In a historic move for[1]ward, a federal appeals court has ruled that Sikhs recruits in the US Marine Corps can keep a beard and wear turbans. Judges from the Dis[1]trict of Columbia’s fed[1]eral appeals court on Friday cited the Apre[1]sent Corps’ boot camp rule of cutting hair and shaving beards as a vio[1]lation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The ruling came after three Sikh Marine Corps recruits — Aekash Singh, Jaskirat Singh and Milaap Singh Chahal — fought for an emergency appeal in District of Columbia’s federal court to get an immediate exemption to the Corps’ boot camp rule. “Now, three Sikh re[1]cruits, who had previ[1]ously been denied reli[1]gious accommodations, can enter basic training,” Eric Baxter, senior coun[1]sel who represented the Sikh trio, tweeted. In Sikh faith, men wear turban and they do not shave off their beards or cut hair. IAN

First batch of Agniveers dispatched for training from Hisar on Saturday. Tribune photo
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Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 24

The first batch of Agniveers was sent to different training centres of the Army from the Army Recruitment Office (ARO) here today.

Army officials said 97 candidates had been sent to various training camps out of total 459 selected from Hisar, Sirsa, Jind and Fatehabad districts.

These candidates had appeared in the recruitment rally held at the ARO, Hisar, in August. The selected candidates have been assigned six training centres where they are scheduled to reach by December 27.

A dispatch ceremony was held at the ARO, Hisar, under the supervision of Dot On Target Division of the Army where the selected candidates were addressed by Army officers and a flag-off ceremony was also held.

The screening process for Agniveers under the Agneepath scheme was held in Hisar after which medical and other requisite tests were conducted over the next few days. The first-ever recruitment of Agniveers was conducted in Hisar by the Army.

Army personnel pay tribute to soldiers at Zema in Sikkim, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. PTI photo
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PTI

Bagdogra/Gangtok, December 24

The mortal remains of the 16 Army personnel who were killed in a road accident in Sikkim were sent to their respective homes after a solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at Bagdogra airport in the northern part of West Bengal on Saturday.

Post the wreath-laying ceremony, 15 of the bodies were flown by special Air Force aircraft to various airports in the country, from where they will be taken to the victims’ towns or villages, the Army said.

The body of Naib Subedar Chandan Kumar Mishra, who belonged to Khagaria in Bihar, was taken to his native place by road.

“After the bodies reach the native places of deceased soldiers, local Army authorities will coordinate the handing over of mortal remains to the family members and conduct of funeral with full military honours,” an Army official said.

The 16 bravehearts lost their lives when the Army truck they were travelling in skidded down a steep slope at Zema in North Sikkim on Friday morning.

Wreaths were laid on the mortal remains of the deceased soldiers at Bagdogra airport, near Siliguri city, at a solemn ceremony after the bodies reached the facility shortly after 12.30 pm from Libing helipad in East Sikkim, an Army official said.

The deceased were accorded a gun salute.

Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Trishakti Corps Lt General VPS Kaushik, and other Army and Air Force officials paid their last respects to the deceased soldiers, he said..

The mortal remains were earlier brought to Sochethang near Gangtok in Army vehicles from the accident site and post-mortem examinations were conducted.

Senior civil and police officials were present at the hospital to pay their last respects to the departed souls.

The ill-fated Army truck in which the deceased jawans were travelling was part of a three-vehicle convoy that was travelling from Chatten to Thangu, the Army statement said..

The vehicle skidded down a steep slope while negotiating a sharp turn, leading to the death of 16 Army men, including three junior commissioned officers, it said.

A rescue operation was immediately launched and four injured soldiers were air evacuated to Siliguri and they are undergoing treatment at a military hospital.

The deceased soldiers are Naib Subedar Chandan Kumar Mishra and Naib Subedar Omkar Singh of 285 Medical Regiment, L/Havildar Gopinath Makur, Sepoy Sukha Ram, Havildar Charan Singh and Naik Ravinder Singh Thapa of 26 Mechanised Infantry, the Army said.

Mishra hailed from Khagaria in Bihar, while Omkar Singh was from Pathankot in Punjab, Makur from Bankura in West Bengal, Ram from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Charan Singh from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Thapa from Pantnagar in Uttarakhand.

