July 07, 1999

The Government has approved a package of measures for the welfare of families of defence personnel killed in the Kargil operations and also a compensation package for soldiers who have suffered battle injuries.

• For soldiers invalidated out of service - Rs. 500,000
• National Defence Fund will provide for expenditure towards purchase of medical equipment's and expenses.

For families and next to kin of soldiers killed in the operation

• For Housing facilities per family - Rs. 500,000
• Long term fixed deposit per family - Rs. 200,000
• Education for Children, problems faced by Widows and Parents of deceased soldiers will be redressed.
• The current limit of Rs. 10,00,000 on the total compensation a family/next of the kin can receive has been waived.

During the Chief Minister's conference on Kargil Operations on July 7, 1999, the Prime Minister constituted a committee to evolve a National Policy on welfare of soldiers and ex-servicemen on a permanent and institutionalised basis. The members of the committee are as follows:

• Shri George Fernandes, Minister of Defence
• Shri Yashwant Sinha Minister of Finance
• Shri Jyoti Basu Chief Minister of West Bengal
• Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
• Shrimati Shiela Dixit Chief Minister of Delhi
• Dr. Farooq Abdullah Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir
• Shri Prakash Singh Badal Chief Minister of Punjab
• Prof. Premkumar Dhumal Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh

While welcoming a suggestion for the erection of a national martyrs memorial to all the soldiers who have laid down their lives in defence of the Motherland in all the wars since 1947, the Prime Minister has stated that the Government, in consultation with all the political parties and State Governments, will soon take appropriate action in the matter.