New department of Sainik Welfare set up in Himachal

Shimla, Jul 7 (UNI) Implementing yet another election promise, the Himachal Pradesh government has set up a separate department of Sainik Welfare to monitor the activities related to serving soldiers and ex-servicemen.

The new department will also take care of other issues like employment of ex-servicemen in public and private sector and ensure that 70 per cent Himachalis are employed in hydel and industrial projects.

Chief Minister P K Dhumal said his government is committed to implement every election promise and the party manifesto has been adopted as policy document of the government.

Directions to implement the same in letter and spirit has been issued to all the concerned departments and most of the promises have been fulfilled within a short span of six months, he added.

Mr Dhumal said Himachal is land of warriors and it was proud to have 98,361 ex-servicemen, 24,581 widows of ex-servicemen, 1,068 war widows 'Veer Naaris', 1, 20,300 serving soldiers and their families in the state who have served the nation with full devotion during war and peace.

The newly created department will be responsible to maintain liaison with the armed forces and get issues related to the state resolved at the appropriate level, maintain the record and recommend honors and distinctions to the exceptionally outstanding serving and ex-sevicemen, give boost to the sainik welfare activities, monitor war jagirs, administer special fund for reconstruction and rehabilitation of ex-servicemen, defence and security relief fund, he said.

Besides, observing the Flag Day, selecting candidates from the state for admission to Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun and closely following the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen will be looked after by the department, he added.

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