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IMPHAL — Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Sunday that the state has the highest number of officers serving in the armed forces per capita and announced a memorial for the Indian Army.
He made the announcement during the commemoration of the 8th Armed Forces Veterans Day on Sunday in Imphal. Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Th Biswajit Singh also attended the state-level event, which took place at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles.
In his speech, Singh lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his initiative to commemorate Armed Forces Veterans Day every year since 2017 and mentioned that the state has so far produced two army officers with the rank of lieutenant general despite its small population.
Concerning the welfare initiatives for personnel who had served in the armed forces, he said that a 5% reservation had been made for former servicemen in state government job recruitment, as well as a 5-year age relaxation for appearing in job recruitment through the Manipur Public Service Commission.
Recalling the valour and sacrifice made by army officers from the state, such as Major Laishram Jyotin Singh and Major Bob Khathing, he announced that the state government is seeking a suitable site for the construction of a memorial for the Indian Army.
This recognition is in honour of the sacrifices made by these officers for the security of the country. He added that an amount of INR 3 crore has been earmarked for this initiative and assured that the project would be completed before Armed Forces Veterans Day next year.
In his speech, Biswajit stated that commemorating Armed Forces Veterans Day is critical, given the sacrifices made by many brave hearts for the country's security.
During the programme, the Chief Minister felicitated distinguished and gallantry award-winning veterans and veer naris as a mark of respect for their dedicated service to the nation.
Later, in the afternoon, Biren Singh visited the families of the four persons who were found dead at Haotak Mapalok Ching, Bishnupur district, recently.
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