From the 221 Field Regiment, Naik Vaisakh S and Naik Pramod Singh were among the deceased, while from the 25 Grenadiers, four soldiers who perished in the accident are L/Naik Bhupendra Singh, Naik Shyam Singh Yadav, Naik Lokesh Kumar and Grenadier Vikas Kumar.

Vaisakh was from Palakkad in Kerala, Pramod Singh hailed from Ara in Bihar, Bhupendra Singh was from Eta, Yadav was from Unnao, Lokesh Kumar from Muzaffarnagar, all three places in Uttar Pradesh, while Vikas Kumar was a resident of Fatehabad in Haryana.

Subedar Guman Singh and L/Havildar Arvind Singh from 8 Rajasthan Rifles, L/Naik Somvir Singh of 113 Engineer Regiment and L/Naik Manoj Kumar of 1871 Field Regiment were also among the soldiers who died in the accident, the Army said.

Guman Singh was a resident of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, while Arvind Singh was from Bhiwani in Haryana, Somvir Singh hailed from Hissar in Haryana and Manoj Kumar from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 24

The Income Tax Department has reminded permanent account number-holders that if their cards are not linked with Aadhaar by the end of March next year, these will become inoperative.

“It is mandatory. Don’t delay, link it today! As per the I-T Act, it is mandatory for all PAN-holders, who do not fall under the exempt category, to link their permanent account numbers (PAN) with Aadhaar before March 31, 2023. From April 1, 2023, the unlinked PAN shall become inoperative,” said a public advisory issued by the I-T Department..

The ‘exempt category’, according to a notification issued by the Union Finance Ministry in May 2017, includes individuals residing in the states of Assam, J&K and Meghalaya; a non-resident as per the Income Tax Act, 1961; of the age of 80 years or more at any time during the previous year and a person who is not a citizen of India.

I-T returns cannot be filed if a PAN number becomes inoperative and pending returns will not be processed.

Prioritise issues red-flagged by Chief of Air Staff

AIR Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has pointed out ‘critical deficiencies’ being faced by the Indian Air Force (IAF), such as the shortage of fighter squadrons and force multipliers. – File photo
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AIR Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has pointed out ‘critical deficiencies’ being faced by the Indian Air Force (IAF), such as the shortage of fighter squadrons and force multipliers. Days after he reviewed the IAF’s operational readiness following the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh, he has emphasised that the shortfall should be addressed on priority. It is noteworthy that the Chief of Air Staff chose a public forum — a seminar on ‘India’s Eminence in the Emerging World Order’ — to draw the nation’s attention to this pressing matter. It’s clear that he wants the powers that be to understand the seriousness of the situation and come up with a time-bound plan to overcome the deficiencies.

The IAF has 31 fighter squadrons at present, while the sanctioned strength is 42. The number has fallen as some of the squadrons have been phased out in recent years. There is a dire need to expedite inductions so as to reduce the yawning gap, especially because China is actively bolstering its air power. According to the US Department of Defence’s China Military Power Report that was released recently, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is ‘rapidly catching up with western air forces and continues to modernise with the delivery of domestically built aircraft and a wide range of unmanned aerial vehicles.’ The report says that the PLAAF and PLAN (PLA Navy) Aviation together constitute the third largest aviation force in the world, with over 2,800 aircraft. The PLAAF has 2,084 units in its active aircraft inventory, well above the IAF’s 1,645, as per the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft..

The latest Global Air Powers Ranking does put the IAF at the sixth place, one notch above the PLAAF, in terms of attack and defence capabilities, but the Chinese might overtake us sooner than later unless we plug the gaps in defence acquisition and manufacturing. America’s $450 million F-16 sustainment package for Pakistan gives India another vital reason to augment its air assets. Initiatives such as the first-ever India-Japan air combat exercise, scheduled to be held next month, can also help the IAF become future-ready.

Decision will benefit over 25 lakh ex-servicemen

New Delhi, December 23

The Union Cabinet has approved revision of the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme for defence personnel and family pensioners. This was announced by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.The decision will benefit over 25 lakh ex-servicemen. The benefit would also be extended to family pensioners, including war widows and disabled pensioners. It will impose Rs 8500 crore further cost on the union exchequer.

