Standing by our heroes: How to donate to the National Defence Fund and help soldiers families?

The National Defence Fund (NDF) supports the welfare of armed forces, paramilitary, and police personnel, along with their families. Donations fund scholarships, welfare grants, and essential resources for soldiers. Contribute to support our heroes. 

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The central government, with a strong focus on defence, has allocated a record ₹6.81 lakh crore in this year’s budget. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, weapons are also being manufactured domestically. However, given the immense expenditure during times of conflict, even this significant amount can sometimes feel inadequate.

Many citizens feel a deep sense of gratitude toward the soldiers who leave their families behind and risk their lives to guard our borders. This sense of respect often inspires a desire to support these brave individuals. Some wish to contribute to the well-being of soldiers and extend help to their families, especially in the unfortunate event that a soldier is martyred.

So, how can you help? How does the central government utilise these funds? What are the income and expenditure details from the past five years? Here's a summary based on information from the National Defence Fund website. The National Defence Fund (NDF) was established to receive and manage voluntary donations in both cash and kind, aimed at supporting national defence efforts. The fund is primarily used for the welfare of armed forces personnel, including paramilitary forces, and their dependents.

The fund is overseen by an Executive Committee, with the Prime Minister serving as the Chairman, and the Defence, Finance, and Home Ministers as its members. The Finance Minister acts as the Treasurer, while the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's office responsible for this domain serves as the Secretary of the Executive Committee.

This structure ensures that the fund is managed with accountability and directed towards the welfare of those who serve and protect the nation.

This information pertains to the National Defence Fund (NDF). If you wish to contribute, please note that the fund’s accounts are maintained at the Reserve Bank of India.

The National Defence Fund Collection Account details are as follows:

Bank: State Bank of India 

Branch: Institutional Division, 4th Floor, Parliament Street, New Delhi 

Account Number: 11084239799 

IFSC Code: SBIN0000691

The Permanent Account Number (PAN) associated with the fund is XXXXXX009F.

Please ensure that you donate only to verified and official accounts. There have been instances of fake accounts operating under the guise of defence-related causes, so exercise caution before making any donations.

How is your donation to the National Defence Fund used?

Your contributions to the National Defence Fund (NDF) are utilised for the welfare of armed forces personnel and their families through several key initiatives. Here’s how your money is used:

1. Scholarship scheme for Education 

A scholarship scheme is in place to promote technical and postgraduate education for widows and children of deceased personnel from the armed forces, paramilitary forces, state police forces, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Implementation Agencies:

Ministry of Defence: For the armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Ministry of Home Affairs: For paramilitary forces and state police personnel

Ministry of Railways: For Railway Protection Force personnel

Eligibility: Monthly scholarships are awarded to:

(a) Children of ex-servicemen (only those below officer rank)

(b) Widows and children of currently serving personnel and widows of ex-servicemen (irrespective of rank)

(c) Children of state police personnel martyred in terrorist or Naxal attacks

Fields of Study Covered: Scholarships are available for technical and professional education such as medical, dental, veterinary, engineering, MBA, MCA, and other AICTE/UGC-recognised courses.

Scholarship Distribution per Year:

• 5,500 scholarships: Children of armed forces personnel (Ministry of Defence)
• 2,000 scholarships: Children of paramilitary personnel (Ministry of Home Affairs)
• 500 scholarships: Children of state police (Ministry of Home Affairs)
• 150 scholarships: Children of Railway Protection Force personnel (Ministry of Railways)

Scholarship Amount:

• ₹2,500/month for boys
• ₹3,000/month for girls

2. Special protection group (SPG) welfare 

An annual grant of ₹15 lakh is released from the NDF to the SPG Family Welfare Fund. This supports various welfare activities for SPG personnel and their families.

3. Grants for Books and Learning Resources

Annual grants are provided to the Ministry of Defence to purchase books and other reading materials for the personal use of personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Breakdown of Annual Grants:

Army: ₹55 lakh

Air Force: ₹37 lakh

Navy: ₹32 lakh

Coast Guard: ₹2.5 lakh

Total Grant: ₹126.50 lakh per year

The detailed expenditure of the fund for the last five years is provided in the table below.