Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid tribute to the Kargil martyrs on Saturday by laying a floral wreath at the Shaheed Smarak in Gandhi Park, Dehradun. The ceremony was held on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas (Shaurya Diwas). On this occasion, Dhami also honoured the families of the Kargil heroes.
According to an official release, the Chief Minister announced the construction of an ECHS centre and a Sainik Vishram Grih in Kaleshwar, Chamoli district. Another Sainik Vishram Grih will be built in Nainital.
He further said that ex-servicemen will be sent abroad for employment through the Upanal scheme. Half of the job placements under this scheme will also be open to civilians. At present, 22,500 people from Uttarakhand are getting employment through Upanal. The process to regularise jobs under the scheme is also underway.
Dhami said that the nation "will always remember the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the motherland." Dhami said that the bravery of Indian soldiers in the valleys, mountains, and harsh winds of Kargil still echoes with same pride and strength. He praised the indomitable courage, smart strategy, and unmatched valour shown by brave Indian soldiers during the Kargil War, saying they forced the enemy to kneel.
The Chief Minister shared that 75 brave soldiers from Veerbhoomi Uttarakhand were martyred in the Kargil War, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
He also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Army is getting stronger with advanced technology and modern weapons. Referring to Operation Sindoor, he said the Indian Army, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, brought Pakistan to its knees in just four days.
He said, “Operation Sindoor gave a clear message to the enemies that those who destroy the vermilion of India's sisters and daughters are wiped out. Our army answers the enemy's bullets with bullets. He said that this is the new India, which gives a befitting reply to every nefarious act of the enemies.”
Dhami said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, several important steps have been taken to support the armed forces. These include the One Rank-One Pension Scheme, building the National War Memorial, increasing the defence budget, and strengthening the border infrastructure.
He also shared that the Uttarakhand government has raised the ex gratia amount given to the families of the martyrs from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. In addition, the financial assistance for soldiers who receive gallantry awards from the Param Vir Chakra to Mention in Dispatch has also been increased. The ex gratia for Param Vir Chakra awardees has been raised from ₹50 lakh to ₹1.5 crore.
Dhami said one member from the family of each martyr is being given a government job. The time limit to apply for this has been extended from 2 years to 5 years.
He added that gallantry award-winning soldiers and ex-servicemen can now travel free in state Transport Corporation buses. Also, serving and retired soldiers are being given a 25 per cent discount in stamp duty when buying property worth up to ₹25 lakh.
Soldier Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our armed forces have become much stronger. He recalled that hundreds of soldiers were martyred in the Kargil War, including 75 from Uttarakhand. Out of these, 31 were from the Dehradun area.
He said that so far, 1,831 soldiers from Uttarakhand have laid down their lives for the country. Of these, 1,528 have been honoured with bravery awards. Brave soldiers from the state have also received 344 Vishisht Seva Medals.
He added that both the Central and state governments are working together for the welfare of soldiers. The state government has provided a government job to one family member of each martyred soldier. So far, 37 people have been employed under this scheme.
Follow us
