HP Govt committed for welfare of freedom fighters: CM

Shimla, Mar 19 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has reiterated his government's resolve to look after the welfare needs of freedom fighters of the state, besides providing them facilities, honour and respect for the services they rendered during the freedom struggle.

He said this yesterday while presiding over the 13th the government had initiated a number of programmes for the welfare of the freedom fighters and their wards besides introducing the Himachal Pradesh Swantarta Senani Samman Yojna in the year 1985, he said.

The people of the state were grateful to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their comforts and spent youthful days in the prisons, suffered tortures at the hands of foreign rulers and fought tooth and nails to win the country freedom, he said.

The Chief Minister said the government had decided to increase the honorarium of the fredom fighters from November, 2005 which would benefit the freedom fighters and their widows and wards. It had also been agreed to unconditionally enhance the marriage grant to their daughters.

He said it had also been decided in principle to increase the grant for performing the last rites of the freedom fighters besides extending full state honour to them.

Mr Singh said the government had decided to transfer the honorarium to the unmarried daughters of the freedom fighters in the event of death of both the parents and would also consider transfering of honorarium to the physically and mentally challenged wards of the freedom fighters.

UNI XC VJ VP0807