The Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare is under the administrative control of the Public Department, and is responsible for the rehabilitation and resettlement of ex-servicemen and their dependents and welfare of the families of Serving Defence Personnel in the State. All Welfare Schemes are being implemented through the District Offices. The Joint Secretary to Government, Public Department is the Ex-Officio Director of Ex-servicemen's Welfare. The Tamil Nadu Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen's Board is functioning at the State level. His Excellency the Governor is the Patron. The Honourable Minister for Ex-servicemen Welfare is the Chairman. The Chief Secretary is the Vice Chairman. The Additional Director of Ex-servicemen's Welfare is the Secretary.

        The District Collector is the Chairman of the District Soldiers’ Sailors' and Airmen's Board and the Deputy/Assistant Director of Ex-servicemen's Welfare of the District are the Secretaries. District Offices are functioning in 25 Districts. The Directorate of Ex-servicemen's Welfare co-ordinates and controls the welfare activities of the District Offices. Administrative cost of the Directorate of Ex-servicemen's Welfare and the District Offices is shared between the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu in the ratio 50: 50. The Office of the Assistant Director of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare, Tiruvallur is located near railway station.

   The activities of the District Office is broadly outlined as under:

	Registration of Ex-Servicemen/Widows and Issue of Identity Cards
	Hearing and Redressal of Grievances
	Dissemination of Information connected with Welfare of Ex-Servicemen
	Employment Assistance
	Self Employment Schemes
	Training
	Grants from Funds
	Assistances from Government
	Flag day collection and Celebrations
	Conduct of various meeting and seminars under the able guidance of the District Collector
	Assist the District Collector in conduct of Army Recruitment Rally
	Mobilise the Ex-Servicemen for Election Bandboust duties
	Processing of Family Pension and other pensionary benefits with the concerned Record Office of the Army, Navy and Air Force
	Forwarding of verification reports and recommendations Concerning Serving Soldiers and their Families
	Issue of Eligibility certificates to Ex-Servicemen and dependants for availing various concessions

         Ex-servicemen on their retirement are registered for employment assistance in the Special Employment Cell functioning at District Office to sponsor for reserved vacancies. Secondary Cards are prepared and sent to Civil Employment Exchanges for Registration to sponsor for unreserved vacancies. As on (03.06.2011) Date a total number 447 Ex-Servicemen are in the live register seeking employment assistance. The Ex-Serviceman are also regularly sponsored for employment with Tamil Nadu Ex-Servicemen Corporation.

Temple Protection Force

         Aged but healthy Ex-Servicemen are employed on a consolidated salary of Rs.2,500/- in the Temple Protection Force by the Superintendent of Police. As on date 21 Ex-Servicemen are employed as against the vacancies of 62.

          One dependant of an Ex-serviceman is provided priority in Employment for the posts which are filled up through Employment Exchanges

BLISS (Bank Loan Interest Subsidy Scheme)

         Ex-servicemen / Widows availing loans from Nationalised Banks/Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation for business are eligible for reimbursement of 50% of the interest paid by them to the Financial Institutions from the Amalgamated Fund. The maximum loan amount upto which this subsidy is granted is Rs.2.50 lakhs. The privilege for availing 100 % of Interest subsidy paid up to 7.50 lakhs loan to women self help group from amalgamated Funds.

Jai Jawan Stalls

         The Stalls are allotted to run Bunk Stall Business. 305 stalls have been established throughout the State and allotted to them. Individual allottees pay Rs.35/- per month for 10 years after which the Stall is fully owned by them.

Serving Personnel of the Armed Forces are detailed to undergo training in Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) towards the end of their service so that a part of their training is completed as Serving Personnel with full Pay and Allowances and the rest is undergone as Ex-Servicemen. The Ex-Servicemen, under the Scheme, are given Rs.1000/- per month, as stipend from out of the Amalgamated  Fund for the Post Release Training period.  Ex-Servicemen who undergo training in ITI' s are given a stipend of Rs.1000/- per  month from out of the Amalgamated Fund.  5 seats are  reserved for ex-servicemen in each ITI in the State.

