There are a staggering 2,78,301 war-disabled in the country till date, according to figures placed in Parliament for the first time.

This is the number listed with various sections of the Defence Ministry as on April 1, 2006, Defence Minister A K Antony told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

However, the figures do not reveal if such a large number have been injured in conflicts the country has had to face since Independence or otherwise.

"Out of these, only 241 disabled soldiers are on the live register of the ex-servicemen cell of the directorate general of employment and training, awaiting assistance," the minister told the house in a written reply.

Though the government figures do not list the war-disabled under categories of injuries suffered, it says that in 2005 as many as 1,389 soldiers were provided with artificial limbs. The figures for 2006 under the same category rose to 1,663 and in the current year till June, 813 personnel were provided artificial limbs.

Antony said resettlement of disabled soldiers was a continuing process and that various schemes like coal transporting agencies and allotment of product agencies were among rehabilitation schemes being undertaken. He also said the army was running a paraplegic centre for soldiers.