Defence Ministry approves extensions of Govt accommodation for service personnel

New Delhi: The government accommodation for battle casualties from all three services has been extended from the existing three months to one year, said a government statement on Wednesday. 

According to the Ministry of Defence statement, the family and widow of deceased service personnel can avail the facility of accommodation for two years extending it from the period of one year and six months. It said, ''At present, family and widow of deceased service personnel are entitled to government accommodation for a period of two years which is further extendable by one year and six months based on the merit of the case as per policies of 1999 and 2006.'' 

The Ministry further informed that the service personnel who have sustained battle casualty in actions and operations and invalidated out from service on the same ground will also be permitted retention of government accommodation for a period of three months as per the ongoing provisions.  

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The Ministry took this decision in view of the requirements and demands of the Armed Forces. ''The government reviewed the existing provisions and Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh decided to extend the provision for the retention of government accommodation on the ibid grounds for a period of one year instead of three months to boost the morale of Service personnel,'' the statement said. 

Responding to Army recruitment question in Lok Sabha, on Wednesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said "Every year in the Indian Army approximately 60,000 people are recruited. It may vary every year." He further added ''There are 73 Army recruitment centers in the country. With each recruitment center, a certain number of districts are associated.''

Singh has also asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure that defense personnel are treated well with dignity in all the administrative offices after the attack on retired Army officer in Mau district.