Sans even a pension from the government to tide over their fading, often crippled existence, the British Commonwealth Ex-services League (BCEL) has sanctioned a grant of Rs 49 lakh for the 1998-99 fiscal towards their welfare through its affiliate - the Indian Ex-Services League (IESL).

BCEL Assistant Secretary-General Col B G B Nicholson, currently visiting the subcontinent to ensure that the grants reached the recipients, said that of the approximately 15 lakh veterans across the Commonwealth countries, the 10 lakh in India would receive over 55 per cent of the grants.

Grants apart, the BCEL also gives funds for setting up projects by ex-servicemen. Col Nicholson feels the projects instil a sense of pride in the soldiers and it helps them being self-independent.

IESL President Brig Mohinder Singh has assured Col Nicholson that a project would be undertaken soon to involve the ex-servicemen.So far 2500 applications have been received for financial help from the WW-II veterans in the country and out of these 1210 soldiers were being given four pounds a week as help.

The "good work" being done by the six ex-servicemen's organisations affiliated to BCEL, with IESL as its major beneficiary, has earned for it an additional grant of Rs 5 lakh.

"Further funds will be sent according to the requirements passed on to us," Col Nicholson said.