The Gumla district administration is all geared up ahead of the visit of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who will be in Chainpur Block of the district on January 4.

Deputy Commissioner of Gumla, Shashi Ranjan informed that the Army chief will be in the district to attend a day long programme for felicitation of ex army men.

“The Army Chief would also be felicitating Balamdina Ekka, the wife of Martyr and Paramveer Chakra awardee, Albert Ekka,” Ranjan said. Albert Ekka was martyred in the India Pakistan war of 1971.

The general will directly be landing at Chainpur, where a helipad is being constructed. “He will first be visiting the statue of Albert Ekka and offer floral tribute. The Army chief is then going to visit the home of Balamdina Ekka where he will interact with her and felicitate her,” DC said.

This will be followed by the arrival of the chief at the ground where a grand programme will be organized. Around 1,000 army men from Gumla and nearby areas will be felicitated during the programme.

“General Rawat will be informing the ex-servicemen about the facilities offered to them by the army. On this occasion, we will also inform them about the facilities that the district administration and government gives to the ex servicemen,” Ranjan said.

This is for the first time that an Army Chief is visiting the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) hit Chainpur block.

Gumla SP, Ashwini Kumar Sinha said that special security arrangements have been made for the visit of Army Chief. “It is an honour for us that he is visiting the district and we are fully prepared with the security arrangements,” he said.

There will be army men, CRPF jawans and district police deployed for the programme. “Separate security would be at the helipad, statue of Albert Ekka and at the ground where the main function would be organized," the SP said.