RMEWF - Financial Assistance to Orphan Children of ESM

What is RMEWF Financial Assistance to Orphan Children of ESM?

RMEWF Financial Assistance to Orphan Children of ESM is a welfare grant run by the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) under the Ministry of Defence. According to the KSB welfare schemes list, it is funded from the Raksha Mantri's Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund (RMEWF) and provides monthly financial assistance to orphan children of ex-servicemen of all ranks, that is, children who have lost both parents where the parent was an ex-serviceman.

The Kendriya Sainik Board is the apex body of the Government of India that frames welfare, resettlement and rehabilitation schemes for ex-servicemen (ESM) and their dependents. It works through Rajya Sainik Boards at the state level and Zila Sainik Boards at the district level, which is where beneficiaries actually apply. This orphan-child grant is one of a family of RMEWF welfare grants that also includes assistance to 100% disabled children of ex-servicemen and penury relief for indigent ex-servicemen and widows.

Key features

• A monthly allowance paid to each eligible orphan child of an ex-serviceman.
• Open to children of ex-servicemen of all ranks.
• Funded from the RMEWF and administered by the Kendriya Sainik Board.
• Applied for and verified through the Zila Sainik Board.

Who is eligible for this scheme?

A child can receive the grant if:

• The child's parent was an ex-serviceman (of any rank).
• The child is an orphan, both parents have died, and was dependent on the ex-serviceman.
• The dependency and status are backed by the ex-serviceman's discharge record, both parents' death certificates and the child's documents.
• The child (or the guardian applying on the child's behalf) is registered with the Zila Sainik Board.

A child cannot apply if:

• The parent was not an ex-serviceman — the grant is strictly for ex-servicemen's families.
• The child is not an orphan in the sense the scheme uses (a surviving parent generally means the child is not eligible for this particular grant, though other KSB grants such as the disabled-child grant or penury grant may apply).
• Dependency on the ex-serviceman cannot be established through records.

How much does the scheme provide?

According to the KSB welfare framework, the scheme pays a monthly allowance to each eligible orphan child, reported at about Rs 1,000 per month. Because KSB periodically revises the rates and the age or duration limits for its RMEWF welfare grants, treat this figure as indicative and confirm the current amount and duration with your Zila Sainik Board before applying. The assistance is paid directly to the bank account of the child or the guardian.

How to apply for financial assistance to orphan children of ESM

1. Visit your Zila Sainik Board (the District Sainik Welfare Office for the district where the ex-serviceman's family is settled).
2. Collect and fill the application for RMEWF financial assistance to orphan children of ex-servicemen.
3. Attach the documents. The ex-serviceman's discharge book or service record, both parents' death certificates, the child's birth certificate, the ESM/dependent identity card, and the bank account details of the child or guardian.
4. Submit the application to the Zila Sainik Board, which verifies the ex-serviceman status, the orphan status and dependency.
5. The case is forwarded through the Rajya Sainik Board / KSB channel for sanction, after which the monthly assistance is credited to the beneficiary's account.

Applications for this grant are handled offline through the Zila Sainik Board; there is no self-service cash grant.

Help and where to verify details

• Official portal: ksb.gov.in, the Kendriya Sainik Board website lists its welfare schemes and the network of Rajya and Zila Sainik Boards
• Local point of contact: your Zila Sainik Board / District Sainik Welfare Office

Related RMEWF welfare grants

The orphan-child grant sits within a wider set of RMEWF welfare grants run by the Kendriya Sainik Board for ex-servicemen and their dependents in distress. These include financial assistance to 100% disabled children of ex-servicemen, penury relief for indigent ex-servicemen and widows, education and marriage grants for daughters, and funeral and medical assistance. All are administered through the same Rajya and Zila Sainik Board network and drawn from ex-servicemen welfare funds. A family that does not meet the strict "orphan" condition for this particular grant may still qualify for one of the others, so it is worth asking the Zila Sainik Board about the full list during the same visit rather than assuming no support is available.

Because KSB revises the amounts, age limits and conditions of its RMEWF welfare grants from time to time, confirm the current rate and eligibility directly with your Zila Sainik Board. No fee is charged to apply, and the grant is paid only through official channels.