Under a scheme of the Haryana Government’s Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, personnel of the Defence Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) who are permanently disabled in war or in an operational area receive a one-time ex-gratia grant. This is not a monthly pension or monthly assistance — a lump sum of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 35 lakh is paid once, depending on the percentage of disability. Current rates (from the notification of 23 February 2024): Rs 35 lakh for 70% or more disability, Rs 25 lakh for 50% to 69%, and Rs 15 lakh for 20% to 49%. Please note — myScheme still shows the older slabs (75%/50%/25%); that difference is explained clearly in the “Please note” section below. Applications are made online through the Antyodaya SARAL portal, and must be filed within three years of the disability, otherwise the application is treated as time-barred.
The scheme at a glance
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Ex-Gratia Grant for Disability to Defence Forces Personnel |
| Level | Haryana state government scheme |
| Nodal department | Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, Government of Haryana |
| Benefit | One-time ex-gratia grant — Rs 35 lakh for 70% or more disability; Rs 25 lakh for 50–69%; Rs 15 lakh for 20–49% (from 23 February 2024) |
| Beneficiaries | Defence personnel of Haryana (Army, Navy, Air Force) who are permanently disabled in war/operational areas and boarded out of service due to that disability |
| How to apply | Online — Antyodaya SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in) |
| Application deadline | Within three years of the disability (no fixed last date — the three-year window is the deadline) |
| Application fee | No fee is stated on myScheme — see “Fees and timeline” |
How much grant is given
The grant is paid only once. The amount depends on the permanent percentage of disability fixed in the first instance by the Initial Medical Board. If a later Review Medical Board report increases or decreases the disability percentage, it has no effect on the grant amount — because this is a one-time grant.
| Percentage of disability | One-time grant (current — from 23 February 2024) |
|---|---|
| 70% or more | Rs 35,00,000 |
| 50% to 69% | Rs 25,00,000 |
| 20% to 49% | Rs 15,00,000 |
| Below 20% | No grant under this scheme |
The older slabs shown on myScheme: myScheme still lists the older slabs — Rs 35 lakh for 75% or more, Rs 25 lakh for 50% to 74%, and Rs 15 lakh for 25% to 49%. Those were the slabs in force before 23 February 2024. The notification of 23 February 2024 widened the slabs — a soldier with 70–74% disability now gets Rs 35 lakh (earlier Rs 25 lakh) and one with 20–24% disability now gets Rs 15 lakh (earlier nothing). The amounts are the same in all three slabs; only the percentage bands changed. This difference is explained in detail in the “Please note” section — before applying, do ask your ZSB in writing which slab applies in your case.
How the rates changed — full history
| When | Slabs and amounts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 15 June 2001 | 70% or more — Rs 1,00,000; 50% to below 70% — Rs 75,000; 20% to below 50% — Rs 50,000 | Haryana Government letter No. 21/1/97-4D-III, Annexure ‘A’ |
| From 19 February 2014 (as per myScheme) | Enhanced amounts apply — 75% or more Rs 15 lakh; 50–74% Rs 10 lakh; 25–49% Rs 5 lakh | myScheme — Note 1 (enhanced amount applies to those disabled on or after 19 February 2014) |
| Announcement of 21 October 2021; Cabinet approval 29 July 2022 | 75% or more — Rs 35 lakh; 50–74% — Rs 25 lakh; 25–49% — Rs 15 lakh | Chief Minister’s announcement; The Tribune / Hindustan Times, 30 July 2022 |
| From 23 February 2024 | 70% or more — Rs 35 lakh; 50–69% — Rs 25 lakh; 20–49% — Rs 15 lakh (same amounts, wider slabs) | Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department notification; The Tribune, 10 May 2025 |
Which rate applies to a soldier depends on when he was disabled — different rates were in force at different times. The cut-off dates also differ across sources (19 February 2014, 1 November 2016) — so the safest course is to ask your District Sainik Board (ZSB) in writing for the correct rate in your case.
Eligibility — who can apply
- A permanent resident of Haryana — and, as per the notification of 23 February 2024, a soldier who had Haryana domicile at the time of joining the forces. Merely living in Haryana now may not be enough.
