Hundreds of ex-servicemen from the state celebrated the first Veterans’ Day at Uttarakhand sub-area army station headquarters in Dehradun on Saturday. The annual observance of the day on January 14 was initiated by the new chief of army staff, Bipin Rawat in the honour of the ex-servicemen who have spent their service life guarding the border of the nation, braving adversities. Addressing the programme, Major General Balraj Mehta, SM, General Officer Commanding (GOC) said that the basic objective behind the celebration is to honour the ex-servicemen as well as to resolve the problems they are facing, post retirement. In all, 51 ex-servicemen above 80 years of age were given mementos by GOC Mehta. Some of the veterans came to the venue on wheelchairs from far- off places, a sight that moved many present on the occasion.
Welcoming the veterans, Mehta apprised them of the string of measures being undertaken by the sub- area for their welfare.
Brigadier RS Rawat, president, Uttarakhand Ex- Services league (UESI), and brigadier KB Chand, director Sainik Kalyan Evam Punarvas also addressed the gathering and projected issues pertaining to the welfare of the veterans.
Mehta further said that the issues related to pensions, re-employment and other problems the ex-servicemen were facing had been discussed threadbare and their concerns would be forwarded to the department concerned for redressal. He admitted shortage of facilities for the ex-army personnel in the mountainous areas. He assured that steps were being taken to improve facilities in the hills in coordination with the Centre and the state government. “We can understand the difficulties the ex-army personnel face after retirement due to their failure to adapt themselves to the condition of the civilian life having passed years under rigours of discipline. They are thus forced to remain secluded. The people should respect them as they worked amidst daunting adversities, protecting the nation while in service,” he added.
Kishan Bahadur Thapa, an ex-serviceman, said that he was the first seller at the army canteen at Uttarakhand sub-area. “Earlier, all the vegetables and the food items used to be kept in the kitchen which was a small room, but now the canteen is well equipped and is spread over a large area,” he said.
It is learnt that above 250 veterans from various parts of Dehradun participated in the programme. There are around 1.82 lakh veterans in the state while around 60, 000 personnel are working in the defence forces currently.