CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy praises gallantry of Army

Tirupati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced 10 times hike in cash awards being given to the recipients of various military gallantry awards. Accordingly, the recipients of Param Veer Chakra and Ashok Chakra will get Rs1 cr hereafter as against the present Rs10 lakh. Addressing the 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh', Golden Jubilee celebrations of the iconic victory of Indian Armed Forces in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 in Tirupati on Thursday, the CM stated that Maha Veer Chakra and Keerthi Chakra recipients will get Rs 80 lakh instead of the present Rs 8 lakh.

Similarly, Veer Chakra and Sourya Chakra recipients to get Rs 60 lakh as against Rs 6 lakh.

Recalling the services of Major General (Retd) C Venugopal, a native of Tirupati and Sanyasi Naidu of Visakhapatnam and KJ Christopher of Kakinada, the Chief Minister said that the government wanted to honour the war heroes and gallantry award winners in a befitting manner.

It may be noted that CM Jagan visited the house C Venugopal who is 95-year-old and felicitated him. The victory flame was also handed over to him. He planted a sapling at Venugopal's residence. The military officials announced that the soil from his residence will be taken to Delhi to keep at the National War memorial.

The Chief Minister also recalled the formation of Bangladesh in which the valour of Indian armed forces was a major contribution during the Indo– Pak war 1971. It was because of the gallantry of the country's military the war ended in just 13 days which made the war a special one in the entire world.

To mark the golden jubilee of that great event, the victory torch has reached all the way to Tirupati in search of Major Gen C Venugopal, he described. "No words can describe the services and sacrifices of our armed forces. It is because of their sacrifices the 135 crore population could breathe freely in the country for which I am saluting them," he said.

Beginning his address in Telugu, CM Jagan said that his intention was to inspire the youth to become part of the Army. "Recruitment in the Army is not a job but a service to the nation. I wish more youth would come forward from the state to join the armed forces. My tributes to all martyrs who laid their life in service of the country," he stated. Lt General A Arun, Major General Rakesh Kumar Singh, Brigadier JJS Bhinder, Major Vertin Aravind, Raveender Singh and other military officials took part in the programme. DGP Gowtham Sawang, Dy CM K Narayana Swamy, Ministers P Ramachadnra Reddy and M Gowtham Reddy, district officials and others were also present.