CM Pushkar Singh Dhami: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Sainik Samman Ceremony and Kavi Sammelan organized at the Chief Minister’s residence on the occasion of Vijay Kargil Day. On this occasion, while paying tribute to the immortal martyrs of Kargil war, he honored the brave soldiers, ex-servicemen, brave women, families of martyrs and military personalities. A poet’s conference imbued with patriotism and patriotism was also organized in the programme.
The Chief Minister said that Vijay Kargil Day is a glorious chapter of the unique bravery, unwavering determination, strong will and indomitable courage of the Indian Army, which will always be inscribed in golden letters in the history of India. He said that despite extremely difficult geographical conditions, freezing cold, inaccessible hills and adverse circumstances, Indian soldiers displayed indomitable courage and amazing bravery and ensured the victory of the country. Kargil Victory is the immortal story of the supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers and their unwavering dedication towards the nation.
The Chief Minister said that whenever bravery and sacrifice is discussed, the name of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is taken with pride. Almost every second household in the state has a member serving in the Indian Army. For this reason, Uttarakhand is known as Devbhoomi as well as Veerbhoomi. He said that in the Kargil war, 75 brave soldiers of Uttarakhand made the supreme sacrifice while protecting the motherland. The sacrifice of these immortal sons will always be a source of inspiration for the state and the countrymen.
The Chief Minister said that respect for soldiers and security of the nation is not a matter of politics, but a matter of national religion. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire world is seeing the confidence, strength and modern capabilities of the Indian Army. India is no longer a country limited to mere condemnation after terrorist attacks, but a nation that gives a decisive response to the enemy through operations like surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the army is being equipped with modern and indigenous weapons. Roads, tunnels, bridges and other strategic infrastructure are being developed rapidly in the border areas. Respect and justice have been given to ex-servicemen and their families by fulfilling the age-old demand of One Rank-One Pension. Construction of the National War Memorial, continuous increase in the defense budget and many decisions related to the welfare of soldiers are proof that the security of the nation and respect for the soldiers is the top priority of the Central Government.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is also working with full commitment for the honor and welfare of soldiers, ex-servicemen, brave women and martyr families. The ex-gratia amount given to the dependents of martyrs in the state has been increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. There has also been a historic increase in the lump sum and annual assistance given to soldiers awarded with various gallantry awards.
He said that it has been decided to accommodate a family member of the martyred soldiers in government service. The time limit for applying for a government job has also been extended from two years to five years. Schemes like pre-job training and daughter marriage assistance are being run for the martyr families. Free travel facility in government buses has been provided to soldiers and ex-servicemen who have received gallantry awards. Serving and ex-servicemen are also being given 25 percent rebate in stamp duty on purchasing property up to Rs 25 lakh.
The Chief Minister said that the ex-gratia amount given to the heroes awarded Param Vir Chakra has been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore. The construction of the military Dham under construction as the fifth Dham of the state in Guniyal village of Dehradun is in the final stage. This military base will become a living story of the bravery of the immortal martyrs of the country and the military tradition of Uttarakhand. Along with this, a resolution has also been taken to establish a grand military memorial between Khatima and Tanakpur.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is also fully committed to the safe and bright future of the firefighters. To solve the employment related problems of retired firefighters, it has been decided to establish the country’s first Agniveer Employment Cell. Work is also being done to give priority to retired firefighters in recruitments in police, forest department and other government services. Free skill training will be provided to self-employed firefighters.
He said that work is also being done to provide special grants to ex-servicemen and retired firefighters for setting up homestays in hilly areas. Special assistance will be provided for development of basic facilities in border villages to connect local residents, ex-servicemen and firefighters with self-employment.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is seriously considering the long standing demand of ex-servicemen regarding arms license and a decision in this regard will be taken soon. Along with this, necessary efforts will also be made for speedy disposal of pending cases of land fraud related to military families in the district courts. He said that the state government will continue to work with its ‘resolution without options’ to protect the interests of the brave soldiers, ex-servicemen and dependents of the martyrs of Uttarakhand.
In the context of the Kavi Sammelan organized in the programme, the Chief Minister said that literature and poetry are a powerful medium to convey the feeling of patriotism to the new generation. He paid tribute to the immortal martyrs by quoting the powerful lines of national poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’.
On this occasion, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, brave soldiers, ex-servicemen, brave women, families of martyrs, military officers, respected poets, public representatives and a large number of people of the state were present.