- A personnel of the Defence Forces (Army, Navy or Air Force) — personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are not eligible under this scheme; there is a separate scheme for them.
- Permanently disabled due to war, operational areas, terrorist activities, natural calamities, etc. — as per the 2001 letter, the disability must be attributable to military service and classified as a battle casualty in an operational area.
- Discharged / boarded out of service due to the disability — a soldier who stayed in service despite the disability is not eligible.
- The disability must be a permanent percentage fixed by the Initial Medical Board — later Review Medical Board reports do not affect the grant.
- The application must be filed within three years of the disability — after that it is treated as time-barred.
Personnel of all ranks are eligible — myScheme states clearly that the ex-gratia grant is given to disabled Defence Forces personnel of all ranks.
Who is NOT eligible
As per Annexure ‘B’ of the 2001 letter, the following are not eligible:
- Personnel of the Central Police Organisation / paramilitary forces — BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, Home Guard, Assam Rifles, Rapid Action Force, etc. — because they fall under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of India compensates their personnel. Haryana has a separate scheme for them (CAPF disability ex-gratia).
- Physical casualties — natural death, accidental deaths such as MT accidents, air crashes, or accidents while handling explosives.
- Casualties during internal security duty, election duty, flood duty, or duties in aid of civil authorities.
- Disabled soldiers who remained in service and were not boarded out on medical grounds — even if their disability is attributable to military service.
Please note — important differences and unverified points
Every fact in this guide comes from official sources (myScheme, the 2001 government letter, The Tribune’s reports). But some important points differ between sources — we are not hiding them; please confirm them in writing from your ZSB before applying:
- The slab difference (the biggest one): myScheme still shows the older slabs (75% or more / 50–74% / 25–49%), while the notification of 23 February 2024 (The Tribune, 10 May 2025) gives the current slabs as 70% or more / 50–69% / 20–49%. The amounts are identical (Rs 35/25/15 lakh) in both. This guide treats the 2024 notification’s slabs as the current ones, since that is the latest notification — but myScheme has not been updated yet, so do get written confirmation from the ZSB.
- Different cut-off dates: myScheme says the enhanced amount applies to those disabled on or after 19 February 2014; a 2017 report says the enhanced amount applies to casualties on or after 1 November 2016; and the 2024 notification applies from 23 February 2024. Which rate applies in your case depends on the date of disability — only the ZSB can confirm the correct rate.
- Different eligibility wording: myScheme says “war, operational areas, terrorist activities, natural calamities, etc.”, while the 2001 letter sets a stricter test — the disability must be attributable to military service and classified as a battle casualty in an operational area; disability during internal security / election / flood duty is excluded. For natural-calamity cases too, the ZSB’s decision will be final.
- The domicile condition: myScheme only says “permanent resident of Haryana”, but the 2024 notification says Haryana domicile at the time of joining is required. A soldier who became a Haryana resident after joining may face questions on eligibility — ask the ZSB.
- The three-year limit: “Apply within three years of the disability, otherwise time-barred” — this condition appears only on myScheme; the 2001 letter does not mention it. Whether it applies to older cases, ask the ZSB.
- Below 20% disability: the 2001 letter’s lowest band started at 20% and the 2024 notification also starts at 20%; myScheme’s lowest band starts at 25%. Under the 2024 notification, soldiers with 20–24% disability are entitled to Rs 15 lakh.
- No document list found: myScheme gives no document list for this scheme. The list below is modelled on the department’s other schemes and the SARAL form’s usual requirements — the list shown on the SARAL form at the time of applying will be final.
- SARAL service name/serial not found: myScheme does not state the SARAL service name or serial for this scheme — search for the scheme by name on SARAL.
- Fee / RTS timeline not found: no application fee, disposal timeline or RTS timeline was found in any official source — nothing has been invented here.
- Payment channel not stated: myScheme shows dbtScheme: false, so DBT payment is not confirmed. As per the 2001 letter, the money is paid from the CM’s War Heroes’ Relief Fund; the mode of payment follows the letter of 30 September 1999, which we could not obtain — ask the ZSB.
