Kathmandu, April 6:

Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood today inaugurated the 21st annual welfare meeting of the Indian Army Ex-servicemen Welfare Organisation Nepal (IEWON).

The IEWON is a welfare organisation operating under the aegis of Indian Embassy and is responsible for the welfare of all Government of India pensioners living in Nepal. The welfare schemes include visits by medical teams from the Indian Army to remote parts of Nepal, execution of drinking water projects, solar electrification programmes, infrastructure development projects like road, bridges and schools, distribution of financial assistance to needy pensioners and scholarship programme to the children of ex-servicemen among others.

More than 40,000 Nepalis are currently serving in armed forces of India. Likewise, more than 100,000 ex-servicemen of Indian armed forces are living in Nepal. It is estimated that IRs 1,000 crore is distributed as pension to these ex-servicemen every year.

A nine-member delegation led by Adjutant General, Lt General Mukesh Sebharwal, will interact with the secretaries of district soldier boards. The meetings started from April 5 and will run till April 11. Defence secretary Ganesh Raj Joshi and other officials of the Government of Nepal will also address the meetings.