Defence Ministry likely to cap educational expenses paid to children of ex-servicemen

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry is likely to take a decision on capping the educational expenses paid to the children of ex-servicemen in line with the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, informed sources said on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_3477320” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Amid demands not to go ahead with the decision, a letter dated 13 September, issued by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, capped the fee for tuition and hostel at Rs 10,000 per month, as per the recommendations. The sources said the ministry was “apprised of the matter”, indicating that a decision on the issue could be taken soon. On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging her not to cap the total expenditure towards tuition fee and hostel charge at Rs 10,000. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and former army chief and Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh have also urged the minister to review the move. The scheme for government bearing the cost of education of ex-servicemen’s children was announced in the Lok Sabha on 18 December, 1971 — two days after the Pakistani forces surrendered in Dhaka after the India-Pakistan war that led to the liberation of Bangladesh. Chandrasekhar in his letter to the minister said capping the fund “goes against the very principle by which this scheme was implemented”.