Indian military called in to help flood-hit north-east

Air force helicopters and soldiers in rubber dinghies helped deliver fresh water and food to flood victims in northeast India on Tuesday as the number of displaced rose to 1.8 million.
6:36PM BST 25 Sep 2012
Nineteen of 27 districts in the state of Assam have been hit by floods and 13 people have been killed over the past week, according to the latest figures from the local disaster management authority.
The remote and impoverished state, which was rocked by ethnic violence last month, has been flooded three times this year by the mighty Brahmaputra River, which often breaks its banks during the monsoon season.
"We have called in the army to assist civil authorities in rescue operations in several parts of the state where people are trapped with floodwaters entering their homes," Assam's Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Prithibi Majhi told AFP. Thousands of people in Majuli, a densely populated river island about 220 miles from Assam's main city of Guwahati, have fled to higher ground or are crowded onto embankments.
An air force helicopter, flying missions in between rain storms, was seen dropping packets of rice, water, biscuits and baby food on one embankment, sparking a scramble among young and old.
We just had enough time to pick up some clothes and drinking water bottles before we got onto a boat to reach a highland some distance away," elderly local Bhabani Pegu told the News Live channel.
"There was a breach in the dyke and soon water swept through the village before anybody could react."
Rain is continuing to pound Assam and adjoining Arunachal Pradesh state, where the Brahmaputra flows into India from its starting point in bordering Tibet. The number of displaced people stood at 1.5 million on Monday.
According to the Central Water Commission, the river was flowing above the danger level in at least 10 places in Assam and still rising.
A government relief effort is gathering pace to help the stranded and displaced, but is being hampered by the bad weather.
"We have opened more than 3,000 makeshift camps so far across the state," Assam Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka told AFP.
"The actual damage caused to standing crops is yet to be assessed, but going by the magnitude it appears the loss would be tremendous."
Floodwaters have also submerged the internationally famous 166-square-mile Kaziranga National Park in eastern Assam, home to the world's largest concentration of endangered one-horned rhinos.
"Almost the entire park is under water with animals fleeing the sanctuary to safer areas," a park ranger said, requesting not to be named.
Authorities are asking truckers and other drivers on a nearby national highway to drive at less than 40 kilometres an hour to reduce the risks for wildlife fleeing the floods.
The Brahmaputra has flooded twice already this year, in June and in August, an official in the local weather office told AFP.
Indian military called in to help flood-hit north-east

NDMA- Vision sans Mission Authors Adarsh Apartment Disaster

General Nirmal Chander Vij was the 21st Indian Chief of Army Staff during 31 Dec 2002 - 31 Jan 2005. He was born in January 1943 at Jammu. He completed his studies at the SRML Higher Secondary School, Jammu and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1959. He was commissioned into the Dogra Regiment on 11 December 1962. Within weeks of his commissioning, he saw action in the Walong sector in the 1962 Indo-China War. Since then he has served in the eastern sector six times, the last time being as the General Officer Commanding of the IV Corps. Vij has served as the General Staff Officer of an Infantry Division, a Director in the Military Operations Directorate as a Colonel and Deputy Director General of Perspective Planning (Strategic Planning) as a Brigadier at Army HQ in New Delhi.

Vij served as the Major General, General Staff at the Western Command in Chandimandir, Chandigarh (Punjab) and during the 1999 Kargil War, he served as the Director General Military Operations (DGMO). During this time he was criticized for appearing, in his professional capacity before a group of senior BJP leaders, and briefing them. In 1999, he broke the military tradition to brief members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on operations in Kargil, when he was Director General of Military Operations. For his services as the DGMO, he was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal. He was involved in the planning and execution of Operation Khukri - to extricate trapped Indian peacekeeping troops in Sierra Leone. The formations he has commanded include a mountain brigade involved in active counter- insurgency operations in the north east, an elite RAPID (Reorganised Army Plains Infantry Division) unit, the Strike Corps based at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and the IV Corps based at Tezpur, Assam. He is also a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM). On 1 October 2000, Vij was appointed as the GOC of Southern Command at Pune and led the Army's rescue efforts during the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. In October 2001, he was appointed as the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) at New Delhi and in January 2002, he was appointed as the 10th Colonel of the Dogra Regiment and the Dogra Scouts. He was appointed as the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on 31 December 2004. He is married to Rita Vij and they have a son, Nalin, who is a software engineer in the United States.

