Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar presents a memento to Lt-Gen Surender Singh, GOC-in-C, Western Command, at Chandimandir in Panchkula on Friday. A Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7

The Haryana government will set up a horticulture centre in Jind in memory of Capt. Pawan Kumar, a Shaurya Chakra recipient who had laid down his life while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced this at the annual Civil Military Liaison Conference at Chandimandir today. He said a new office of the Zila Sainik Board would also be set up in Charkhi Dadri district.Capt Pawan Kumar of 10 Para 22 was killed in Pampore in February, 2016. He belonged to Jind and his birthday falls on January 15, which also happens to be Army Day.Khattar said a Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department had been created with an independent administrative secretary for the welfare of serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and their dependents. He said all advertised government posts would be uploaded on the website of the Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department, to be launched shortly, so that ex-servicemen could take benefit of quota posts.The department had tied up with the Haryana Staff Selection Commission and the Haryana Public Service Commission for this purpose.Khattar listed several welfare measures initiated by the government for betterment of the service community.Lt-Gen Surinder Singh, GOC-in-C, Western Command, underscored the utility of the annual meeting to effectively coordinate joint efforts to resolve issues of mutual interest.