Proposals are sent to the Director General Resettlement,  Ministry of Defence, Government of India for allocation of  funds to carry out  Training considered useful to Ex-Servicemen, Widows and their Children.  On allocation of such funds the training is carried out. Tamil Nadu is one of the states which are implementing the scheme. Tamil Nadu not only utilises the fund allotted to the State but the funds  surrendered by other States also.       

The women dependents of Ex-servicemen are given training in Tailoring with a stipend of Rs.10/- per day for the training period in addition to supply of raw materials at the rate of Rs.500/- per month. The women dependents on completion of their training, are  paid a subsidy  of Rs.1500/- for purchasing a sewing machine for themselves. The widows of Ex-servicemen trained are given a  sewing machine as outright grant. In order to help these trainees to earn a decent income,  orders are obtained from the Directorate of Social Welfare to stitch  school uniforms under Noon Meal Scheme and stitching  charges are paid to them.

It has been observed that even though there have been overwhelming response to recruitment in the Armed Forces on various rallies conducted by the Branch Recruiting Officers, the final results after the written examination is very poor. It is because, the Question papers are set in English and Hindi only, and the boys find it difficult to interpret. In the past one and half years the Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare has been conducting Pre recruitment coaching as a pilot programme.

       This is a charitable Fund created by amalgamating the balances of the erstwhile Post War Services Reconstruction Fund and Special Fund for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Ex-servicemen. The Special Fund consists of contribution from the National Defence Fund by the Government of India and a matching amount by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Amalgamated Fund is managed by a State Managing Committee with His Excellency the Governor as Chairman. The Additional Director of Ex-servicemen's Welfare is the Secretary. The concessions extended from this fund are given below:-

Imprest amount for the district is Rs. 75,000/- per quarter

    The Fund is administered by a Committee of Tamil Nadu Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen's Board constituted by Honourable Minister for Ex-Servicemen's Welfare who is the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen’s Board. The Ex-Officio Director of Ex-Servicemen's Welfare is the Chairman of the Committee and the Additional Director is the Secretary.

Imprest amount for the district is Rs. 3, 92,000/- per month. The concessions extended from this fund are given below

1. Rs.700/- p.m.to World War Veterans and Rs.500/-p.m to their  Widows who are not  in receipt of any pension.

2. Marriage grant of Rs.8000/- towards one daughter marriage.

3. Funeral Grant of Rs.3000/-.

4. Rs.1000/-p.m. for Cancer patients.

5. Rs.800/-p.m. for Leprosy/Blind/Paraplegic Ex-Servicemen/widows.

6. Rs.20,000/- towards major surgeries like, Heart / Kidney transplantation.

7. Rs.3000/- for artificial limbs.

8. Book Allowance ranging from Rs.500/- to Rs.2500/- up to post graduation.

9. All educational expenses towards orphan children.

10. Rs.800/-p.m. for mentally retarded children.

11. Reimbursement of House Tax for the widows in receipt of pension, Gallantry Award winners and war disabled.

12. Monthly grant of Rs.500/- to those who are in distress and aged above 60.

13. Tuition fees of Rs.1000/- to the children  preparing for Entrance examinations.

14. Rs.5,000/- for reconstruction of houses damaged due to natural calamities

Assistance from State Government

    1. Killed - Rs.5, 00,000/-

    2. Totally disabled, double amputee and totally blind - Rs. 3,00,000/-

    3. Single amputee and one eye blind, deaf, loss of toes, fingers, precluding employment - Rs. 1,00,000/-

    4. Burns, Gunshot wounds, battle accidents multiple fracture - Rs. 50,000/-

    Monetary Grants / Annuity to the recipients of Gallantry Awards, Distinguished Service Medals and T.A. Medals are sanctioned. Cash Grant in lieu of land is also sanctioned to awardees of Chakra Series. The details of Monetary Grants are given below:-

        A sum of Rs.1, 000/- P.A. is sanctioned to the parents who have sent more than one son /daughter to the Armed Forces and a sum of Rs.750/-P.A. to those who have sent their only son/daughter.

