Uttarakhand announces reservations for Agniveers

Agniveers will be granted reservation in government jobs in Uttarakhand upon their return after serving in the armed forces, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced on Friday, as the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Addressing a programme here to pay tributes to the armed forces personnel who fought valiantly in extremely harsh conditions to defend the nation's territory during the Kargil war in 1999, Dhami said legislation will be brought to extend the reservation.

"We will make provisions and bring an Act to give reservation to them in government services. We are working on this plan. We will make use of their skills and discipline in various government departments," he said.

The chief minister also announced that the aid extended to the kin of martyrs will be increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.

"No sacrifice can be bigger than the act of laying down one's life to secure the country's borders. No grant or honour can be enough for this supreme sacrifice," he added.

Paying tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the war, Dhami said the victory of a country in a war also depends upon the ability of the political leadership.

Apart from the brave soldiers, the credit for India's victory in the Kargil war also goes to the political courage and farsighted leadership of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said

"The same is true of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose leadership the morale of the armed forces has gone up like never before," the prime minister said.

He cited instances like the implementation of the OROP to underline the prioritisation of welfare measures for the armed forces under Modi's prime ministership.

"Even today, he (Modi) is celebrating Vijay Diwas with our soldiers in the Dras sector," Dhami added.