It becomes necessary to re-train ex-servicemen so that after their retirement they could find suitable employment in the civil sector or engage themselves in some self-employment ventures.

The training directorate of DGR is entrusted with the responsibility to train officers and personnel below officers rank (PBOR) for their resettlement. Officers, during last five years of their service, can undergo re-settlement training in the field of their choice out of 96 courses conducted throughout the year at different locations. The officers are also entitled to undergo correspondence courses upto three years during last ten years of their service. The short service commissioned officers are entitled to three-month short term courses after their retirement.

The officers have to bear 40 per cent of the cost of the training programme and are treated as on temporary duty without TA/DA. Their movement from duty station to the station of training is also at their own expense. However, they are entitled to hired accommodation at the study leave station.

The DGR conducts 339 resettlement courses for PBORs throughout the year in various institutions all over the country. In addition, industrial training institutes also conduct diploma courses of two years duration in 27 disciplines for retiring PBOR.

The entire cost of training in respect of PBOR is borne by the Government and they are treated on temporary duty with TA/DA at the place of training. PBOR are also entitled to pre-release 'on the job training' at various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) where they can be absorbed after retirement. The RSB/ZSB also conducts training where a stipend of Rs 350 is admissible to PBOR.

A large number of employment schemes have been launched by the Government of India to enable ex-servicemen to resettle themselves in self-employment ventures.

SEMFEX-I was launched by the Government of India jointly with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The scheme envisages setting up of tiny and small scale units such as industries, tourism project and hospitals with financial assistance from nationalised banks. The maximum limit of loan is 65 per cent of the cost of the project upto Rs 15 lakh. The remaining 25 per cent is to be borne by the entrepreneur and 10 per cent is provided by the bank as soft seed capital which bears an interest of 6 per cent per annum. The term loan is sanctioned by the bank at the prevailing rate of interest. The unit can be set up at any urban/semi-urban location.

The Government of India launched the National Equity Fund Scheme which is an improvement on Semfex-I scheme. The scheme is implemented through Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The salient features of the scheme include loan availability to set up projects in tiny/small sector and service enterprises or for expansion or technical upgradation and revival of viable sick units. The maximum cost of the project is Rs 25 lakh. The loan is granted upto 65 per cent of the cost of the project. The interest free soft loan is available upto 25 percent of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs 6.25 lakh. The 10 per cent of the value of the project has to be borne by the entrepreneur. A service charge of one per cent is payable on soft loan. These loans can be obtained from state co-operative banks, select urban co-operative banks, nationalised banks, state financial corporations etc.

The SEMFEX-II scheme has been promoted with the assistance of National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) to set up agricultural and allied activities and also for setting up of village, cottage, tiny and small scale industries in rural areas. The primary lending institutions are state co-operative banks, scheduled commercial banks, some district central co-operative banks, regional rural banks, state land development banks, primary land development banks etc. Soft loan assistance is available under farm and non-farm sector activities.

The SEMFEX-III scheme has been launched to set up khadi and village industries in rural areas with the help of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIB). The financial assistance is available through state KVIBs, scheduled commercial banks, co-operative banks and a few state financial corporations. Subsidy is available upto 30 per cent of the project cost.

In addition, the ex-servicemen can obtain loan from Punjab and Sind Bank and Tata Finance Ltd for the purchase of light and heavy transport vehicles. Loans are also available for trading and service sector through Punjab and Sind Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce.

Retail outlets of petroleum products and LPG agencies are allotted to ex-servicemen under eight per cent quota reserved for ex-servicemen. The ex-servicemen with 50 per cent or more disability attributed to war/military service, widows/dependents of gallantry awardees and some other categories of ex-servicemen are eligible for allotment under this quota.

Ex-servicemen can also set up coal transportation company for movement of coal within the collieries. Widows of service personnel sacrificing their life during service due to reasons attributed to military service can invest Rs 80,000 in coal transportation companies and they are given an assured return of Rs 3,000 per month for the next five years. Thereafter, the principal amount is returned to the widow concerned.

Milk dispensing booths are allotted to ex-servicemen in Delhi and some other big towns with virtually no investment. A security deposit of Rs 40,000 is taken by Mother Dairy which bears a simple interest of 10 per cent. A working capital of Rs 35,000 would be needed to run the booth. In addition, Mother Dairy milk booths and fruit and vegetable outlets are reserved for allotment to ex-servicemen within Delhi and adjoining townships. These booths are allotted to ex-servicemen and unemployed son of ex-servicemen below the age of 25 years.