General Vij retired on 31 January 2005, after completing more than 42 years service. As of 2010, he is the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, with an equivalent rank of a Union Minister of State.
Biodata of Gen NC Vij

Recent Controversy- Adarsh Scam
Builders by name Adarsh Housing Cooperative Society have been constructing buildings in the prime government land in Mumbai. The permission for construction on this government land has been taken in name of providing the affordable accommodation to war widows and the land had been reserved for this purpose. However, many politicians, top military officials, other bureaucrats and their relatives have taken the ownership of the flats. Ashok Chavan, chief minister of Maharashtra has resigned for his role in this scam. CBI is probing the scam. Gen N C Vij along with two other former military chiefs - Gen Deepak Kapoor, and Admiral Madhvendra Singh have offered to give up their apartments.

Experience gained managing National Disasters will enable Gen NC Vij to tide over his present disaster!

Gen. N.C.Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (Retd) Vice Chairman Appointment 28 September 2005 as Vice Chairman NDMA.
Gen Vij, who rose to be the Army Chief, was commissioned in the Indian Army in Dec 1962 and participated in all the Wars fought by India. The many noteworthy command and staff assignments handled by him, include those of Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and Vice Chief of the Army Staff.

A highly acclaimed military strategist; as the DGMO during the Kargil War, he was responsible for organizing a coordinated withdrawal of Pakistan troops from the War Zone. Another feather in his cap as DGMO was to conceptualize and thereafter oversee the execution of the operations (OP KHUKRI), in Sierra Leone, wherein over 455 Indian Soldiers, serving as part of UN Peace Keeping contingent who had been taken hostage, were rescued in a dare devil operation. This action won worldwide acclaim and appreciation. His tenure as the Army Chief was acclaimed widely for a bold and imaginative strategy of laying a 670 km long fence all along the line of control in J&K, in a record time of nine months, thus reducing the infiltration to a trickle. He was also responsible for conceptualizing the raising of a new Command and Corps HQ each for providing a strategically balanced posture. For his distinguished service, he has been awarded Param Vishist Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and Ati Vishist Seva Medal.

He has vast experience in disaster management. Among the most notable of his contributions in this field are in case of Orissa Super Cyclone, wherein he coordinated the assistance rendered by the Army. He personally handled the rescue and relief operations in Gujarat as Southern Army Commander and Tsunami as the Army Chief. On 28 Sep 2005, he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, which is headed by the Prime Minister.
NDMA- Vision sans Mission
Related Blog Posts
Misplaced Priority of National Disaster Management Authority
MOD asks Deepak Kapoor to Manage his own Disaster

IDSA ranks Asia's top ten think- tank

Ties with China of "Great Importance" to US: Antony
PIB Thursday, November 11, 2010 17:29 IST
The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has said that India attaches great importance to its relations with China. Addressing a function here today after presenting the K. Subrahmanyam Award to Dr. Srikant Kondapalli, a noted scholar on Chinese Studies, Shri Antony hoped the award would encourage others to undertake intensive research on the rise of China as a superpower. Following is the text of the address delivered by Shri Antony on the occasion, to mark the 45th Foundation day of the Institute for defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA): -

“It is a real pleasure to be in your midst for the 45th Foundation Day of IDSA. I express my warm greetings to all of you on the occasion. Our gratitude is also due to Professor Kaushik Basu, a renowned economist, for delivering the Foundation Day address today. I hope that the ideas expressed in his address will generate greater interest among our scholars on various issues and also in using other disciplines in their research. His ideas are thought-provoking. They will be useful to all of us.

One problem plaguing our institutes, think-tanks and universities is that they often work within the narrow confines of their respective disciplines. Real life problems, as complex as security and its various dimensions require a multi-disciplinary approach. It calls for a thorough understanding of a wide array of disciplines like Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Geography, History, Psychology and Natural Sciences. The security challenges of today are far more complex than at any time in the past. These challenges are both - global and local and nearly always, interlinked. Mankind needs to grasp facts clearly and understand issues in the proper perspective to facilitate better and quicker policy making. In this context, Indian think-tanks will have to discharge an important responsibility by way of rigorous policy research to support more-informed policy making.

I also take this opportunity to heartily congratulate Dr. Srikant Kondapalli for winning this year’s K. Subrahmanyam Award. This is the fourth award in the series and its conferment recognizes Dr. Kondapalli’s outstanding work on China, especially, its Armed Forces. We attach great importance to our relations with China. I hope that this award will provide impetus to other researchers to go in for more intensive research work on China. I also wish to compliment the winners of this year’s President Awards for their noteworthy contributions in journals of repute. I wish to strongly urge the younger scholars of IDSA to draw inspiration from such researchers and excel in their fields of study.

