The State Government’s decision to enhance the one-time grant to gallantry awardees from Karnataka has been welcomed by the city-based Ve-Kare Ex-Servicemen Trust.
The trust had sought an enhancement and made repeated representations in the past on the grounds that the State Government’s one-time cash component did not match similar grants announced in other States.
As per the Government notification, the one-time cash component for Param Vir Chakra (PVC) has been hiked from ₹25 lakh to ₹1.5 crore and for Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) it has been enhanced from ₹12 lakh to ₹1 crore.
The grant for Ashok Chakra recipients has been enhanced from ₹25 lakh to ₹1.5 crore while it has gone up from ₹12 lakh to ₹1 crore for Kirti Chakra. Veera Chakra will carry ₹50 lakh instead of ₹8 lakh while Sena Medal awardees and those who find their names in Mention in Dispatch will receive ₹15 lakh instead of ₹2 lakh awarded earlier, as per the Government notification.
M.N. Subramani of Ve-Kare Ex-Servicemen Trust – an NGO which advocates the cause of retired soldiers and takes up their case - said the State Government’s move though welcome, was long overdue. The gallantry awards are given in recognition of exceptional bravery in the line of duty and hence it is rare and the cash component should not be nominal, he added. Mr. Subramani pointed out that Karnataka introduced the cash component in lieu of granting land for the gallantry awardees and hence the amount should be substantial to enable the soldier to buy a house or land. “The cash component was not adequate to buy property given the escalating market rates,” he added.
