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Flag Day aflutter with floral tributes

Photo: T. Singaravelou

In honour: Kin of martyrs paying homage at the war memorial on the occasion of Flag Day in Puducherry on Friday. —

PUDUCHERRY: Launching of Armed Forces Flag Day Fund collection and offering floral tributes by ex-servicemen and widows of ex-servicemen at the war memorial on the Beach Road marked the Flag Day celebrations here on Friday.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy allayed apprehensions of as many as 2,000 ex-servicemen regarding the implementation of various schemes announced by the Centre and the Union Territory government to promote their welfare.

When he was asked about the protest made by a section of ex-servicemen, he told newsmen that the government would fulfil all its promises including the one relating to increasing the subsistence allowance for the indigent ex-servicemen who had crossed 60 years from Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,000 before the next session of the Assembly.

After Lieutenant Governor Mukut Mithi launched the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund collection, Mr.Rangasamy and Assembly Speaker R. Radhakrishnan also contributed to the fund.

Replying to a query on the National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee (NECC)’s complaint that the Sainik Welfare Department of the Puducherry government had not taken steps to issue free house site ‘pattas’ to around 1,000 applicants though a G.O. was issued a couple of years ago, he said the department had been asked to identify the sites required for distribution.

To another query, he said the personnel concerned would be asked to look into the issue relating to the charge that Jawan Bhawan was not used as guest house for ex-servicemen belonging to other States when they visited the town. General secretary of the NECC R. Narayanasamy said ex-servicemen owing allegiance to the organisation registered their protest by wearing black badges on the Flag Day. He flayed the Sainik Welfare Department for not responding to their pleas on various issues. The NECC had also made a submission to the Kendriya Sainik Board, the UT and Central governments on the plight of the ex-servicemen and widows, he added. A G.O. issued on August 25, 2000 had come in the way of earmarking 20 per cent jobs for the ex-servicemen in the Group-D service, Mr. Narayanasamy said, adding that the Chief Minister’s promise on providing free sewing machines for 200 widows of ex-servicemen had not been fulfilled.

The Flag Day fund to the tune of Rs.3 crore should be utilised for the welfare of the ex-servicemen instead of keeping it as fixed deposit in “private and other banks,” he said.

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