I am told that for the third year in succession, IDSA has been ranked amongst Asia’s top ten and the world’s top fifty think-tanks. In fact, IDSA is the only think-tank from India to have been included in this list. That way it is a satisfactory thing. You should not be satisfied with the 10th rank. You must aim to become No. 1, if not No. 1, then No 2. Even at the recent Commonwealth Games, India stood at No 2. So, IDSA too should aim to become at least No. 2. Coupled with the rising popularity of the Institute’s Visiting Scholars’ Programme, this reflects its growing national and international stature.

Despite these satisfactory developments, we cannot afford to relax and be complacent. There is still a lot of hard work ahead for all of us, if we really want to fructify the vision of becoming a ‘centre of excellence’. As I have said on earlier occasions, IDSA has to intensify its efforts to make the Institute’s work more relevant and useful to the policy-makers. You must be able to foresee the future challenges the country faces. You must strive tirelessly to continuously improve the quality and quantity of research work. IDSA scholars particularly need to increasingly tap the primary sources and field visits to add quality to your work. Original sources alone will provide new insights that are in touch with the ground reality. Last but not the least, research must not remain confined to being published in journals. You must make your research work more transparent and accessible to our policy makers, parliamentarians, the media, and to the general people. IDSA scholars need to reach out to as wide cross-section of the society, as possible. The ideas and findings need to be communicated in a substantial measure.

Let me share some thoughts on the issues that in my view the Institute needs to focus on. You must utilize the available human resources to turn the focus on key areas for deeper research, rather than scattering them on a large number of issues. You must focus only on key issues.

Among other things, your research work must factor in the rapidly changing geopolitical equations, geo-strategic developments and their implications for India’s security. You must pay special, critical attention to the developments in our immediate neighbourhood and beyond.

Today, the security scenario is constantly evolving due to the changing nature of conflicts. You must focus your energy on the strategy and force structures needed to face these unconventional threats and asymmetric conflicts. There are other issues that merit attention like defence reforms focusing on jointness, acquisition, offsets, development of India’s defence industrial base, terrorism, climate change and energy security. The challenge lies in producing original, high quality research studies with in a form that is useful for the policy makers.

Before I conclude, I wish to strongly emphasise the urgent need for high quality, analytical research work capable of anticipating threats, arriving at better-informed policy decisions and for defending India’s vital security interests.

Five years from now, IDSA will be celebrating the 50th Foundation Day. You must set your sights on becoming not only the best in Asia, but also in the world by 2015. I assure you my full support to your endeavours and hope that you will take IDSA to even greater heights." PK/SK
Ties with China of "Great Importance" to US: Antony
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

MOD asks Deepak Kapoor to Manage his own Disaster

With his appointment to head the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stuck due to the controversy over Mumbai’s Adarsh housing society, former Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Thursday met Defence Minister A K Antony to explain his position on the matter.

The meeting took place even as Army Chief General V K Singh said on Thursday that the Army had been shamed and its image had taken a beating due to the controversy surrounding senior serving and retired army officers who acquired flats in the housing society.

Sources said Kapoor told Antony that he returned the flat allotted to him by the society — along with former Army Chief Gen N C Vij and former Navy Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh — and that he used his personal savings and loans to acquire it .

While Kapoor’s appointment with Antony was fixed earlier, the meeting came on a day when it was revealed that the government was not keen on his appointment to head the NDMA.
Scam has shamed Army, says Chief
Read more:
(Greedy) General Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC (b. 1948) was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on 30 September 2007 and Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee(COSC) appointed on 31 August 2009

Misplaced Priority of National Disaster Management Authority

The Vice Chairman National Disaster Management Authority, Gen N. C. Vij released the ‘National Disaster Management Guidelines – Management of Drought’ compiled by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), here today. Speaking on the occasion he emphasized that drought is not merely a physical phenomenon characterised by conditions of soil, water and vegetation. It has a very deep implication on the social life and behaviour pattern of rural people.

