Army to launch new department to look into veterans' issues

JAMMU: Army will launch Department of Veterans Affairs ( DOVA), a new directorate aimed to look at the problems and welfare of ex-servicemen, a top Army commander said today.

The department would be launched on January 15, 2016, GOC-in-C Western Command, Lt Gen K J Singh said here today.

"It would be like MO (Military Operations) Directorate, MI (Military Intelligence) Directorate, MS (Military Secretary) Branch and it will be like a Directorate. It will deal with the problems of the ex-servicemen," the Army Commander said.

Lt Gen Singh was speaking at a function organised by J&K Ex-service League to observe Martyrdom of First Maha Vir Chakra Awardee of Indian Army, Brigadier Rajinder Singh, who is also called as "The Saviour of Kashmir".

On the problems being faced by ex-servicemen in J&K, Lt Gen Singh said that Northern and Western Commands will jointly coordinate and ensure redressal of grievances of the ex-servicemen.

"We will try and jointly in coordination with Sainik Board create a mechanism to address your problems. we are doing and we will be committed to mitigate your problems in future as well," he said.