Ensure timely welfare for ex-servicemen: Collector
District Collector M. N. Harendhira Prasad has directed officials to ensure that welfare schemes for ex-servicemen and families of soldiers who laid down their lives reach beneficiaries without delay.
Chairing the District Sainik Board Committee meeting at the Collectorate on Friday, he reviewed the implementation of welfare schemes for ex-servicemen and their families and called for prompt resolution of their grievances.
On the allotment of house sites, the Collector asked officials to expedite the allocation of plots in the layout identified at Anandapuram under the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
The meeting also discussed financial assistance for the construction of an Integrated Sainik Bhavan. The Collector spoke to higher authorities regarding support for the project.
He directed officials to clear pending cash awards for ex-servicemen and focus on self-employment schemes and skill development programmes to improve livelihood opportunities.
Responding to a request from Sainik Board representatives, the Collector asked departments to examine the proposal to allot one shop each to family members of ex-servicemen in Rythu Bazaars.
He stressed coordination among departments to address issues related to pensions, educational assistance, employment, and medical services for ex-servicemen.
Joint Collector Gobbilla Vidhyadhari, District Sainik Board Committee Vice-President and retired Lieutenant Colonel S. M. Basha, District Sainik Welfare Officer P. C. Shekhar, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority Secretary Murali Krishna, and other officials attended the meeting.