Dehradun, 5 October (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the martyrdom day of Martyrdom Saman Day held at Lansdowne, Pauri Garhwal on Sunday and paid tribute to the martyrs for his brave acts and supreme sacrifice.
The Chief Minister honored the families and dependents of the martyrs by presenting it with copper plates and clothes. He also inspected the army band and greeted the army personnel.
The Chief Minister paid tribute to the statue of immortal martyr Gabbar Singh Negi in the memorial and said that it is because of immortal sons like him that the country is safe today.
CM Dhami lit a lamp in front of copper urns, which was filled with holy soil from the courtyard of martyrs from different districts and offered floral tributes in memory of brave martyrs. It is noteworthy that the holy soil will be taken from the courtyards of the martyrs collected in these copper urns to the Grand Saina Dham (military pilgrimage) being built in Dehradun.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that Sainik Vishwam Griha would be renovated in Kotdwar and equipped with modern facilities to provide better services to soldiers and their families. Common service centers will be established to provide free services by appointing Veer Naris and Ex-Servicemen in the Directorate of Sainik Welfare and District Sainik Welfare and Rehabilitation offices.
The Chief Minister said that almost every house in Uttarakhand has a member of a military background, and hence the state government is constantly working for the welfare of soldiers and their families.
He said, “The former Gratia amount given to the families of the martyrs has been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore, while a assistance of Rs 10,000 is provided for the funeral of a martyr. The soldiers are being given 25 percent discount on stamp duty on land purchase,” he said.
Military Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi said that the martyr Saman Samaroh was successfully concluded in Lansdown on Sunday. He said that the second phase of the yatra started in Dehradun on 25 September concluded in Lansdown on Sunday. He said that the holy soil has been brought from the courtyard of the remaining 71 martyrs and will be kept in the Amar Jawan Jyoti before the inauguration of the military pilgrimage.
Rajya sabha mp mahendra bhatt said that Uttarakhand is not only devbhoomi but also veerbhoomi.
He said, “We consider the martyrs not dead but immortal heroes. The fact that we are able to breathe in fresh air today, this is a result of the indomitable courage and sacrifice of our brave soldiers. Respect and support for soldiers and their families is the highest priority for both central and state governments.”
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MR/UK