On the occasion of Kargil Victory Day, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat offered floral tributes to martyrs at Gandhi Park on Sunday.
The Chief Minister felicitated the widows and relatives of the martyrs on the occasion. A financial help of Rs1 lakh was provided to the Onkari Devi, Suhasani Devi, Mamita Devi, Asha Devi and Manisha Devi for marriage of their daughters by the Chief Minister.
Speaking on the occasion, Rawat said that the State Government is committed for construction of a appropriate and magnificent war memorial in the State.
The CM declared that a committee headed by Sainik Kalyan Minister Harak Singh Rawat would finalise the process of land acquisition for the memorial. The Chief Secretary and Chairman of State Sainik Kalyan Parishad (SKP) would be the members of the committee.
He said that though the resources of the State are limited but our feelings for the soldiers are unlimited. The CM claimed that Uttarakhand would setup an example in the field of soldier welfare for others to follow.
Rawat said the SKP would act as an independent body for the welfare of soldiers in the state. “The president of SKP would be equivalent to the rank of cabinet minister and the State Government has decided to appoint lieutenant General Gambhir Singh Negi (Rtd) on this position considering his seniority and vast experience”, Rawat quipped. The CM also said that the State Government would request the Union Government to implement the provisions of One Rank One Pension (OROP).
Offering tributes to the martyrs, the Solider Welfare minister Harak Singh Rawat said that the State Government is working with an magnanimous heart for the soldiers, Ex servicemen and their relatives.
He informed that Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam limited (UPNl) would open hostels in prominent cities of the State for the children of soldiers and veterans. The minister informed that the children of armed forces personnel enrolled in the institutes like IIT, IIM and those doing MBBS are provided a financial help of Rs1 lakh by the UPNl.
The programme was attended by President of SKP, lt Gen G S Negi (rtd), parliamentary secretary and MlA Rajkumar and others.