Uttarakhand raises Param Vir Chakra cash award by 400%, second highest in country after Haryana

The Uttarakhand government has increased the prize money for Param Vir Chakra (PVC) awardees by 400 percent over the past three years. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s recent announcement to raise the amount to ₹1.5 crore marks the second major increment during his four-year tenure.

Dhami on Friday announced an increase in the cash award accompanying the country’s highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, from the current ₹50 lakh to ₹1.5 crore. This marks the second major hike by his government since 2022. Earlier, on June 20, 2022, the Dhami cabinet had raised the PVC award amount from ₹30 lakh to ₹50 lakh. Speaking on the latest announcement, Dhami said his government is committed to the welfare of defence personnel and their families.

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“The country’s borders are safe and secure only because of the valour, courage, and sacrifices of our brave soldiers. Uttarakhand, known as Devbhumi, is also regarded as the land of Bravehearts. The state government is committed to the welfare of its families, and we are taking effective steps to safeguard their interests,” Chief Minister Dhami said.

Interestingly, Dhami’s announcement to hike the PVC cash award coincided with the death anniversary of his father, the late Subedar Sher Singh Dhami, who served in the Mahar Regiment of the Indian Army.

“Honouring soldiers is a matter of pride for Uttarakhand, and the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led state government is committed to this ideal. The Chief Minister’s decision to raise the PVC cash award by 400 percent is a landmark step — unprecedented in the state’s history. As a major contributor of manpower to the Indian Armed Forces, the state is duty-bound to honour its sons of the soil, and the Dhami government has upheld that responsibility,” said BJP’s senior state spokesperson and media in-charge, Manvir Singh Chauhan.

With Dhami’s announcement, Uttarakhand has now become the state or Union Territory offering the second-highest cash award to its defence personnel decorated with the Param Vir Chakra, after Haryana. Haryana grants ₹2 crore to its PVC awardees, while Telangana offers ₹1 crore.