Nagaland guv for hike in grant for ex-servicemen

Kohima: Nagaland governor P B Acharya, who is also president of the Rajya Sainik Board, said the grant-in-aid of Rs 9 lakh allotted for the welfare of ex-servicemen should be increased by 20% every year.
Speaking at the 20th annual meeting of the Nagaland Directorate of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement on Thursday, Acharya said defence officials should ensure that grievances and problems of ex-servicemen are resolved in a befitting manner.
The governor said the board should be primarily concerned with the welfare of the 3,407 ex-servicemen, including widows and World War II veterans, in the state.
He said these men had spent their prime defending the country from external aggression and maintaining the nation’s integrity. Their contribution should be honoured. Acharya also discussed about recruiting Naga youths in defence and paramilitary forces.
The governor said deputy commissioners being the president of Zila Sainik Boards and heads of their respective districts, were responsible for resolving the grievances of the ex-servicemen and were expected to be actively involved in implementing the decisions taken at the meeting.