Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said his government was committed to providing all possible support to soldiers and their families.
He said several new steps had been taken by the government to give a boost to the defence sector in Uttar Pradesh and it would generate large-scale employment opportunities,
Yogi also announced increase in the lumpsum amount and annual amount for soldiers receiving various medals.
The chief minister was speaking after giving away appointment letters to the dependants of 11 martyred soldiers of UP at a programme organised at his official residence in Lucknow on Saturday morning. The chief minister said appointment letters to the dependants of martyred soldiers were being given away for the second time.
“It is the responsibility of everyone to honour the families of those who attain martyrdom for the country. The government is committed to providing every possible support to the families of these martyrs,” Yogi said.
The chief minister added that in a first, a grand Defence Expo was being organised in the state capital in February where everyone would get a chance to view the state-of-the-art technology and weapons of the defence sector, and invest in the Defence Manufacturing Corridor.
“Employment opportunities will be created at a large scale in the state through the Defence Manufacturing Corridor. Besides, it will also be helpful in equipping the army with weapons as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vision,” he said.
The chief minister further said that the state government was contributing three times the amount to be deposited in the ‘Sena Jhanda Diwas Nidhi’ so that there was no shortage of funds for the welfare of soldiers.
“In addition, for rehabilitation of ex-servicemen, the state government will bear 4 per cent interest on bank loans up to Rs 3 lakh. The government has also decided to give Rs 12,000 to eligible beneficiaries under this scheme,” Yogi said.
The chief minister said that earlier, the state government had increased the lumpsum amount and annual amount for the soldiers receiving various medals.
For those who won Param Vir Chakra prior to 1986, the state government has decided to provide a lumpsum amount of Rs 32,50,000 and an annuity of Rs 1, 95,000. Earlier, there was a provision of Rs 15,000 as lumpsum and Rs 1,000 as annuity amount.
The chief minister said that arrangements had also been made for providing Rs 52 lakh lumpsum and Rs 3 lakh as annuity to the winners of Param Vir Chakra, Rs 31 lakh lumpsum and annuity of Rs 2 lakh to Maha Vir Chakra winners and Rs 20 lakh lumpsum and Rs 1 lakh annuity to the winners of Vir Chakra.
Yogi said for the welfare of soldiers, new ‘Sanik Kalyan’ offices were being constructed at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore in Prayagraj, Meerut, Kaushambi and Mau while rest houses were being constructed for ex-servicemen while military rest houses were being renovated in nine districts at a cost Rs 3.5 crore.
He said the state government was providing 5 per cent reservation to ex-servicemen in Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts and the government was making sincere efforts to appoint ex-servicemen to all positions available for soldiers.