While fighting to protect the nation, soldiers of Uttarakhand have exemplified courage as part of a tradition of bravery and martyrdom. Chief Minister Harish Rawat said this while speaking at a function held to mark Vijay Diwas at Gandhi Park here on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering he said, “In the 1971 war, our braves set an example of exceptional courage for the whole world. The Pakistani army leadership had to surrender to the Indian army with its 90,000 soldiers,” recalled the CM. Rawat also called for introduction of developmental schemes which will also involve ex-service men. On the occasion, the CM also approved a sum of `2 crore for the soldier welfare fund.
He directed officials to conduct a special recruitment campaign to facilitate employment to dependents of martyrs’ families in such a way that at least one member of such families is able to secure employment. Stating that agriculture is a challenge for the state, he said that facilitating the desired facilitation of education is a bigger challenge. Education should not be left completely for the Government and teachers while the parents should also play their part in facilitating the all round progress of their children, added the CM.
Speaking on the occasion, Sainik Kalyan minister Harak Singh Rawat said that the armed forces have played the major role in keeping India secure. The government had increased the allowance to block representatives from Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000 while it has also reopened the Sainik schools that were lying closed. Soldier training schools have been established at Agastyamuni in Garhwal and Haldwani in Kumaon, added the minister.
later in the day, the Chief Minister attended a programme organised to mark Shahid Diwas. Addressing the gathering here, the CM said that the soldiers of Uttarakhand must have fought in various major wars of the world. He commended the eagerness of youth in Uttarakhand for getting recruited in the army. Rawat said, “The State Government is standing with the soldiers and their families. I do not claim to have done a lot in this regard but at least in the last couple of years we have attempted to resolve the woes of the families of martyr soldiers.
We have made an attempt to stand with such families. The State Government is providing ex-gratia of Rs six lakh and Rs four lakh to the widow and mother respectively of martyr soldiers. We have also made the decision to provide such facilities to the paramilitary. In addition to this, one member of martyr soldier family will be appointed by the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam (UPNl),” added the chief minister.
MlAs Ganesh Joshi, Rajkumar, Hemesh Kharkwal, lalit Farsan, Jeet Ram, soldier welfare and rehabilitation Uttarakhand director Colonel (retd) Amitabh Singh Negi, lt Gen (retd) Gambhir Singh Negi along with number of ex-servicemen and their families were also among those present on the occasion.