The Guidelines for the Management of Drought have been formulated after a ‘nine step’ process fully taking on board various Central Ministries and Departments and the States. The process also included wide consultations with scientific and technical institutions, academics, technocrats and humanitarian organizations. The draft guidelines documents were circulated to all the Ministries/Departments at the Centre and the States for their feedback. All workable suggestions have been incorporated. (only six out of nine steps have been described the other three presumably falls under OSA- probably and perhaps not disclosed)

NDMA in its guidelines has identified many current challenges in drought management including;

criteria followed for drought declaration and the time when the drought is declared differs across the states

indicators used and the methodology followed for drought intensity assessment and drought monitoring differ largely from state to state

data sharing for drought assessment and drought declaration

insufficient use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools by various agencies in management of drought

Lack of check dams in the rainfed areas results in inadequate storage-water in times of need or drought

Lack of community participation in drought management activities at the village/tehsil level, and the low levels of involvement of Self Help Groups, NGOs and the corporate sector.
Read more:
NDMA Guidelines on Management of Drought Released

Comments and Suggestions
NDMA should focus on Disasters and not on Drought (which is only a water management problem).
NDMA has a Vision but no Mission
What then should be NDMA's Mission Statement?
NDMA mission should be to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

What is Disaster?
It strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms- a hurricane, an earthquake, a tsunami, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill including radioactive contamination, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of Indians face disaster (On going floods in India is an example), and its terrifying consequences.

What is Drought?
Drought is only one component of a disaster which is mainly due to lack of rainfall (leads to farmers distress) caused mainly by excessive deforestation and compounded by man's greed to deplete natural resources. This should be addressed mainly by the Environment, Irrigation and Agriculture Ministry. The bureaucrats need to get their act together to Manage Disasters. Just by merely placing a retired General as Vice Chairman is not likely to improve Disaster management!

Bengal Sappers rescue 1,200 in 3 days

Roorkee, September 22. Personnel of the Bengal Sappers provide medical aid to an old woman; and (right) pass through a sugarcane field in their boat to rescue marooned villagers near Laksar on Wednesday. Photos: Navreet Milton

The havoc created by the Solani river in parts of Uttarakhand in the past few days due to incessant rain has forced the civil administration to requisition the services of the army to undertake rescue and relief operations on a war footing.

The Bengal Sappers in Roorkee have been providing succour to marooned villagers for the past 72 hours in Laskar and nearby villages of Jogawali, Dabkikhera, Dhadeki, Hastmoli, Mathani and Monawala. Laksar in Haridwar district has been badly hit this monsoon. Jogawali village, known for revenue generation through its rice and sugarcane crops, is one of the worst affected villages.

Columns of the Bengal Sappers have rescued marooned villagers and provided them with food and medical aid.

The fact that the submerged areas are crocodile infested made it difficult for the villagers to wade through the water to safer areas. It was a relief for them when army rescue boats arrived with rations and medicines.

Food packets have been provided by the civil administration while medical relief is being administered by army doctors.

There were many villages which could not be accessed initially by rescue teams. It was only after persistent efforts of two rescue teams comprising four Sapper officers, two medical officers, eight JCOs and 100 jawans of the Bengal Engineer Group that the teams could navigate their way in dangerous crocodile and snake-infested flood waters and reach the marooned villages.

It is now three days that army rescue teams from Roorkee have been engaged in rescue operations.

They have evacuated 1,200 persons from 15 to 18 villages and administered medical aid to almost 750 victims.

The army has also distributed 7,600 food packets to flood victims. An army doctor said that most cases were of fever, diarrhoea and severe dehydration.

Dabkikhera village, which had a habitation of 250 houses, has been wiped out by floods. Though most rescued animals have been provided shelter in buildings, their survival is in doubt as no fodder is available. Uttarakhand has seen such devastation due to floods after 32 years.
Bengal Sappers rescue 1,200 in 3 days Tribune News Service

No threat to Games Village as floods raise water level

Taj Mahal as Shah Jahan saw it
A river in spate, the angry and overflowing Yamuna is now touching the foundation of the Taj Mahal, providing thousands of visitors to the 'Symbol of Love' a rare spectacle — "just the way the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had wanted it to look." Heritage lover Sudhir Gupta said: "If the emperor had been alive and looking at the Taj from his confines in the fort he would have been mighty pleased, for that is how he had wanted it to look."
Flood situation worsens in Bareilly & Moradabad Monday 20 September, 2010.
More than 200 villages have been inundated in Bareilly and Moradabad divisions due to floods even as seven trains have been cancelled in the region.

Vehicular movement on National Highway 24, connecting Delhi with Lucknow, which was closed on Saturday night after its section near Moradabad division was flooded, would remain suspended till 22nd September.

More than 200 villages in Bareilly and Moradabad have been hit by floods due to incessant rain and release of water in Ramganga and Kosi rivers from Kalagarh, Naraura, Behgul, Nand Sagar and Dhaura dams.

