Ex-servicemen, war widows and their families in Chennai register for state help at the district ex-servicemen’s welfare office in Saidapet. Through that office they can claim monthly grants, scholarships for their children and reserved government jobs. Aged ex-servicemen without a pension, and their widows, can get ₹4,000 a month for life.
The Tamil Nadu Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare runs these schemes, with its directorate in Chennai. This guide lists the main grants, the job quotas and how to register.
Where to go in Chennai
The department’s RTI handbook gives two Chennai offices:
- Chennai district office: Major Parameswaran Memorial Building, West Mada Street, Srinagar Colony, Saidapet, Chennai 600015. Phone 044-22350780.
- Directorate (state headquarters): 22 Raja Muthiah Salai, Chennai 600003. Phone 044-26691342 or 044-26691747.
The district office does the day-to-day work: registration, grant applications, employment sponsorship and self-employment loans. The district Collector chairs the board that oversees veterans’ welfare in each district.
Registering after you leave the service
The handbook says ex-servicemen are registered at the district’s special employment cell, by trade and qualification. The cell then sponsors them for vacancies reserved for ex-servicemen in government and public undertakings. A second registration at the district employment exchange lets them be sponsored for general vacancies as well.
Carry your discharge certificate, pre-service educational certificates, community certificate and proof of residence. Widows should also bring the death certificate and the pension payment order if they draw family pension. Ask the office for its current checklist before you go.
Monthly and one-time grants
These amounts are from a district administration’s list of the department’s schemes, which apply statewide:
| Grant | Amount |
|---|---|
| World War veterans, lifetime | ₹10,000 a month |
| Widows of World War veterans | ₹4,000 a month |
| Non-pensioner ex-servicemen or widows aged above 60 | ₹4,000 a month |
| Totally blind, cancer or paraplegic ex-servicemen | ₹7,000 a month |
| Differently abled ex-servicemen or dependants | ₹5,000 a month |
| Marriage grant, for up to two daughters | ₹25,000 each |
| Major surgery (non-pensioners) | ₹50,000 |
| Home purchase or construction subsidy | ₹1,00,000, one time |
| Funeral expenses | ₹10,000 (ex-servicemen), ₹7,000 (widows) |
There is also distress relief of up to ₹15,000 after fire, floods or accidental death. Spectacles and hearing aids are covered up to ₹4,000. War widows, war-disabled personnel and gallantry award holders can get house tax reimbursed up to ₹10,000.
For battle casualties and their families
A separate fund helps the families of those killed or disabled in action. The widow or next of kin of a battle casualty gets ₹2,00,000 ex gratia, and a person disabled in action gets ₹1,00,000. The family also gets ₹25,000 a year for life and a one-time ₹50,000 housing grant. When a daughter marries, the grant is ₹1,00,000 with an 8 g gold coin where the disability is 50% or more.
Education for children
- Annual education grants run from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 for school and arts courses, ₹25,000 for professional degrees, ₹20,000 for polytechnic diplomas and ₹10,000 for ITI courses.
- Since 2022-23, children studying at an IIT, IIM or National Law School get ₹50,000 a year. This applies to children of ex-servicemen up to JCO rank who are natives of Tamil Nadu.
- Sainik School students get ₹25,000 a year.
- Children who join the armed forces get a lump sum of ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000.
- Orphaned children of ex-servicemen have their actual education costs met.
Jobs and self-employment
The handbook lists Tamil Nadu’s reservation for ex-servicemen: 5% of Group C and 10% of Group D posts in state government. Public sector undertakings and boards reserve 10% of entry-level posts, and so do the Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore corporations. The Forest Department reserves 10% of Forest Guard posts. Ex-servicemen can be appointed up to age 53 if they are BC or SC/ST candidates, and up to 48 otherwise.
For those starting a business, the state reimburses 75% of bank loan interest on loans up to ₹10 lakh. Self-help groups of ex-servicemen and widows get 100% reimbursement on loans up to ₹15 lakh. A 25% subsidy, up to ₹50,000, is available on industrial sheds or plots.
Dependants of ex-servicemen and serving soldiers can train at the department’s tailoring units. Trainees get ₹50 a day plus ₹1,000 for materials, and a free sewing machine when they finish. Ex-servicemen, widows and their children who pass the state typewriting or shorthand exams get one-time grants of ₹3,000 to ₹10,000. Parents who sent a son or daughter into the forces are honoured with ₹20,000, or ₹25,000 if more than one child served, plus a silver medal.
Quick answers
Where is the ex-servicemen welfare office in Chennai?
Major Parameswaran Memorial Building, West Mada Street, Srinagar Colony, Saidapet (044-22350780).
What do non-pensioner veterans over 60 get?
₹4,000 a month, which their widows can also claim.
What is the job quota for ex-servicemen in Tamil Nadu?
5% of Group C and 10% of Group D posts in state government, and 10% of entry-level posts in public undertakings.
Is there help for children at IITs?
Yes, ₹50,000 a year for eligible wards, since 2022-23.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
