GUWAHATI, Dec 7 - The Armed Forces Flag Day was observed at Raj Bhawan today. It is for the fourth time that the occasion was observed here.
Every year since 1949, December 7 is observed as the Armed Forces Flag Day throughout the country with an aim to honour the martyrs and the men in uniform who not only fought valiantly for the country�s honour and safety but laid their lives for the sake of the motherland.
Paying tributes to the brave and martyred soldiers, Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi said the Armed Forces Flag Day was an occasion to extend honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen and generate funds for the welfare of the jawans and their dependants.
�Heroic achievements of our Armed Forces during various wars and while combating cross-border terrorism are commendable. In the line of their duty, many of our brave soldiers have lost their lives. The trauma and tragedy that the family goes through on the demise of service personnel is heart-rending. We as a grateful society must take care of the martyrs and their dependants,� he added.
The Governor also expressed satisfaction over the fact that Assam has 92 gallantry award winners, 34,000 ex-servicemen, 5,828 Veer Naris and 176 disabled veterans who are being looked after through 19 Zila Sainik Welfare Offices.
The Governor lauded the Sainik Board for providing educational scholarships to the wards of ex-servicemen right from Class 1 up to graduation and beyond for higher study in professional courses. He added that a grievance redressal mechanism has been set up in every district under the supervision of respective deputy commissioners to address the grievances of the veterans. The government has also enhanced the ex-gratia payment to the martyrs of the defence personnel from Rs 5 lakh to 20 lakh.
