Security agencies have controlled violence in J&K: Army commander

A top army commander has said that security agencies have effectively controlled violence in Jammu and Kashmir and have given a befitting reply to those trying to fulfil their “political goals” through proxy war.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi was speaking at a Veterans’ Day rally in Rajouri on Saturday when he also announced that the board of governors of the Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) has approved a housing project for veterans.

“Rajouri is the land of heroes and has never allowed the conspiracies and nefarious plans of the neighbouring nation to succeed. Security agencies have effectively controlled violence, and a befitting reply is being given to those who are trying to fulfil their political goals with the help of this proxy war,” he said.

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“Objective to solve veterans’ problems”

Greeting the participants of the seventh Veterans’ Day rally in Rajouri, Lt Gen Dwivedi said its main objective is to find out the problems of ex-servicemen living in the Union Territory and solve those as soon as possible with the help of the administration.

“AWHO Board of Governors, Jammu, has approved a housing project and conducted a demand survey advertisement, fulfilling the longstanding demand of our Jammu and Kashmir veterans. You can apply for this project with your domicile certificate from January 15 to February 15,” he said.

Land will be acquired based on the response received, and the project will start soon, the army commander said. He said a hostel for children of the heroes and ex-servicemen in Srinagar is also in the tender stage, and it is targeted to be completed at the earliest in the financial year 2023-24.

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Ex gratia payment now Rs 25 lakh

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has appointed nodal police officers of DSP rank to redress the grievances of ex-servicemen in all 20 districts of the Union Territory, Lt Gen Dwivedi said. He added that the Centre approved an amendment in the One Rank, One Pension scheme on December 23 last year, including the security personnel who retired after July 1, 2014.

“It is a matter of great pleasure that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has accepted the long-pending demand of increasing the ex gratia payment for our fallen heroes in the Union Territory from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.

Referring to Operation Sadbhavana of the Army for the welfare of the public, he said, “We have implemented 60 projects of school and education infrastructure, 75 projects related to sports, 39 health schemes in the area of 16 Corps for Rs 14.2 crore, which has benefited about 60,000 youth and other people.”

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“I also assure you that the Government of India and the Northern Command are always committed to the service of our veterans. I expect you to cooperate fully in the welfare schemes run by the Army and the government and make these schemes successful,” he said.

(With agency inputs)