Chandigarh, Dec. 16 -- The annual meeting of the managing committee of the special fund for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of ex-servicemen was held on Monday under the chairmanship of H Rajesh Prasad, chief secretary, UT Chandigarh, at the new secretariat building, Sector 9. During the meeting, Col HS Ghuman, zila sainik welfare officer, briefed the committee on the progress of various welfare initiatives for ex-servicemen in Chandigarh over the past year. The committee approved a significant enhancement in financial assistance under several schemes. Aid to ex-servicemen (JCOs/OR) who retired or were released without pension, are above 65 years of age and living in penury, was raised from Rs.5,000 to Rs.8,000. Financial assistance to widows of personnel who died in harness, up to the rank of subedar major or equivalent in the Army, Navy, or Air Force, was doubled from Rs.1,000 to Rs.2,000 per month. Additionally, the annual grant for augmentation of the special fund was increased from Rs.5.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh....