Dependents of martyrs to get Rs 50 lakh

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Agriculture and Farmers´ Welfare Minister,

O P Dhankar

, said on Sunday that the government is leaving no stone unturned to give honour and respect to the martyrs and their dependents in the state.

The state government has increased the ex-gratia given to the dependents of martyrs from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, 225 dependents of martyrs have been given jobs, Gram Gaurav Pats are being put up in villages to inspire people with the tales of bravery of martyrs and memorials are being set up to commemorate their memories.

The minister was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the memorial to Prithvi Singh, martyr of the India-China war in 1962 in Gijarodh village of Jhajjar district, on Sunday.

Referring to a meeting with the Union Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, regarding setting up a sainik school in Matanhel, he said the Central government would set up a memorial in the memory of martyrs of Rejangla.

“We can sleep peacefully at night just because our soldiers are guarding the country’s borders. A martyr never dies, his story of bravery lives on, and continues to inspire the countrymen,” he said.

A memorial has been set up after 53 years. Haryana is a land of brave hearts; it has two Victoria Cross recipients belonging to the pre-Independence era, brave heroes of 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, and the Kargil War. He announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from his voluntary fund and full support for the construction of martyr Prithvi Singh memorial.