Orissa to donate Rs one crore to corpus fund

Bhubaneswar, Aug 20 (UNI) The Orissa government will donate a sum of Rs one crore to the corpus fund created for the welfare of ex-service men.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today made the announcement while presiding over the fifth state Sainik Board meeting here today.

The Chief Minister also announced to raise the monthly pension of the ex-servicemen and the family members of those who participated in the second world war from the existing Rs 500 to one thousand.

Highly eulogising the sacrifice, courage and patriotism of the ex-defence personnel, Mr Patnaik said their wellbeing was the moral responsibility of the society.

The Chief Minister also told the meeting about the government's decision to recruit 1652 exservicemen to the newly created State Armed Police Battalion.

Mr Patnaik also requested the Central Commandant Chief Lt Gen Gautam Dutta to introduce mobile canteen for the personnel residing in remote areas and to ensure that war widows did not face any problem in getting their pension.

The meeting also resolved to construct a martyr memorial at Bhubaneswar, to name a road in the capital after Kargil war martyr Major Padmapani Acharaya and to construct a Sanik Bhawan at Bhubaneswar.

Mr Patnaik also wanted the Central Commandant Chief to strengthen the recruitment process in the tribal dominated districts and relax the rule for recruitment of tribal youths to the Army.

UNI