As the country celebrates yet another Kargil Vijay Diwas on Thursday for the success of the war against Pakistan, the state government’s cash awards to gallant soldiers speaks volumes of its indifference towards them. The AP government pays a measly Rs 22,500 cash award besides Rs 1.5 lakh cash in lieu of land and Rs 1,000 annuity if someone from the state bags the coveted Param Vir Chakra.
The governments of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh provide more than Rs 25 lakh each to winners of the PVC. This is besides a cash grant of Rs 22,500, Rs 1.5 lakh (cash in lieu of land), and Rs 12,500 annuity. “Many states have raised the cash awards for gallantry, but AP is yet to do it. The state is, however, providing several benefits to ex-servicemen and their kin,” said N. Sreenesh Kumar, zilla sainik welfare officer, Ranga Reddy.
The winners of other gallantry awards like Ashok Chakra also get paid poorly in AP. The state gives cash awards ranging from Rs 23,000 to Rs 1.45 lakh, while states like Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra pay Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Sources said the participants of the Kargil war got better benefits such as land and cash awards (Rs 5 lakh each), thanks to a then proactive government. Officers got better benefits than lower ranked soldiers. Defence minister A.K. Antony recently expressed dismay at variations in cash awards in states and promised to raise the monetary allowance given to winners of gallantry awards.