India, Oct. 15 -- Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday approved the doubling of financial assistance provided to non-pensioner ex-servicemen (ESM) and their families, with the welfare measure to cost the government Rs.257 crore every year, the defence ministry.

The announcement made in the run-up to Diwali is expected to benefit around 20,000 people, officials aware of the matter said.

Non-pensioner ESM refers to those soldiers who are discharged from service early in their life due to organisational constraints or their own request, the officials said. This category includes officers who take premature retirement before 20 years of service and personnel below officer rank who leave the organisation in less than 15 years.

Singh ...