- Indian Army proposes housing colony for ex-servicemen, families of killed armed forces personnel in Jammu;
- A hostel being built in Srinagar
By Ubair ul Hameed
The Indian Army has proposed a housing colony in Jammu and a hostel in Srinagar for retired personnel and the families of those killed in the line of duty.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi said that “the Board of Governors of the J&K Veterans Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) in Jammu has approved the AWHO Housing Project and conducted a Demand Survey Advertisement. From January 15 to February 15, 2023, J&K Veterans can apply for this project with their Domicile Certificate.”
“You are asked to apply as much as you can to make this project successful. Land acquisition will be carried out as per your response and the project will begin soon,” he said during his address on Veterans Day in Rajouri.
Lt Gen Dwivedi said that hostels for the children of killed armed forces personnel and ex-servicemen are also being constructed in Srinagar and Jammu.
“Hostel for children of our heroes and ex-servicemen in Srinagar is currently in the tendering stage and is slated to be finished as soon as possible in the fiscal year 2023–2024,” he said.
“On Tatlab Tilo Road in Jammu, a similar three-story, 100-bed hostel will also be constructed; the project has reached the Administration Approval stage,” said Lt Gen Dwivedi.
According to the AWHO, the demand survey for Jammu city for group Housing project is being carried out from 14 January 2023 to 30 April 2023 to ascertain the demand from serving/retired Army personnel, widows & parents of deceased Army personnel who are in receipt of family pension.
During his address, Lt Gen Dwivedi said that village defense committees are being strengthened and trained with the help of ex-servicemen.
In addition, he discussed the Indian Army’s recommendations for the formation of an ex-servicemen belt (loyal second tier) along the international boundary and the Line of Control.
Lt Gen Dwivedi also thanked the J&K government for caving in to a long-standing demand to raise the ex gratia number of soldiers killed in the erstwhile state.
“The exgratia amount for our fallen heroes in J&K has been raised from 5 lakh to 25 lakh. Similarly, monthly financial assistance to World War II and ex-J&K-Militia veterans, as well as Veer Naris, has been increased from 4,000 to 5,000, he said.
“So far, 60 claims have been passed out of 73 cases of exgratia relief from last year, totaling 1,52,95,000. The remaining 36,70,000 will be paid to the soldiers and their families shortly. “I thank LG Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha ji for all of these welfare measures,” Lt Gen Dwivedi added.