        The widows of those who were killed in action and disabled in action are given Annual Maintenance grant of Rs.2, 000/-

Reservations in various Educational Institutions is given below:-

Housing

7% is reserved for Ex-Servicemen / Widows in allotment of Plots / Houses / Flats developed by Tamil Nadu Housing Board.

Assignment of Loand

        Ex-Servicemen and their dependents are given priority (3) in the matter of assignment of Government Waste Land
        for cultivation purposes and priority (4) in allotment of house sites.

Industrial Sheds / Plots

        10% of the Sheds / Plots in Industrial Estates are reserved for Ex-servicemen

Medical Assistance

Air Travel

Employment

	Ex-servicemen are eligible for appointment to State Government Services upto the age of 48 years and 53 years in the case of Backward Classes. Most Backward Classes and SC / ST provided they satisfy all the other prescribed qualifications
	Age limit and educational qualifications are exempted for appointment of Ex-servicemen in Basic Service.
	Ex-servicemen are exempted from payment of Examination fees for recruitment through Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.
	Ex-servicemen are exempted from payment of fees for medical examination for appointment in State Government Service.

Flag Day Celebrations

The Flag Day is observed every year on 7th December and Collections are made as per the policy and procedure laid down by the Standing Flag Day Organisation Committee, presided over by His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu. The Flag Day Collections are taken to the corpus of Tamil Nadu  Ex-services Personnel Benevolent Fund  to render various Financial  Assistance.  On the eve of Flag Day,  the District  Collectors host Tea to Ex-Servicemen at the District Headquarters and at the State Level, His Excellency the Governor hosts Tea to Ex-Servicemen and their dependents at Raj Bhavan. During this function various grants are disbursed to the Ex-Servicemen and their dependents.

Tamil Nadu is maintaining the  first place in Flag Day Collections on Per  Capita basis ever  since 1985.  For Flag Day 2009 a  target of  this district was 27, 28,000. So for Rs 89,74,117/- is collected by this district. Flag day - 2010 target is Rs. 3,00,1000/-, So for collected Rs. 34,08,933 as on 02.06.2011

Estates

Ex-Services Centres

        Ex-services Centres have  been constructed to  provide  information rooms,  recreation facilities and  lodging  rooms  at minimum  charges to Ex-servicemen and service personnel who visit the District Headquarters. The District Ex-servicemen Welfare Offices are also located at the District Ex-services Centre wherever such centres are available. Ex-services Centres exist at the following locations:-

Jawans Bhavan

        Jawans Bhavans having shopping / office complexes have been constructed with the aim of augmenting funds for welfare activities out of the Benevolent Fund. Income derived is merged with Benevolent Fund. Jawans Bhavans have been constructed at following Districts:-

Other estates belonging to the Department are:-

	Directorate of Ex-servicemen's Welfare Complex, Chennai.
	Old Age Pensiones' Home near Vellore
	CSD canteen building at Palayamkottai
	72 Shop Complex at Vellore
	Guest House @ Kodaikanal

Kargil Defence Personnel Relief Fund

            The fund is maintained by the Government in Public (Military) Department. From this Fund, Ex-Gratia grants are sanctioned to the families of Defence Personnel hailing from Tamil Nadu who are killed or incapacitated in action against enemy forces / counter insurgency operations as follows :-

            1. Killed Rs. 5.00 lakhs

            2. Disability

                    a) Totally disabled / double amputee/ totally blind  -  Rs.3.00 lakhs              

                    b) Single amputee / one eye blind  -  Rs.1.00 lakh