The State Government is resolute to the welfare of ex-servicemen, serving soldiers and the freedom fighters who have given invaluable contributions for the mother land. Various important decisions have been taken by the government to safeguard their interests besides giving them appropriate honour in recognition of their selfless services.Chief Minister, Shri Virbhadra Singh said this today after he laid the foundation stone of the H.P War Museum at War Memorial, Dharamshala. He said that the valiant soldiers of Himachal Pradesh had always led from the front in making sacrifices for the cause of the nation and they had brought laurels to the country and the State as well.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that the State government had proposed to enhance financial assistance of World War-II Veterans from Rs. 750 to Rs. 2,000 per month and annuity of gallantry award winners would also be increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000. He said that the the Samman Rashi of wives and daughters of late freedom fighters would be enhanced from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 5,000 and marriage grant to Rs, 51,000 in case of daughters and Rs. 21,000 in case of grand-daughters. The government had also announced to enhance the funeral grant from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 in case of death of freedom fighters and Rs. 10,000 in case of death of the wives of late freedom fighters.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that initial allocation of Rs. 2 Crore had already been promised in the budget as a token amount for the establishment of War Museum at Dharamshala. The government would provide more financial assistance for making it a splendid building for which the help of army expertise would also be taken. The brief description of all the martyrs since British period would be highlighted in the museum and it would be a center of attraction to the visiting tourists and a source of inspiration for the coming generations.
Urban Development Minister Shri Sudhir Sharma said that Chief Minister had announced to lay foundation stone of this War Museum on 16th December, 2013. He thanked the Chief Minister for laying foundation stone of this museum in a very short period of time and also for making budgetary provisions for the same.He said that last one year had witnessed exceptional development of all areas of the State. He said that various milestones of development had been established in the Dharamshala constituency which remained neglected during BJP regime.
Sudhir Sharma said that presented by Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh during ongoing Vidhan Sabha session was focused on all round development of the State and welfare of the every section of the society. Col. Jai Ganesh, Chairman, State War Memorial Committee and H.P Martyr Society welcomed the Chief Minister and expressed his gratitude for laying foundation stone of this project in a short period. He said that the busts of the Param Veer Chakras and Shaurya Chakras recipients would also be established here.Shri Kewal Singh Pathania, Vice Chairman, H.P State Forest Corporation, Shri Surender Kaku, Ex-MLA, Shri T.G Negi, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Shri Balbeer Tegta, Chairman, H.P Board of School Education, Shri C.Palrasu, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Manoj Rana, Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare, District Kangra, Col. Y. S. Rana, General Secretary, Ex-Services League, ex-servicemen and other prominent persons of the town were present on the occasion.