Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, V.P. Singh Badnore while presiding over the 32nd meeting of Rajya Sainik Board Punjab said, the government machinery is fully responsive for the welfare of serving soldiers and Ex-servicemen and an effective redressal mechanism is at work for mitigating their grievances.Shri Badnore has asked the officers present in the meeting to restructure their programmes and involve maximum ex-servicemen and students in their development projects. He has also asked them to formulate an extensive action plan catering to the educational and health care needs of the families of the ex-servicemen in the state.Shri Badnore further asked the officers to ensure setting up of District Sainik Sadans in the newly created Districts in Punjab. Construction of District Sainik Sadan Mohali has been completed whereas land has been allotted to Mansa and SBS Nagar. Similar Sadans would be set up at Moga, Barnala, Pathankot and Taran Tarn within a year, said Shri Badnore.He said that Punjab has maximum number of Ex-servicemen and the State of Punjab and the Government was extending all the facilities to the Ex-servicemen.
Shri Badnore also emphasized that the members of Rajya Sainik Board must play a proactive role in creating a data bank with details of job opportunities available in the public and private sector, along with the information about ex-servicemen regarding their specialized trades and aptitude for jobs. He said that the Ex-servicemen have a great potential and experience achieved by them during their active military career and they can prove an effective instrument of change for the transformation of society.The Governor has also asked the Board Members to work out the modalities for setting up of vocational and Skill Development centres in Punjab for the wards of defence personnel. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal Finance Minister Punjab said that the Punjab government would set up two more Sainik Schools in the state whereas the existing educational institutions meant for the children of the ex-servicemen including the already running Sainik School would be upgraded. He also informed that the Government was also contemplating to establish Fast Track Courts for settling issued of the serving defence personnel in a time bound manner. He also said that a Special Cell has been created in the CMO for facilitating the ex-servicemen.T
o encourage the students towards joining Armed Forces, the state government would organise interactive sessions in the government schools and also hold motivational talks by the Ex-Servicemen.Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Chief Secretary Punjab, Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary GoI Department of Ex-Servicemen, Mr. Prabhu Dyal Meena, Additional Chief Secretary to Governor, Mr. M.P. Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Mr. Satish Chandra, Additional Chief Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mr. Vishwajeet Khanna, Additional Chief Secretary, Mr. D.S.Kalha, Secretary Revenue, Mr. Rahul Tiwari, Secretary Defence Welfare, Mr. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Chief of Staff Western Command Lt. Gen. I.S.Ghuman, Lt. Gen. T.S. Shergill, Senior Adviser to the Chief Minister, Punjab, Lt. Gen. B.S. Dhaliwal, Sq. Ldr. Pal Singh and Brig. J.S. Arora (Retd.) Director Defence Services Welfare Punjab.