Employment after retirement poses a serious challenge to ex-servicemen with the advent of multinationals in the country as a consequence to globalisation of the economy. The Directorate of Employment, DGR is trying its best to find suitable jobs for ex-servicemen in this new situation.

Officers upto the rank of Colonel/equivalent and upto the age of 57 years can register for employment in government, Public Sector Undertakings and private sector. The respective age for officers above the rank of Brigadier and Major General/equivalent is 58 and 59 years. The officers would have the facility of registering their name on DGR website : www.dgrindia.com.

As per Government of India Bureau of Public Enterprises instructions, all the central Public Sector Undertakings which are not provided security by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), have to employ security guards through ex-servicemen security agencies. Some state governments have also issued similar instructions. The officers can form security agencies whereas PBOR have to be employed as security guards. At present, 710 security agencies are working throughout the country employing 48000 ex-servicemen.

Recently, a new scheme has been launched to provide sales agencies of lubricants of an internationally reputed company through Directorate General Resettlement. The ex-servicemen can operate the agency from his home in villages at a minimum cost. They have to make a deposit with the company equal to the cost of the products. The deposit would earn an interest of 16 per cent. The lubricants would be supplied to ex-servicemen against this deposit. The company would allow a credit of 30 days on the stock. The ex-servicemen would earn 18 per cent commission on sales. The unsold material would be returned to the company. On termination of the agency, the security deposit would be refunded to the ex-servicemen.

The PBOR can register their name for job in government/Public Sector Undertakings/banks through Rajya/Zila Sainik Boards. The age relaxation is available to ex-servicemen in various government vacancies reserved for ex-servicemen and also in unreserved vacancies in the open general category.

The Defence Security Corps and other para-military forces also provide employment opportunities to ex-servicemen. Non-technical ex-servicemen can get ITI training of two year, which would help them to get suitable jobs.

The Government of India has constituted Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister with several Chief Ministers and other senior officers of central/state governments to formulate policy for the welfare of ex-servicemen. Though welfare of ex-servicemen is a state subject, a policy formulated by KSB is by and large adopted by the state government. However, a state government is free to formulate its own policy for the welfare of ex-servicemen.

Various medical colleges have reserved 26 seats for MBBS and two seats for BDS. Two seats are available in engineering colleges, in civil engineering, of Annamalai University. Recently, two medical seats (one each for the child of officer and PBOR) have been earmarked for children of war/service casualties in a medical college in Mauritius. The entire fee is borne by the college. In addition, airfare is provided to the selected candidates. However, children of officers would be required to pay hostel fee of Rs 3500 whereas the child of PBOR would have to bear hostel fee upto Rs 1500 only. The balance would be given as a hostel subsidy at the rate of US$ 50 per month. The children of officers and PBOR who have laid down their lives attributable to military service and secure more than 70 per cent of marks in Class XII or equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry and Biology are eligible to apply. The candidates would be interviewed in Delhi for the final selection. The expense of travel for interview would be borne by the candidates. There are 35 war memorial hostels where children of war casualties can continue their education free of cost.

The KSB has enlisted a large number of civil hospitals where ex-servicemen can get treatment for serious ailments. The 80 per cent of the cost of treatment in respect of PBOR is paid by KSB directly to the hospital. The ex-serviceman has to pay the balance. In case of officers, only 60 per cent of the cost is borne by KSB.

Disabled soldiers are rehabilitated at paraplegic rehabilitation centres in Pune and Mohali, Cheshire Home, St Dunstan's Organisation at Dehra Dun, Artificial Limb Centre, Pune and Queen Mary Technical Institute, Kirkee.

The war widows and the wives of IPKF casualties are provided 75 per cent concession in railway fare for IInd class. The gallantry award winners and widows of the recipients of the posthumous PVC, MVC, Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra are allowed free railway travel facility in Ist class/IInd AC class. Some of the concessions have also been extended to the widows of Kargil martyrs.

Similarly, 50 percent concession in air fare in domestic flights of Air India are provided to the recipients of gallantry awards, permanently war disabled officers who have been out of service and dependent members of the family and war widows of the post-independence era.

For more details readers may contact Directorate General Resettlement and Secretary, Kendriya Sainik Board, New Delhi