The Nepal Army is set to expand the network of the Army Welfare Fund across the country. Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel, while inaugurating the Ex-Servicemen Conference 2082 organized at the Army's Mid-Western Region Headquarters Butwal Barracks on Sunday, said that the Nepal Army Welfare Board is going to bring the benefactors in the country under one roof. He said that the fund has been working to create and expand the network and said that the campaign to expand the network to the ward level as a nationwide national network based on the number of benefactors is being taken forward at a rapid pace.

'The main objective of developing such a network is to provide information about the services and facilities provided by the fund, listen to the problems of ex-servicemen and their families and facilitate their solutions,' he said. 'The affiliation, active participation and suggestions of ex-servicemen will be very important to make this network effective.'

Chief of Army Staff Sigdel said that the Nepal Army has made an incomparable contribution to keeping the country's freedom, sovereignty, geographical integrity, independence and national unity intact since history. He reminded that it is the common responsibility of all to further develop the Nepali Army as an institution capable of facing the current and future challenges while maintaining its historical traditions and passing it on to future generations. He said that the role played by the Army in protecting the sovereignty of the country, including internal security, development, disaster management and international peacekeeping, has established the Nepali Army as a reliable and respected institution at home and abroad.

He said that the high professional competence, professional character and work efficiency shown by the Nepali Army in conducting the recently held general elections in a safe and fearless environment have been widely appreciated, and he noted that he felt that retired ex-servicemen had made a significant contribution to this work.

‘We have a vibrant and proud history with the sacrifices, penance, sacrifice, duty and unwavering patriotism made by our brave ancestors,’ he said, ‘Military discipline, military chain of command, apolitical character of the organization, sense of unity and tradition of unwavering focus on achieving organizational goals have made our history more glorious.’ 

Chief of Army Staff Sigdel said that the ex-servicemen conference and reunion program is not only a reunion of retired soldiers and their family members on family pension but also an opportunity to further strengthen emotional ties, understand the real problems of the beneficiaries, improve welfare programs in a timely manner and make the policies and programs decided for the future practical.