New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS): Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has approved the setting up of four Zila Sainik Boards (ZSBs) in the NCT of Delhi for the welfare of about 77,000 Ex-Servicemen (ESM), widows of ESM and their families.

After the Governor's approval, who is also the president of the Rajya Sainik Board, the South-West, East/Shahdara, North-West and Central/New Delhi districts will now have ZSBs comprising 10 officials each, catering to the resettlement and rehabilitation needs of the ESM.

The Rajya or Zila Sainik Boards are responsible for policy formulation and implementation of resettlement and welfare schemes for Ex-Servicemen, widows and their dependents residing in their States/UTs/Districts.

While approving the proposal, the LG has noted the "unjustified apathy of the Kejriwal government towards the ESMs and their families by inordinately delaying a decision in this regard for about 3 years, despite the fact that in-principle approval for this move had been accorded by the then LG led Rajya Sainik Board, way back in 2019 and 60% of the cost for the same was is to be borne by the Govt of India," said an official.

The file to this effect, which originated in 2019, was cleared by a cabinet decision after almost two and a half years in May, 2022 and sent after being signed by the Chief Minister as late as on September 27 this year.

In December 2019, in the 13th meeting of the Rajya Sainik Board chaired by the then Lt. Governor, based on inputs received from ESMs residing in NCT of Delhi, ESMs associations located in Delhi as also the 3 Service Headquarters, it was decided to establish 4 ZSBs - one each in the above mentioned districts. The then LG, while accepting the necessity to expand the ESM network had directed that cognizance of the strength be taken into consideration. The decisions were conveyed to the Revenue Department (Administrative Department in-charge of Rajya Sainik Board) for initiating a concrete proposal to this effect.

The financial implications for establishing the four ZSBs, in accordance with norms promulgated by the Ministry of Defence, will be Rs 16.69 crore of which the Central Government will bear a 60 per cent share, leaving the rest to the state government.