Manipur’s Year of Agony
But everything changed in the month of May, as the state's ethnic fault lines cracked open and long-simmering tensions came to the boil.
In recognition of the exemplary valour shown by five Galwan valley martyrs hailing from Punjab, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday sanctioned Rs 25 lakh each for the development of their native villages.
Reviewing the various welfare measures for ex-servicemen, the CM said it was a humble effort on the part of the Punjab government to undertake the development of the villages of Galwan martyrs. Giving details, an official spokesperson said the CM has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh each for the development of village Seel in Patiala district from where Naib Sub Mandeep Singh of 3 Medium Regiment belonged; village Bhojraj in district Gurdaspur of Naib Sub Satnam Singh of 3 Medium Regiment; village Birewal Dogra in Mansa of Sep Gurtej Singh Vir Chakra awardee of 3 Punjab; village Tolewal in Sangrur of Sep Gurbrinder Singh of 3 Punjab; and village Mardanheri in Patiala of Lance Naik Saleem Khan of 58 Engineer Regiment.
Apart from the total Rs 1.25 crore sanctioned for the development of these five villages, the CM also approved Rs 18 crore for the Punjab State War Heroes Memorial and Museum at Amritsar.
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Further, in order to provide boarding and lodging facilities to ex-servicemen, war widows and their family members, the CM also sanctioned Rs 4 crore for the construction of Sainik Rest Houses at Mansa and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.
Capt Amarinder also approved Rs 39.50 lakh for the construction of the Victory Tower and renovation of War Memorial at Asafwala in Fazilka district. This memorial was constructed to commemorate the gallantry deeds of the soldiers, who laid down their lives during 1971 Indo-Pak war in Fazilka sector.
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