Ex-servicemen will require Aadhaar to avail pension benefits: Govt to LS

Ex-servicemen will require Aadhaar number to avail pension benefits, the government informed the Lok Sabha today.

In written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, through a notification on March 3, has said that defence forces are required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.

"However, if an eligible individual entitled to receive pension benefits does not possess the Aadhaar number or is not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, but desirous to avail pension benefits is required to make Aadhaar enrolment by June 30, 2017.

"The pension benefit shall be given to such individuals till Aadhaar is assigned to the beneficiaries, subject to the production of identification documents," Bhamre said.

In response to another question, Bhamre said the delay in construction of the six submarines under Project-75 at Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai are due to infrastructure augmentation requirements and procurement of material from foreign vendors.

Bhamre said the Indian Navy has hosted a global Request for Information (RFI) for Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter (MRCBF) Aircraft in January 2017.

Responding to another question, Bhamre said India and Vietnam have agreed to take forward a proposal for training Vietnam Air Force personnel on Su-30 aircraft.

The minister, in his response to another question, said the government has prepared a long-term roll on works plan for construction of 519 roads by the BRO in the border regions.