MNS: Maj Gen Binoy Poonnen, VSM, GOC Red Shield Division interacted with the Armed Forces veterans at Senapati on 16 April 2012. The interaction was attended by 400 Ex-Servicemen from the Senapati and Tamenglong districts. The aim of this interaction was to enquire into the welfare of the Ex-Servicemen and to apprise them on latest policy matters. The interaction provided an opportunity to the veterans to interact with the General and draw his attention towards matters of immediate concern.
During the course of the interaction, the unanimous opinion of the veterans was the neglect of Ex-Servicemen with no opportunities for re-employment upon termination of their service. The State of Manipur contributed a large proportion of personnel to the Armed Forces and hence it was incumbent upon the government to establish a formal redressal mechanism. Issues of immediate concern included the lack of reserved quota for Ex-Servicemen and their dependents in government jobs, as was existing in other states. Another long-standing issue has been the formal recognition of the Zila Sainik Board (ZSB) for Senapati district. The Senapati ZSB had received sanction from the Kendriya Sainik Board under the central government, in the year 1998, however till date, the Senapati district ZSB had not been approved by the State government. The ZSB is the primary, grass root-level forum which ensures that every Ex-Serviceman gets his rightful dues post-retirement and alleviates problems faced by the veterans in close coordination with the District administration. The Ex-Servicemen hoped that the newly elected government would pay heed to their legitimate demands. The veterans also pointed out that history was witness to the fact that hundreds of Manipuris had made the supreme sacrifice for the country, spanning from the British era till present day. The gathering urged the state government to construct a war memorial in the memory of all such soldiers as a token of remembrance and gratitude of the people.
Maj Gen Poonnen brought out that insurgency in the State had declined since the ceasefire arrangement with various UG groups. This had ushered in an era of progress and prosperity in the region.
The general congratulated the people of Senapati and Tamenglong district on the successful completion of free and fair elections recently. He remarked that this indicated a landmark victory for democracy and the people had displayed their defiance of the gun. He added that a large part of the credit goes to the Senapati brigade as well as to the Ex-Servicemen, who created an environment conducive to peace and tranquillity. The General said that the Ex-Servicemen are a well-disciplined part of the society who have spent their youth in the service of the nation. They were the epitome of national unity and integration at its best, who have now formed the threads of communal harmony within the state. The general encouraged the veterans to maintain this spirit of nationalism.
and assist the State towards achieving its
goal of lasting peace.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/goc-red-shield-div-interacts-with-ex-servicemen/
