Veerta Chakra Winners and Veer Naris will be able to Travel Free in Roadways Buses | 17 Dec 2022

Why In News?

On December 16, 2022 at a function organized at Gandhi Park on the occasion of Vijay Diwas, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced free travel facility in Uttarakhand Transport Corporation buses to the brave soldiers and brave women of the state.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Dhami said that the construction work of martyr's gate and memorials in the state will now be done through the Sainik Welfare Department. Earlier it used to happen through the Culture Department.
• He said that in the 1971 war, 255 soldiers of Uttarakhand had sacrificed their lives to protect Mother India. As many as 74 soldiers of the state were awarded various gallantry medals for displaying indomitable courage and valour in the war.
• The Chief Minister said that the state government is making special plans for military families so that a soldier does not have to worry about the family while fighting a war. It has been decided to increase the grant amount to soldiers or their dependents and to appoint the dependents of martyrs on a priority basis in state government jobs.
• According to the officials of the Sainik Welfare Department, 1727 soldiers and army officers have received the Veerta Chakra in Uttarakhand. These include one Paramveer Chakra, six Ashoka Chakras, 13 Mahavir Chakras, 32 Kirti Chakras, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 102 Vir Chakras, 188 Shaurya Chakras, 36 Yudh Seva Medals, 847 Sena Medals (gallantry), 198 Mention in Dispatches, 70 Sena Medal, 45 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 56 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 129 Vishisht Seva Medal winners. At the same time, the number of Veer Naris in the state is currently around 1100.
• Significantly, Vijay Diwas is a symbol of indomitable courage and bravery of the brave soldiers of the Indian Army. On this day in the year 1971, more than 93,000 soldiers of Pakistan surrendered to the Indian Army. This was the largest surrender of any army after World War II.