According to Central Water Commission report, Ramganga was swelling by 2 cm by every hour. The danger mark is at 204.83 metres. The water level had touched 206.78 metres last week. There is no threat to Games Village even if the water level rises
Flood situation worsens in Bareilly & Moradabad

Over 500 NDRF Personnel Deployed for Flood Relief in Uttarakhand, Up & Bihar
2o Sep 2010, 17:27 IST
The Government of India has sent six teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue and relief work in Uttarakhand. Three teams comprising of 90 NDRF personnel along with 20 boats and other flood and rescue equipment have been deployed at Haridwar. Other three teams comprising of 101 personnel along with 25 boats and other flood and rescue equipment have been deployed at Rishikesh.

As on date, Rs 87.49 crore is available with the State Government in their Calamity Relief Fund/State Disaster Response Fund account.

In Bihar, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) consisting of 152 personnel along with 31 boats /equipments have been deployed in Gopalganj since 16-9-10 for rescue and relief work. Additionally, two teams consisting of 66 NDRF personnel along with 12 OBM boats have been deployed in Gopalganj on 19.9.2010.

As on date 1491.28 crore is available with the Bihar Government in their Calamity Relief Fund/State Disaster Response Fund account. However the final figures will be subject to reconciliation between the State Government and State Accountant General.

In Uttar Pradesh, a total of 79 NDRF personnel along with 11 boats have been deployed in Uttar Pradesh at Muradabad (39 personnel with 6 boats), Rampur (40 personnel with 5 boats). In addition 01 team comprising of 40 NDRF personnel with 5 boats and other flood and rescue equipment have been deployed in Rampur on 19.9.2010.

As on date, Rs 667.04 crore is available with the State Government in their Calamity Relief Fund /State Disaster Response Fund account.

Ministry of Home Affairs is constantly monitoring the situation in close coordination with the concerned State Governments and nodal Central Ministries.
Over 500 NDRF Personnel Deployed for Flood Relief in Uttarakhand, Up & Bihar

Defence Minister’s Message to the Armed Forces on The Eve of Independence Day

Saturday,14 August 2010 13:33 IST
==NOT TO BE BROADCAST / PUBLISHED BEFORE 1815 HRS TODAY==
Following is the English rendering of the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony’s address to the Armed Forces personnel broadcast over All India Radio on the eve of Independence Day:
My dear Jawans and members of our Armed Forces,
We celebrate our 64th Independence Day tomorrow. I pay my tributes to the martyrs and convey my greetings and best wishes to both uniformed and civilian personnel of the three wings of our Armed Forces on this occasion.

My sympathies are with the survivors of the Nature’s fury in Leh. I convey my heartfelt condolences to all those, who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy, including several Armed Forces personnel. It is difficult to pick up the pieces after such a large-scale loss of life and property. The personnel from Army, Air Force, DRDO and Border Roads Organisation have been doing a commendable job in accelerating rescue and relief efforts, restoring communication links and in assisting in attempts to restore normalcy at the earliest. The Armed Forces personnel have on several other occasions, rendered invaluable service in times of natural calamities.

Our Armed Forces guard the land, sea and air frontiers in harsh weather conditions and in forbidding terrains. Living away from families makes your task all the more challenging. The challenges to our nation’s security are indeed varied and manifold.

Our rising economic stature has brought with it several challenges. The developments in and around our neighbourhood have forced us to review and upgrade our security apparatus. The security measures taken by us are often misunderstood by some nations. However, we have always been a peace-loving nation and we will continue to strive for peaceful relations with all our neighbours.

Post-26/11, we have taken several steps to strengthen the security apparatus, particularly along the coastline. We have cleared the setting up of four air enclaves at Goa, Kochi, Vizag, and New Mangalore. Coastal security has been strengthened, with acquisitions of new systems and platforms.

Armed Forces all over the world are modernising and becoming technology-intensive. I wish to take this opportunity to assure you that our modernisation plans are on the right track. We want to give our Armed Forces the latest and the best possible equipment. We would like the modernization process to proceed hand-in-hand with indigenisation. The success in the development of the indigenous nuclear submarine - INS Arihant must be replicated in other fields too.

We have accorded top priority to create infrastructure and build all-weather roads in inaccessible areas. The Border Roads organization has been given the responsibility of constructing the Rohtang tunnel. This tunnel will ensure that the remote areas in the northern region, which remained inaccessible for over six months, will now be connected and accessible throughout the year. The Rohtang tunnel would be the longest tunnel in our country at such a high altitude.

