PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off the Shaheed Samman Yatra- II from the residence of martyr Rifleman Naresh Kumar at Gujrada Mansingh, Sahastradhara road in Dehradun on Thursday. The CM met the family members of the martyr and collected soil from the family’s courtyard. He said that the State government has constructed a Shaurya Sthal (Sainya Dham) in Gunyalgaon in Dehradun in which sacred soil from the courtyards of all the martyrs is being placed. The CM said that the Yatra is dedicated to the martyrs whose saga of bravery and sacrifice has inspired everyone. He said that the martyrs have sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. “This is a proud moment for us as we express our gratitude to the families who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. The sacrifice of the martyrs teaches us that the true value of life lies in sacrifice, service, and dedication,’’ he said. The CM averred that numerous welfare schemes are being implemented in the State for the welfare of the families of martyrs. He said that 28 dependents of martyrs have been given jobs in different departments of the State government since 2018 and the process of appointment for 13 more is underway. The ex-gratia grant to the families of martyrs, which was previously Rs 10 lakh, has been increased to Rs 50 lakh. Similarly, the amount given to Param Vir Chakra recipients and their widows has been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore. He claimed that Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to appoint ex-servicemen as block representatives and provide them with an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month. Speaking on the occasion, the Sainik Kalyan minister Ganesh Joshi said that the Yatra will culminate on October 4 and the Shaheed Yatra Rath will be sent to Lansdowne with the families of the martyrs in a dignified ceremony. The families of the martyrs will be felicitated there in a ceremony held there. He informed that during the Yatra, officials of the department will visit the homes of the martyrs and collect soil from their courtyards in an urn. This sacred soil will be included in the Sainik Dham before its inauguration. Major general (retd) Sammy Sabharwal, director Sainik Kalyan brigadier (retd) Amrit Lal and a large number of ex-servicemen and public representatives attended the programme.
About The Author
