Chandigarh, March 26— Punjab has increased its defence services welfare budget by 70% for the 2025-26 fiscal, allocating Rs 63.08 crore—up from Rs 37.19 crore in the current fiscal and Rs 31.77 crore in 2023-24.
A major chunk of the outlay—Rs 38.5 crore—has been earmarked for ex-gratia payments to the next of kin of soldiers killed or disabled on active service. This marks a significant rise from Rs 14.31 crore in the current year and Rs 9.93 crore in 2023-24.
The state continues to run welfare schemes and rehabilitation projects for ex-servicemen, defence widows, and their dependents, offering financial assistance, grants, and allowances for gallantry awardees and youth joining the armed forces as officers.
The Sainik School in Kapurthala will receive Rs 5 crore in 2025-26, compared to Rs 3 crore allocated in the current and previous fiscal years. Funds have also been allocated for expanding and maintaining war memorial complexes in Amritsar and Ludhiana, along with constructing new Sainik rest houses.
Interestingly, the Finance Minister’s Budget speech this year did not mention these defence welfare allocations.
