RMEWF - Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment of Ex-Servicemen

What is RMEWF Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment of Ex-Servicemen?

RMEWF Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment is a welfare grant under the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF), administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence. It helps poorer ex-servicemen who do not receive a pension, and their widows, meet the cost of treatment for a serious illness.

According to the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, the grant is paid from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF), which is built from the public's donations on Armed Forces Flag Day every 7 December. The scheme recognises that a former soldier of low rank who retired without a pension can be financially crushed by a major medical event, and provides a one-time or case-based grant to ease that burden.

The scheme is one of several welfare measures funded from the AFFDF under RMEWF, others include the penury grant, education grants for children of ex-servicemen, and assistance to disabled children of ex-servicemen. Each has its own eligibility rules, and this guide covers only the medical treatment component.

Who is eligible for RMEWF medical treatment assistance?

You can apply if:

• You are an ex-serviceman up to the rank of Havildar or equivalent in the Navy and Air Force, or the widow of such an ex-serviceman.
• You are not in receipt of any service pension (a non-pensioner).
• The treatment was taken at a recognised government hospital.
• Your application is verified and recommended by your Zila Sainik Board (ZSB).

You cannot apply if:

• You draw a service pension. The scheme is specifically for non-pensioners.
• You held a rank above Havildar (that is, JCOs and officers are outside this particular grant).
• You took treatment at a private hospital rather than a recognised government hospital.
• You are a serving member of the armed forces, this is an ex-servicemen welfare grant.

Because eligibility turns on rank, pension status and where the treatment was taken, the Zila Sainik Board's verification is central to the process.

How much assistance is given?

The grant is sanctioned per case by the Kendriya Sainik Board toward the cost of medical treatment at a recognised government hospital. Expenditure is reckoned at the rates approved under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).

Different sources cite different ceilings over the years — earlier material references an annual limit of around Rs 30,000, and later material references Rs 50,000 to because the amount is periodically revised by the Ministry of Defence. To avoid quoting a stale figure, confirm the current sanctioned ceiling with your Zila Sainik Board or on the KSB portal before you apply. The dependable facts are that the grant is case-based, tied to government hospital rates, and paid from the AFFDF.

What documents are required?

How to apply for RMEWF medical treatment assistance

1. Visit the Kendriya Sainik Board portal at ksb.gov.in and register or log in as an ex-serviceman or widow.
2. Open the RMEWF / Armed Forces Flag Day Fund welfare scheme for medical treatment and fill in the application.
3. Upload your documents; discharge book or ESM identity card, the medical record and hospital bills from the government hospital, a non-pension declaration, and your bank details with IFSC code.
4. Submit the application to your Zila Sainik Board, which verifies your rank, pension status and papers, and forwards it through the Rajya Sainik Board to the Kendriya Sainik Board.
5. On sanction, the grant is transferred to your bank account. Track the status on the KSB portal or with your Zila Sainik Board.

Applications are received and recommended through the Zila Sainik Board, so your local ZSB office is the single most important point of contact, visit it in person if you need help completing the online form.

Help and grievance redressal

• Kendriya Sainik Board, West Block-IV, Wing-VII, RK Puram, New Delhi-110066
• General inquiry: 011-25777049 / 9667647016
• Portal: ksb.gov.in
• Your local Zila Sainik Board / Zila Sainik Welfare Office for in-person help

The assistance is a genuine government welfare grant funded by public donations to the Flag Day Fund; no agent or middleman should charge you to file the application. If a figure or timeline is unclear, rely on what your Zila Sainik Board confirms rather than on third-party websites.