Nashik veterans rally brings pension and welfare help together

An Army-organised rally at Artillery Centre Nashik Road on October 25 brought pension, grievance, identity-document and medical assistance together for former service personnel and their families from three Maharashtra districts, the Defence Ministry said. Veterans from Nashik, Dhule and Nandurbar attended the event under the Army’s Southern Command.

The programme combined welfare assistance with recognition of service families. Wheelchairs and hearing aids were distributed, while district welfare organisations provided financial assistance to beneficiaries of state welfare schemes, according to the release.

Services at one venue

Dedicated facilities covered pension and grievance redressal, Aadhaar assistance, SPARSH assistance and medical services. Representatives from departments and agencies interacted directly with veterans about individual grievances and access to entitled benefits. The ministry said the arrangements enabled issues to be addressed on the spot.

The announcement did not give the number of people who attended, the number of grievances resolved or the total financial assistance distributed. It therefore does not establish how many pending cases the rally cleared.

Support for service families

The programme honoured Veer Naris, children of soldiers who died in service, and veteran achievers. Lt Gen D. S. Kushwah, General Officer Commanding Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, attended as chief guest.

The Zila Sainik Welfare Organisations of Dhule and Nashik provided the state-scheme financial assistance. The release describes services offered at this completed October 25 event; it does not announce new benefit eligibility, a further rally date or an application deadline.

Source: Ministry of Defence release via PIB Mumbai, October 25, 2026.