The Hindu : More welfare measures for ex-servicemen soon: Rajagopal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 29, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

More welfare measures for ex-servicemen soon: Rajagopal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Dec. 28. The Union Minister of State for Defence, O. Rajagopal, today said the Centre would soon implement the report of the Madanlal Khurana Committee, which had suggested several welfare measures for Defence personnel and ex-servicemen.

Inaugurating a State convention of the Kerala State Ex-Services' League here, Mr. Rajagopal called for joint efforts on the part of the State and Central Governments to sort out the genuine problems of ex-servicemen. He said the pleas of the ex-servicemen were going unheard since they did not constitute a vote bank in the State.

The Centre was willing to lend all assistance for setting up housing colonies for ex-servicemen, if the State Government could make the requisite land available, he said.

He criticised the Opposition parties for continuing to boycott the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, who was the "most jawan-friendly Minister India has ever seen". It was because of the initiative of Mr. Fernandes that the `proxy voting facility' was introduced for the Defence personnel so that they were not kept out of the democratic process, Mr. Rajagopal said.

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