Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, August 22: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur attended the Ex-Servicemen Gathering (ESM) and 175th Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojan organized by Fire & Fury Corps today at Rinchen Auditorium in Leh.
The two-day event also includes the Veer Nari Meet Day and Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) celebration. General Officer Commanding (GOC) 14 Corps, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta; GOC Leh Sub Area Major General Sunit Mehrotra; Ashok Chakra Laureate, Naib Subedar Chhering Mutup; MP for Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Mukesh Kumar Sinha, Chief Controller of Defense Accounts (PCDA) Prayagraj, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, Director of Zila Sainik Welfare Office (ZSWO) and ESM League President, Retd Subedar Major Sonam Morup were present during the of the event.
Appreciating the sacrifices and service of ESM to the country during wars, LG Mathur said that organizing such gatherings would provide a platform for ESM and Veer Nari to develop a bond between them, share experiences and also solve problems related to their retirement, etc. He appreciated Fire & Fury Corps for the event and said that the UT administration could set up a booth at the next ESM gathering as well.
LG Mathur advised ESM to prepare for two careers after retiring from service. He said the administration will work to ensure that various beneficial DESW programs are made available to all ESMs and Veer Naris.
LG Mathur informed about various initiatives taken by UT administration for the benefit of ex-servicemen i.e. providing compensation of Rs 5 lakh to relatives of Galwan war martyrs, 6% reservation in government jobs , etc. He informed that there is also a demand from the ESM. provide hospitality training.
Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal appreciated the contribution of ex-servicemen to society by taking on roles such as Nambardar and Sarpanch for the benefit of villages.
GOC 14 Corps, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta briefed on the various policies and initiatives taken to benefit the ESM, including pro bono for deceased and disabled soldiers, appointment of the director of Zila Sainik’s welfare office, l allocation of land for rehabilitation of ESM, opportunity in tourism sector, reservation for ITI and technical education and allocations for Veer Naris, etc.
Mukesh Kumar Sinha, PCDA and Chairman of ZSWO, Col. Rinchen, informed that the pension issues of ex-servicemen will be resolved at the earliest.
LG Mathur congratulated the war heroes and Veer Naris. He also interacted with ex-servicemen, inspected the pits and learned about the various facilities provided at the ESM during the two-day rally.
Earlier, GOC Leh Sub-Region Major General Sunit Mehrotra delivered the welcome speech, while ESM League President Retd Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Sonam Murup delivered the vote of thanks.
