PANCHKULA: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Republic Day announced free coaching facility for the wards of defence personnel and paramilitary forces to prepare for all competitive exams, including those conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

The chief minister was speaking in Panchkula during a statelevel function.

While paying tribute to the freedom fighters and martyrs, the chief minister said the government had prepared a scheme with budget provision of ₹3 crore for providing free coaching facility for competitive exams of IAS, IPS, RCS, HPS, engineering, medical, NDA and banks to the children of serving soldiers as well as the ex-sevicemen.

Reiterating his government’s commitment for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and serving soldiers, Khattar said brave soldiers and martyrs had laid down their lives for the unity and integrity of the country. The state government has also set up a separate ‘department of sainik welfare’ to provide various services to ex-servicemen of the state in a more efficient and effective manner.He said that the present state government had so far given ex-gratia employment to 101 dependents. Also, the government had revised scholarships for cadets studying in Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, from ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 per annum, he added. He said the present government was ensuring all-round development in the state with the mantra of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’. The government has introduced 170 e-services of 23 departments so people can get various services at their doorstep. The CM also took salutes from the contingents of police, home guards and NCC among others who participated in the Republic Day parade.

4 more bodies found, Gurez avalanche toll touches 21

Army spokesperson says search operation has ended as all soldiers stuck under heavy snow following the avalanche in Gurez sector of Bandipora have been traced

From page 01 SRINAGAR: Bodies of the four more soldiers who went missing after avalanches struck an army camp and patrol in Gurez area of Jam mu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district have been recovered, taking the death toll to 14. The overall toll has now reached 21 in the Valley.

PRO DEFENCE(Left) The avalanches swept away an army camp of 51 Rashtriya Rifles taking the lives of three soldiers. Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters since 2006 and 1992.

Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said the search operation had been stopped .“Were covered four more bodies which were part of the army patrol. Every soldier has been accounted for,” he said.

A series of avalanches struck army installation sand residential houses in Bandipora on Wednesday after Kashmir valley received record snowfall in a decade in the month of January.

The avalanches swept away an army camp of 51 Rashtriya Rifles taking the lives of three soldiers. A J CO( junior commissioned officer) and six soldiers were rescued from the camp.

Another avalanche struck an army patrol in the same region from which seven bodies were recovered on Thursday. Four member sofa family were killed in the district after their house collapsed due to heavy snowfall.

In a separate avalanche in Gan de rb al district, an army major also lost his life on Wednesday.

Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters since 2006 and 1992, with heavy snow across the territory and temperature dropping to minus 7 degrees Celsius. But conditions are expected to improve from January 27, said director meteorological centre, Sonam Lotus.

Police said heavy snow damaged 13 houses, three shops and a shrine in Budgam and Ganderbal districts. About 150 people were evacuated on Wednesday from avalanche-prone Khadiyall and Ismarg villages of Gurez.

Since the beginning of heavy snowfall on Tuesday, at least seven civilians have died in the Valley including four members of family in Bandipora.

SOLDIER WAS TO GO ON LEAVE, SAYS FAMILY

With his leave sanctioned, soldier Devendra Soni was waiting for a replacement to arrive so he could proceed for home when an avalanche struck his Army camp in J&K and claimed his life.

Now the family of the 24-yearold Soni, attached to 51 units of National Rifles, awaits his mortal remains which are expected to arrive Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.

“I was informed by the National Rifles headquarters about Devendra’s martyrdom yesterday (Thursday) evening. His mortal remains would be brought tomorrow (Friday) to Jabalpur and then to Shahdol,” Devendra’s father Vijay Soni said. Soni was among the 14 soldiers who were killed after avalanches struck their post on Wednesday in Gurez sector of Kashmir.

The dead soldier’s father recalls that he had tried to talk to him on January 20 but failed to get through due to inclement weather.

“I tried to call him on January 20 as his leave was sanctioned. But, he could not be contacted due to bad weather,” he said.