Dear jawans, despite all odds, you all have been doing a creditable job – both during warlike situation and in peace. During my visit to Siachen in June this year, the jawans raised the problems and difficulties being faced by them. Some of you wanted better quality socks and more snowmobiles for operational requirements. Some of you requested reduced telephone rates for better communication with your family members. I have directed the concerned officials and departments to take immediate remedial action. Though the pressure on our Armed Forces personnel is tremendous, the need for exercising maximum restraint cannot be over-emphasised. I wish to stress that any instance of human rights violation anywhere will not be tolerated.

Our Government has taken several welfare measures for the defence personnel. We are making efforts to improve the quality of atta, rice, vegetables, tea, pulses and other items. Similarly, we have made a provision for special rations to troops deployed in counter-insurgency operations. Special rations have also been authorised for additional troops serving in high-altitude areas – specifically above 12, 000 feet. A pilot project has been launched at 20 locations across the country for rail e-ticketing. With this facility, the system of railway warrants will be replaced and Armed Forces personnel will be able to book and print e-tickets through IRCTC websites at unit locations. This project will be gradually extended to more than 5, 000 Army, Air Force and Navy units across the country. We are committed to carry forward these measures and do a lot more for the all-round welfare of our jawans in the future.

We accord top priority to the welfare of our service personnel, as well as ex-servicemen. We are trying our best to ensure that there are no procedural delays in pension-related cases of ex-servicemen. Some Armed Forces personnel are retained in service, despite a disability that is attributed, or aggravated by military service, who forego a lump-sum compensation in lieu of the disability. Keeping in view their valour and sacrifice, it has been decided to grant them a disability element, or war injury element, at the time of their retirement, or discharge, in addition to the retiring/service pension or retiring/service gratuity. On the other hand, in case of pensioners who retire on disability pension, a decision has been taken to pay them a Constant Attendant at the rate of Rs 3, 000 per month, in addition to the disability pension.

Our Government has also granted permanent commission to women in non-combatant roles. I expect full cooperation from our Armed Forces in taking forward all such welfare schemes to their logical conclusion.

In our effort to further improve the living conditions of jawans, the Government has laid special emphasis on Married Accommodation Project (MAP). Under the project, a total of 1, 98, 881 Dwelling Units will be constructed in four phases. We are making all efforts to address the accommodation-related issues. We are sure that MAP will go a long way in boosting the morale of our Armed Forces.

Dear jawans, the nation is indeed proud of your devotion and sacrifice in securing our country’s borders. I once again extend my greetings on the eve of the Independence Day and convey my heartiest greetings and sincere wishes to all of you for a happy and a bright future. Jai Hind”. DM/RAJ
Defence Minister’s Message to the Armed Forces on The Eve of Independence Day

‘Thoughts are With Brave Hearts Who Lost Lives in Leh Mudslide’: Antony
The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the near and dear ones of all those Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in the recent mudslide triggered by a cloudburst in Leh. In a message on the eve of the 64th Independence Day, Shri Antony said, as the nation prepares to celebrate the Red Letter Day, his thoughts go out to those brave hearts who lost their lives in the line of duty, especially in the mudslide in Leh. Shri Antony wished speedy recovery to all those undergoing treatment at various hospitals. As per the latest figures, Army has suffered 8 fatal and 41 non-fatal casualties till date. 27 Army personnel including 3 officers are missing. Shri Antony commended the personnel from Army, Air Force, DRDO and Border Roads Organisation who are now working day and night to restore normalcy in Ladakh. Sitanshu Kar
‘Thoughts are With Brave Hearts Who Lost Lives in Leh Mudslide’: Antony

Army helps to control floods

Situation in flood ravaged districts of Punjab and Haryana further worsened on Friday as fresh breaches in Hansi Butana canal in Kaithal and Ghaggar in Sangrur district left several villages marooned even as army and other authorities were trying to plug the breaches.

The fresh breaches in Hansi Butana canal and Ghaggar had further compounded problems with army personnel summoned to plug these at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the road traffic on the Ambala-Hisar highway remained disrupted due to a 30 feet breach on road, officials said, adding army personnel were trying hard to restore traffic on the road. Meanwhile, a senior railway official told media in Chandigarh that the rail traffic had been restored on Ambala-Chandigarh railway line.
Read more
Situation worsens in flood-hit Punjab, Haryana