Punjab raises ex gratia for martyrs’ kin five times from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh tweets this is besides a job for the next of kin of the fallen soldiers and says “it’s the least we can do for our brave servicemen who make the supreme sacrifice”

The Punjab government has decided to raise the ex-gratia payment to families of soldiers killed in action from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.

Family members of martyred soldier Satnam Singh performing his last rites in Gurdaspur on Thursday. (Representative Image/HT)

The state government took the decision on Thursday night saying “this is the least we can do for our brave” soldiers.

“Punjab Government has decided to increase the ex gratia for our soldiers killed in action from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, along with a job to the next of kin,” Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tweeted.

“This is the least we can do for our brave servicemen who make the supreme sacrifice for our motherland,” he said.

The state government gives Rs 10 to Rs 12 lakh to the families of fallen soldiers. Besides, it also offers a government job to the next of kin of the martyr hailing from Punjab.

On Wednesday, the CM had announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 12 lakh each for the families of naib subedars Satnam Singh and Mandeep Singh and Rs 10 lakh each for sepoys Gurtej Singh and Gurbinder Singh.

The decision of giving ex gratia of Rs 10 to 12 lakh to the family of a martyr was last taken in 1999.

Besides, a government job to a next of kin of the deceased was also announced.

Four soldiers from Punjab were among the 20 soldiers killed in a clash with the Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

Naib subedar Satnam Singh was from Gurdaspur, naib subedar Mandeep Singh from Patiala, sepoy Gurbinder Singh from Sangrur and sepoy Gurtej Singh from Mansa.