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14,500 safety bunkers coming up in J&K border areas (Roundup)
Jammu, June 8 (IANS) Nearly 14,500 safety bunkers will be constructed in Jammu and Kashmir border areas for people to take shelter in the event of Pakistani shelling of civilian areas on this side, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, capping his two-day trip to the state.
The Home Minister said the government would raise seven more India Reserve Battalions of special armed police in the state.
He announced increase in financial compensation to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh for persons killed during cross-border firing on the International Boundary and the Line of Control. The amount will be directly credited to the account of next of kin. This removes the condition of a fixed deposit account to receive the financial assistance.
The minister said the government has also decided to increase to Rs 50,000 from Rs 30,000 the compensation for each animal killed during the border firing.
The Home Minister said the government was concerned over the safety of people living in border areas as Pakistani forces continue unprovoked firing and shelling to target Indian areas.
To ensure their safety, 13,029 bunkers each with a capacity to shelter 8-10 people and 1,431 community bunkers each with a capacity to house 40-50 people would be constructed in the areas near the borders.
For this, he said, Rs 450 crore was sanctioned. The minister said five bullet-proof ambulances would also be stationed permanently on the border areas to tackle emergency situations.
He said five IR battalions would be raised with 60 per cent reservation for border residents. There will be two more women battalions — one each for Jammu and the valley. This, besides boosting security, will also give direct employment to nearly 7,000 young men and women in the state.
Two of the battalions, the minister said, would be deployed to guard villages falling between 0-10 km from forward posts.
The minister also announced financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh per family for west Pakistani refugees settled in the state since 1947. The decision will benefit nearly 5,764 families who have no citizenship and voting rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
These refugees cannot apply for state government jobs and vote in Assembly elections. But they are eligible to vote in parliamentary polls.
Rajnath Singh said the government had decided to increase to Rs 13,000 from 10,000 the monthly financial assistance for each Kashmiri migrant family living in Jammu and other parts of the country.
“Once I reach Delhi, an order will be issued regarding the financial assistance to west Pakistan refugees settled in Jammu and Kashmir and the (Kashmiri) migrants,” he said.
Earlier, Rajnath Singh visited R.S. Pora and Naushera borders areas in Jammu.
He also visited north Kashmir Kupwara district hours after militants attacked security forces some 20 km from the town where the Home Minister, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and MoS (PMO) Jitendra Singh met people amid elaborate security arrangements.
Rajnath Singh flew back to Delhi in the evening ending the visit to the state to assess the security situation in the aftermath of the ongoing Ramadan ceasefire.
Amid speculations that the ceasefire would be extended beyond the Muslim month of fasting, Rajnath Singh said any decision regarding that would be taken only after taking a holistic view of the security scenario in the state.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.