Indian Army Launches Project NAMAN to Support Veterans and Their Families

Project NAMAN is a testament to the Indian Army’s dedication to the welfare of its veterans and their families.

The Indian Army has initiated the first phase of Project NAMAN, a comprehensive program aimed at providing dedicated support and services to Defence Pensioners, Veterans, and their families. The launch event, held in the presence of General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, and Mrs. Sunita Dwivedi, President of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), marks a significant step towards ensuring the well-being of those who have served the nation.

Project NAMAN centers on the implementation of the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha) digital pension system, which simplifies and streamlines pension-related processes for Defence Pensioners. This initiative addresses the critical need for accessible facilitation points for Veterans and Next of Kin (NOK) across India.

General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the importance of the project, noting its role in extending essential services to veterans and their families, ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve. He highlighted the project's commitment to reaching the entire resident population of military stations and surrounding communities.

The project includes the establishment of reception and facilitation centers, enabled through a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Army’s Directorate of Indian Army Veterans, Common Service Centre (CSC) e-Governance India Limited, and HDFC Bank Limited. These centers, known as Common Service Centres (CSCs), are dedicated to Army Veterans, Pensioners, War Widows, and NOKs, offering SPARSH-enabled pension services, Government to Citizen (G2C) services, and Business to Consumer (B2C) services at a single, convenient location.

In its first phase, 14 CSCs have been established at key locations across India, including New Delhi, Jalandhar, Leh, Dehradun, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Bengdubi, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Secunderabad, Saugor, Guntur, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore. The project plans to expand significantly, with approximately 200 centers to be established nationwide over the next 2-3 years.

HDFC Bank has provided the necessary IT infrastructure to operationalize the CSCs, while local military stations have contributed essential physical infrastructure and facilities. Each CSC is managed by a Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE), selected from among the veterans or NOKs by the respective Local Military Authorities (LMAs). These VLEs receive comprehensive training from CSC e-Governance India Limited and are supported by HDFC Bank with a monthly monetary grant of ₹20,000 for the first 12 months.

Project NAMAN is a testament to the Indian Army’s dedication to the welfare of its veterans and their families. By providing SPARSH-centric facilitation, commonly required e-Governance services, and banking solutions at a single location, the project also creates entrepreneurial opportunities for Veterans and NOKs, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to their communities.