highlighting the plight of a soldier’s mother who had been fighting for pensionary benefits after she lost her son on the Chinese border nine years ago, the Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has intervened and ordered the release of all benefits to her.

The Defence Minister tweeted from her official handle informing that the family pension to the jawan, Rifleman Rinku Ram’s mother was being released with effect from 2009 and that an ex-gratia of Rs 10 Lakhs was also being released to her.

2) It is hereby informed that Special Family Pension for Smt Kamla Devi has been granted with effect from 19/11/2009. Ex-gratia lump sump of Rs. 10 Lakh has also been sanctioned to Smt Kamla Devi. @nsitharaman http://t.co/SNdG4NqTAS

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) April 9, 2018

The minister also tweeted that a meeting has been called this evening where a decision will be taken to formulate a policy to deal with cases where soldiers are declared missing and their bodies are not recovered.

READ | Show dead body to claim benefits: Defence Accounts tells mother of soldier washed away in river on China border

Rifleman Rinku Ram belongs to Himachal Pradesh and had been washed away in a river while deployed on the Chinese border in the north east. His pensionary benefits had not been released to his mother because his body had not been located. His mother later moved the Armed Forces Tribunal’s Chandigarh bench demanding her rightful dues.