- Sanctioning authority: myScheme does not name the sanctioning officer; The Tribune (10 May 2025) reports that the competent authority is the Administrative Secretary of the Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, with powers delegated to the Deputy Commissioner-cum-president of the District Sainik Welfare Office.
- Guideline PDF did not open: the guideline linked on myScheme (kms.saralharyana.nic.in) and the department’s website (sainikwelfareharyana.gov.in) did not open from here — so the conditions inside the guideline could not be read. Whatever conditions appear on the SARAL form at the time of applying will be final.
- The Rs 1 crore grant is different: the notification of 23 February 2024 raised the ex-gratia for the family (NoK) of a battle casualty from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore — that is the grant on death, not the disability grant. Do not confuse the two.
Documents
myScheme gives no document list for this scheme. The list below is modelled on the department’s other Sainik welfare schemes and the SARAL form’s usual requirements — it is only a guide; the list shown on the SARAL form at the time of applying will be final.
- Discharge book (proof of being boarded out of service) — original for verification
- Initial Medical Board proceedings / disability certificate (with the permanent disability percentage)
- Battle Casualty / Battle Accident certificate (issued by the defence authorities)
- Haryana domicile certificate — showing domicile at the time of joining
- Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP / Family ID)
- Aadhaar card
- Bank account details (copy of passbook)
- Passport-size photographs
Online application — SARAL portal
Applications are made online only — through the Antyodaya SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in). The process given on myScheme is:
First-time registration:
- Visit the Antyodaya SARAL portal https://saralharyana.gov.in/.
- If you are not registered on the portal, register — click “New User” under “Sign In Here” and fill in Name, Email ID, Mobile Number, Password and State, then click “Submit”.
- Verify your mobile number and email ID through the OTP received and complete the registration.
Login and apply:
- Log in to the SARAL portal with the email ID used while registering — enter Password and Captcha and click “Login”.
- Click “Apply for Services” and then “View all Available Services”.
- Search for the scheme in the services list — “Ex-Gratia Grant for Disability to Defence Forces Personnel” — and click on it to open the form.
- Enter your Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) number and click “Click here to Fetch Family Data” — the family members registered under that Family ID will be shown.
- Select the beneficiary/applicant name and enter the OTP sent to the selected family member’s mobile, then click “Click to Verify”.
- Fill in all the mandatory details and upload all the mandatory documents.
- Preview the application form and click “Submit”.
Offline help — Zila Sainik Board (ZSB)
myScheme gives no offline application process for this scheme — applications are online only. But for help in filling the form, verification of documents, and written confirmation of the slab/rate applicable in your case, contact your district’s Zila Sainik Board (ZSB) office. The sanctioning authority is the department’s Administrative Secretary, whose powers are delegated to the Deputy Commissioner-cum-president of the District Sainik Welfare Office — so the ZSB is the office where your case will move forward.
Fees and timeline
Application fee: myScheme states no application fee for this scheme. If any fee appears while filling the form on SARAL, that is what applies. A service charge may apply separately if you apply through a Saral Kendra/CSC Centre — ask before applying. No fee amount is written here by us, because no official source states one.
Last date: myScheme lists no last date for the scheme — applications remain open through the year. But you must apply within three years of the disability — after that the application is treated as time-barred. Treat the three-year window as your last date.
How long does sanction take: no sanction or payment timeline is stated in myScheme or in the 2001 letter — so no timeline is written here. Keep checking the status on the SARAL status portal after applying and stay in touch with the ZSB.
How to check your application status
After submitting the application, you can check its status as per myScheme:
Through the portal: Visit the SARAL status portal https://status.saralharyana.nic.in/ → select the department name and scheme name → enter your Application Reference ID → check the status.
Through SMS: this scheme’s myScheme page gives no SMS number for status checks — so no SMS number is written here. Other SARAL schemes do have SMS numbers, but whether any of them works for this scheme has not been confirmed — please use the status portal.
Helpline
- SARAL helpline: 0172-3968400 (7:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Monday to Saturday, excluding government holidays) — email: [email protected]
- Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, Haryana: department website sainikwelfareharyana.gov.in — it did not render statically from here, so no phone number from it is written here; contact your district’s ZSB office.
