A meeting of the District Sainik Welfare Board Management Committee was held under the chairmanship of West Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Chandan Kumar on Tuesday to review infrastructure and welfare proposals for ex-servicemen in the Kolhan region.
The board proposed reserving designated seating for ex-servicemen during Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations and suggested honouring gallantry award recipients at district events. The committee also raised the issue of pending land allotment for the families of Sipahi Balamuchu Panda and Sipahi Rajesh Boipoi, who lost their lives during Operation Rakshak. District officials were urged to expedite the process of allotment.
To ease logistical challenges, a proposal was placed for establishing a canteen and meeting hall near the Sainik Bhavan in Chaibasa. The facility is intended to reduce dependence on Ranchi and Jamshedpur for canteen supplies and provide local access for veterans and their families.
Suggestions were also made for enhanced coordination among departments to streamline welfare services. The committee emphasised integrating various support mechanisms through institutional processes to ensure better outreach and efficiency. Senior officials from the district administration and ex-servicemen representatives were present in the meeting.
Appeals were made by the families of martyrs seeking timely rehabilitation, including land allotment and basic support services. The matter drew attention as the families have been waiting for a resolution over an extended period.
Sainik Welfare Officer Colonel Kishore Singh presented data on retired defence personnel, war widows, and dependents residing in Kolhan. In light of upcoming renovation work at the current Sainik Board building, which may take 8 to 10 months, the committee proposed a 2,000 sq ft temporary facility to continue operations.
A proposal was also submitted to relocate the existing ECHS polyclinic from a rented facility to the Sadar Hospital campus to provide easier access for ex-servicemen travelling from remote blocks.
The committee further proposed a 10 percent reservation in allotment of district-level shops—such as Pragya Kendras and milk booths—for ex-servicemen to support their local rehabilitation.
Former Brigadier Pradeep Kumar Jha, along with ex-servicemen Sushil Kumar Singh, Hansraj Singh, Satnam Singh, Ashok Srivastava, Bharat Poddar, S.R. Purty, Salai Sundi, K. Jaiswal, and Prabhat Kumar were present during the discussions.