Treatment under Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy) now permitted for ECHS beneficiaries. #स्वास्थ्य #सहयोग#सहायता #संपर्क Press Information Bureau – PIB, Government of IndiaMinistry of Defence, Government of India HQ IDS – India

To meet the aspirations of large number of#Veterans, Government has allowed #ECHSpatients to claim travel allowances as entitled for the rank at the time of retirement for Rail Journeys / Travel by Government Transport. Press Information Bureau – PIB, Government of India Ministry of Defence, Government of India

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 11

In what will change an important part of their personal gear, the Army has approved an order for 12.75 lakh pairs of new-design high-ankle combat boots to be used by troops in all-weather conditions and in different terrain barring snow-bound areas.One of the parameters to select the boots was that troops should be able to wear them in temperatures varying from zero to 50 degrees Celsius. A cost negotiation committee finalised the boots, their cost, supply and logistics parameters before seeking final approval from the Ministry of Defence, said sources.The selection came after an extensive user trial by thousands of troops in 2016, followed by a feedback session. The Army assessed the feedback before four private companies were selected as eligible bidders. The annual requirement will be 6 lakh pairs of shoes, or 1,643 pairs daily, manufacturing which would be tough for any company. The Army has, thus, suggested distributing the order among three suppliers: Lowest bidder to get 40 pc of the order and 30 pc each for the other two.The Master General Ordnance has set a benchmark of providing better quality boots in tune with the latest concept of military boots available in the footwear industry in India and abroad. The Army had wanted the shoes be light in weight and the toe be made of scratch-resistant leather.12 lakh pairs needed

• Selected boots have special polyutherene sole with shock-absorbing capacity
• Possess slip-resistant properties, making these user-friendly in mountains
• All-weather feature ensures wearability in temp from zero to 50 degrees Celsius

Newly constructed strategically important 280 feet long bridge at Hussainiwala, which was destroyed during 1971 Indo-Pak War, was dedicated to the #Nation by Hon’ble Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman. #DefenceMinister appreciated the efforts made by #DGBRPress Information Bureau Shillong Ministry of Defence, Government of India

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 12

A policeman was killed and five security men were injured in an ongoing gunfight that raged in a Srinagar’s congested locality on Sunday morning.

The gunfight erupted in Batamaloo locality days ahead of Independence Day, when Srinagar is on a high alert.

The gunfight started around 4 am when joint teams of the J&K Police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation at Batamaloo after inputs about presence of two to three militants.

“The CASO turned into a gunfight when hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the security forces. In the initial gunfight, three policemen and equal number of the CRPF were injured. One of the injured policemen later succumbed to injuries,” a senior security officer said.

The operation in the congested locality is still under way.

The gunfight is taking place close to the same spot where a CRPF man was killed and another was injured in a militant attack on July 24.

12 SPOs have quit, announce Imams

Fallout of relentless attacks on cops in South Kashmir districts

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 11

At least 12 Special Police Officers (SPOs) of the J&K Police, all posted in South Kashmir districts, have quit. An announcement in this regard was made by local Imams (priests) on their behalf after the Friday prayers.The Imams of two mosques, while delivering sermons at Luraw Jagir and Pastoona Sayedabad villages of Tral in Pulwama district, on Friday announced that seven SPOs had  “quit their job” and were back home. At least five more SPOs “resigned publicly”  after the announcement, said sources. The resignations are seen as a fallout of the relentless militant attacks on policemen and SPOs, who are part-time police employees, in the past two weeks. Only some days ago, the state police had launched a crowd-funding campaign on Twitter to provide financial aid to the families of 499 SPOs killed while fighting militants. On August 7, an SPO was injured in an attack in Tral. A day earlier, militants had fired at another SPO but he escaped unhurt. On July 28, militants had released SPO Mudasir Lone, whom they had abducted the same morning. Before setting him free, they released a videotape of Lone urging fellow SPOs to quit their jobs. The SPOs, who number 24,000,  are paid a pittance —  Rs 6,000 per month.Dangerous trend

• All SPOs  who resigned were posted in South Kashmir districts
• Imam of Pastoona Sayedabad Jamia mosque announced resignations of Parvaiz Ahmed Ahanger, Hilal Ahmed Khan, Muzaffar Ahmed Khan and  Mudasir Ahmed Mir
• Imam of Luraw Jagir mosque announced resignations of Ishaq Ahmed Bhat, Gulzar Ahmed Wani and Aijaz Ahmed Mir
• J&K Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid said they were ‘verifying facts’

The Aero India 2019 may not be held in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force station after all. The Union government and the Ministry of Defence, according to sources, are in the process of shifting the 12th edition of the grand military and commercial air show to a new venue — Bakshi Ka Talab Air Force Station in Lucknow.

The military airport that is currently under the Central Air Command is likely to host India’s biggest biennial air show and aviation exhibition, sources told The New Indian Express. Bengaluru has been hosting the Aero India show since 1996. Talks of Aero India being shifted out of Bengaluru have been doing the rounds for years now. Goa was being considered as a potential venue for the event that sees participation from defence manufacturing firms from across the world as part of the expo apart from displaying the might of the Indian Air Force.

In a move that has come as a surprise to many within the air force, the defence ministry that was in the process of identifying new venues is said to have zeroed in on Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow. “It is an apology of an air field. To conduct something on the scale of Aero India is impossible at the suggested venue,” said a senior officer of the Indian Air Force.

Space constraint was pointed out to be the single most important reason to shift Aero India out of Bengaluru but the purportedly suggested new venue in Lucknow is a downgrade from Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force station even in terms of real estate. Challenges that Bakshi Ka Talab pose for such an event became evident when an aero show of a much smaller scale was held in 2016 at the venue. With a mere crowd of 5,000 visitors, traffic, security and infrastructure were a challenge.

“Inadequate infrastructure, security concerns for air show routines and sorties, lack of preparedness at the venue, inadequate basic amenities were a concern in 2016 as well and that was a much smaller air show,” said an Air Force official adding that the venue may not be ideal, at least on the lines of aviation safety, for something as massive as the Aero India show.

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, August 24
In a major relief to about 700 families residing in the RA Parade Ground area, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has granted an administrative stay on the eviction of the families.
The Defence Minister has informed Health Minister Anil Vij about the stay through a letter.

Ambala Cantonment Board Vice-President Ajay Baweja told The Tribune: “In April last year, we had made a representation before Health Minister Anil Vij regarding the families living in the RA Parade Ground area. Anil Vij had further requested the Ministry of Defence to frame a suitable policy regarding the land occupied by around 700 houses belonging to the weaker sections in the area, after imposing reasonable development charges.”
“The RA Parade Ground land, about 176.871 acre, belongs to the Ministry of Defence and families have been living there for around 200 years. They were brought here from Uttar Pradesh by the British to grow and supply vegetables to them. From time to time, people were granted agricultural leases and the last lease expired on May 31, 1975, and the land was required for defence purposes. The land was, however, never vacated by the former lessees. Due to the unauthorised occupation of the defence land, action against them was initiated under the PPE Act, 1971,” he added.
Baweja said: “The Army used to send notices and people living there were not allowed to do any construction. In case any construction was done, it was demolished. After examining the matter, the Defence Minister has granted an administrative stay on the eviction of these families. A letter has been received in this context. Now they will be able to do construction and the board will be able to develop the area.”
Baweja said: “The Parade Ground problem has been a political issue in Ambala. We are thankful to Anil Vij for raising the matter and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for granting stay.”