- SARAL user manual: https://saralharyana.gov.in/resources/homePage/6/pdf/Using%20Saral.pdf
Related Sainik welfare schemes
Our guides to related schemes:
- Rs 7,000 a month assistance for disabled ex-servicemen — please note: this scheme is the exact opposite of the ex-gratia grant — that assistance goes to disabled soldiers whose disability is not attributable to service; this ex-gratia goes to soldiers whose disability is service-attributable.
- Additional pension of Rs 100–200 per child for a 100% disabled ex-serviceman’s children
- Rs 7,000 a month assistance for war widows
- Rs 1,00,000 marriage grant for war widows’ daughters
- Rs 51,000 marriage grant for a war-disabled soldier’s daughter
- Rs 600 a month assistance for ex-servicemen aged 60+ and their widows
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. How much grant will I get?
Under the current rates (from 23 February 2024) — Rs 35 lakh for 70% or more disability, Rs 25 lakh for 50% to 69%, and Rs 15 lakh for 20% to 49%. The amount is paid only once, not every month.
2. Is this grant paid every month?
No. This is a one-time (lump-sum) grant — paid once, based on the disability percentage. For monthly assistance there is a separate scheme (Financial Assistance to Disabled Ex-Servicemen — Rs 7,000 a month), which is completely different from this one.
3. How much disability is needed?
As per the 2024 notification, at least 20% permanent disability is needed. Below 20% disability, no grant is given under this scheme. The disability percentage fixed by the Initial Medical Board in the first instance is treated as final.
4. Can BSF, CRPF or other paramilitary personnel apply?
No. This scheme is only for personnel of the Defence Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force). Personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have a separate Haryana scheme — “Ex-Gratia Grant for Disability to CAPF Personnel” — whose guide will appear separately on this site.
5. If a soldier stayed in service after becoming disabled, will he get the grant?
No. As per the 2001 letter, the grant is given only to soldiers who were boarded out of service because of the disability. Soldiers who remained in service despite the disability are not eligible.
6. What is the three-year time limit for applying?
As per myScheme, the application must be filed within three years of the disability — after that it is treated as time-barred. This condition appears only on myScheme; the 2001 letter does not mention it — so whether it applies to older cases, ask your ZSB.
7. Is this scheme the same as the Rs 7,000-a-month assistance for disabled ex-servicemen?
No — the two are exact opposites. The Rs 7,000-a-month assistance goes to disabled ex-servicemen whose disability is not attributable to service and who receive no pension from any source. This ex-gratia goes to soldiers whose disability is service-attributable (war/operational area) and who were boarded out because of it. Separate applications apply for each.
8. What is the Rs 1 crore grant for a martyr’s family?
That is a different benefit — the ex-gratia paid to the family (NoK) of a soldier killed in battle, raised from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore from 23 February 2024. It is not the disability grant; a disabled soldier gets Rs 15–35 lakh depending on the disability percentage.
Official links
- myScheme — Ex-Gratia Grant for Disability to Defence Forces Personnel: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/e-ggddfp
- Haryana Government letter (15 June 2001, No. 21/1/97-4D-III) — the original policy: https://csharyana.gov.in/WriteReadData/Policies/Defence%20III/2531.pdf
- Antyodaya SARAL portal: https://saralharyana.gov.in/
- SARAL status check: https://status.saralharyana.nic.in/
- Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, Haryana: https://sainikwelfareharyana.gov.in/
- The Tribune, 10 May 2025 — report on the 23 February 2024 notification: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/armedforces/ex-gratia-for-martyrs-families-doubled-to-1-cr-disability-coverage-expanded
- SARAL user manual: https://saralharyana.gov.in/resources/homePage/6/pdf/Using%20Saral.pdf
Disclaimer: This information is prepared on 9 November 2026 from myScheme (myscheme.gov.in), the Haryana Government’s letter of 15 June 2001 and The Tribune’s report of 10 May 2025. The slabs shown on myScheme (75%/50%/25%) differ from the slabs in the notification of 23 February 2024 (70%/50%/20%) — this guide treats the latest notification’s slabs as the current ones, but please confirm the slab, rate and eligibility applicable in your case in writing from your District Sainik Board (ZSB) or the Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department before applying. If the rules change, the department’s notification will apply.
