ALAPPUZHA: Chief minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate Global Peace Palace, a monument for war heroes and victims of terror attacks built by AKB Kumar, an ex-service man, at Thumboli near here on January 27. The construction of the monument, a replica of Agra's Taj Mahal, started on January 28, 2008.
"I have spent Rs1.25 crore for constructing this monument dedicated to India's war heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation," said 61-year-old Kumar at a press conference.
Kumar was a chief petty officer in the Indian Navy. He had joined the Navy at the age of 15. During his 18 years of service, he participated in the Indo-Pak war in 1971. Read more.
Moodubelle: On December 16, 2011, being the 50th and 40th anniversaries of the Wars of Liberation of Goa and Bangladesh respectively and in order to commemorate these two momentous historical events of great significance, the Lions Club of Moodubelle under the leadership of the Founder President, MJF Ln. Commodore Jerome Castelino organized a memorial function, during which the War Memorial built by Commodore Castelino in his courtyard was inaugurated by the District Governor MJF Ln. Jayakar Shetty Indrali. Later, during the stage function held in the Lions Seva Bhavan, Moodubelle, 34 Ex-servicemen from the Udupi District who had actively participated in Goa Liberation War (1961) and Bangladesh War (1971) were honoured.
Ex-servicemen of Udupi district, who had actively participated in these two wars, were honoured on this occasion. They are Subedar Major Alex D’Almeida, Naib Subedar Achutha Rao, Wing Commander A S Bhojaraj, Sqn Ldr K L Baliga, Craftsman Bhaskar Kini, Commodore Jerome Castelino VSM, Sergant Chandrashekhar Suvarna, Subedar Clement D’Silva, Ldg Seaman Diwakar Devadiga, Corporal P Dinesh Naik, Corporal Desmond Fernandes, Master Warrant officer Frederick Noronha, Hon Capt Gopalkrishna Prabhu, Naik Gopal Shetty, Sepoy Henry Quadros, Havaldar Jagannath Bangera, Hon Subedar Major Kutty Shetty, Sapper Koragappa Kundar, Naib Subedar M K Kumar, Corporal H M Kamath, Corporal Monthu Adrian D’Souza, Hon Naib Subedar U Panduranga, Hon Subedar P Raghu Shetty, Gunner B Rama, Colonel B Ramachandra Rao, Subedar Robert D’Sa, Air Vice Marshal K Ramesh Karnik, Corporal B K Salian, Corporal Simon Piad D’Souza, Sergeant K P Talwar, Lt Col Victor F D’Souza, Hon Subedar Major Vittal Nayak, Aircraftsman Walter Rosario and Havaldar William Barboza.
Picture credits to: Bellevision.com (to see more pictures Click Here)
Ex-servicemen's names as published in: Mangalorean.com (to read full story Click Here)
Government Aggressively Pursuing Measures for Welfare of Ex-Servicemen : Antony
Ministry of Home Affairs has consented to fill 10 percent of the Group ‘B’ posts in Central Paramilitary Forces from Indian Ex-Servicemen lot. This has been announced at the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee associated to his ministry here on 15th Dec 2011. Shri AK Antony, the Defence Minister said efforts are now being made to persuade public sector undertakings and the private sector to tap this invaluable reservoir of talented and disciplined Ex-Servicemen.
As per news released in GOI's website, Press Information Buereau, Shri Antony said the Government is taking ‘aggressive measures’ for the all-round welfare and well-being of Ex-Servicemen. He said the health of the Ex-Servicemen and their dependents is a prime concern for the government. Giving details of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) which has been operating since April 2003, Shri Antony said, presently the scheme caters to 38 lakh beneficiaries including 12 lakh Ex-Servicemen and over 26 lakh dependents. Initially, 227 polyclinics had been approved by the Cabinet.Later, in 2008 another 199 polyclinics were sanctioned, out of which 20 are functional and 179 polyclinics are in various stages of implementation. This scheme is currently being implemented through 247 polyclinics. Shri Antony said the reach and coverage of the scheme can be easily appreciated from the fact that during 2010-11, a total of 89 lakh patients attended the polyclinics. He hoped that with the commissioning of all the sanctioned polyclinics the entire fraternity of Ex-Servicemen would be covered comprehensively.
Cutting across party lines the Members of Parliament wholeheartedly appreciated the contribution of the Armed Forces personnel in ensuring the security and territorial integrity of the country as also their contribution in providing relief during natural calamities. They wanted to know the latest status as far as the demand for ‘One Rank One Pension’ (OROP) is concerned. The members also suggested that seats for the children of serving Armed Forces personnel and Ex-Servicemen should be reserved in all medical and dental colleges. Some members felt that there should be periodic inspection of the ECHS facilities so that the quality of service rendered by these units are kept high at all times. There was also a suggestion that the few surviving veterans of Second World War and war-widows should be given higher pension for dignified livelihood. Other suggestions were that the government should take urgent measures to build a suitable National Memorial for martyrs in the national capital and inclusion of the Members of Parliament in the ZilaSainik Board meetings. Please click here to read further.
