Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ website (www.maabharatikesapoot.mod.gov.in) for contribution to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF) at a function organised at the National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi on October 14, 2022.
Key points
- The AFBCWF is a Tri-Service fund, which is utilised for grant of immediate financial assistance to the families of soldiers/sailors/airmen who lay down their lives or get grievously injured in active military operations.
- While the Government has initiated a large number of welfare schemes for the soldiers killed or disabled during active combat operations, there has been a strong public sentiment and requests from citizens, corporate heads, banks and industry captains to contribute to the cause of welfare of the soldiers and their families.
- The website will enable people to contribute online directly into the fund. A certificate of online contribution can also be downloaded. Referring to the public support to the Armed Forces during 1962 & 1971 wars as also the ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ initiative he took for the welfare of Central Armed Police Forces personnel during his stint as the Home Minister, the Raksha Mantri asserted that it has always been the country’s tradition of extending all possible help to its soldiers.
- He described the AFBCWF as one of the major steps in that direction, urging the people to contribute generously to the fund. Indian Army, on behalf Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, is maintaining an account for the fund.
