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₹50 lakh ex gratia, govt job 'to honour soldiers' supreme sacrifice': Assam CM
An award ceremony was held in Assam's capital Guwahati to honour soldiers who fought in the 1971 conflict that led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said soldiers who died for their country would now be given ₹50 lakh instead of 20 lakh. Speaking at an event in honour of veterans of the 1971 war, he also said government jobs would be given to a family member.
Hailing initiatives taken by the ruling BJP government for the welfare of ex-servicemen, he said, "Our government has made efforts to recognise and compensate the sacrifices made by our soldiers by way of offering ₹50 lakh as ex gratia, jobs for next of kin, two per cent reservation in government jobs, and reservation of seats for their wards in medical studies."
An award ceremony was held in Assam's capital Guwahati to honour soldiers who fought in the 1971 conflict that led to the liberation of Bangladesh. Defence minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest. Sarma, his cabinet colleagues, and senior officials were also present.
"To honour the supreme sacrifice of soldiers who took part in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, an award ceremony will be held on April 23, which will be graced with the presence of Adarniya Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh Ji. Reviewed the preparations along with Cabinet colleagues," Sarma tweeted earlier.
Meanwhile, the union defence minister, speaking at length on the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), said the work of removing AFSPA - in place in multiple districts in the northeast - had been underway for the past three to four years.
"It's no small thing that for the last 3-4 years, the work of removing AFSPA is being done in the northeastern states. Recently AFSPA was completely removed from 23 Assam districts."
The defence minister also referred to the removal of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir. He made the same reference in 2015, when he was union home minister, saying the law could be withdrawn in the then state when the situation is conducive.