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 22 The Defence Ministry on Thursday approved the procurement of a number of military platforms and weapons including light tanks, anti-ship missiles and long range guided bombs at a cost of Rs 84,328 crore to boost combat capabilities of the armed forces. The procurement proposals were cleared by the De[1]fence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by De[1]fence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement came amid a spike in tensions between India and China after troops from the two sides were engaged in a clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh. The Defence ministry said the DAC accorded approval for 24 capital acquisition proposals which include six for Indian Army, six for Indian Air Force, 10 for the Indian Navy and two for Indian Coast Guard, adding the total value of the procurement would be Rs 84,328 crore. It said the proposals include procurement of futuristic infantry com[1]bat vehicles, light tanks, naval anti-ship missiles, multi-purpose vessels, new range of missile sys[1]tems, long range guided bombs and next gen[1]eration offshore patrol vessels. PT

The truck carrying the soldiers skids off the road in a mountainous area

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 23

Sixteen soldiers died as an Army truck fell into a gorge in North Sikkim on Friday morning.

The truck carrying the soldiers skidded off the road in a mountainous area. The truck was part of a three-vehicle convoy that had started from Chatten towards Thangu in the morning.

At Zema, the vehicle skidded down a steep slope while negotiating a sharp turn, Army officials said.

A rescue mission was immediately launched and four injured soldiers were evacuated..

Three JCOs and 13 soldiers succumbed to their injuries, the officials said.

The Army stands firm with the bereaved families, the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief at the death of the Army personnel.

Quoting Modi, the PMO tweeted, “Pained by the loss of lives of our brave army personnel due to a road mishap in Sikkim. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon.” The Army said the truck was part of a three-vehicle convoy that moved from Chatten in the morning towards Thangu.

“Enroute at Zema, the vehicle skidded down a steep slope while negotiating a sharp turn. A rescue mission was immediately launched, and four injured soldiers have been air evacuated,” the Army said.

“Unfortunately, three Junior Commissioned Officers and 13 soldiers succumbed to the injuries sustained in the accident. Indian Army stands firm with the bereaved families, at this hour of loss.” it said..

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he is “deeply pained” over the loss of lives of the personnel.

“The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment. My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of those who are injured,” he said in a tweet.

In a tweet, the Army said Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande and all ranks of the force expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the ‘bravehearts’ who lost their lives in the accident.

“General Manoj Pande #COAS and All Ranks of #IndianArmy express heartfelt condolences to the families of the #Bravehearts who lost their lives in a tragic & unfortunate road accident in #Sikkim and wish speedy recovery to the injured,” it said.  (With Agency Inputs)

PTI

New Delhi, December 23

The Indian Army has identified 130 villages in border areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim for boosting infrastructure, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita said on Friday against the backdrop of increasing concerns over China’s expansion of civilian settlements close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Lt Gen Kalita, addressing an event, also said efforts are underway to have some sort of a “single window system” for according approvals for development of any infrastructure within 100 km from the LAC as time taken for obtaining various regulatory clearances results in delays in implementation of key projects.

The Commander said many areas along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim fall under ecologically sensitive zones, wildlife protected regions and reserved forests and obtaining various approvals for projects become challenging at times.

“We are trying to evolve a methodology of some sort of a single window clearance for any infrastructure coming up within 100 km from the LAC,” he said, adding the move is aimed at ensuring faster pace of implementation of various projects.

At the same time, the Commander of the Eastern Command that takes care of the LAC in the Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sectors, said a lot of work is going on to develop road and telecommunication networks in key areas bordering China.

On the development of the model villages along the LAC, Gen Kalita said the aim of the scheme is to ensure reverse migration and stop people from leaving the areas for better prospects.

The Commander said while 28 out of 130 villages identified by the Army are in Sikkim, rest are in Arunachal Pradesh..

In her budget speech in February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman touched upon the scheme to boost infrastructure in villages along the border with China. Besides the centrally-sponsored scheme, the Arunachal government is also developing model villages.

The identification of the villages to be developed under the scheme is being done under a consultative process involving the concerned states and central ministries including the home ministry.

“The recommendations of the armed forces have been taken. We have given our recommendations. We have identified 13O villages all across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. About 28 of them are in Sikkim and the rest are in Arunachal Pradesh,” Lt Gen Kalita said.

The commander said the infrastructure development work under the project has already started in Kaho village in Arunachal Pradesh.

On development of road infrastructure, Gen Kalita suggested that the broad focus is to have connectivity to the line of the passes along the frontier.

There has been a fresh spike in tensions between India and China after troops from the two sides were engaged in a clash along the LAC at Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on December 13 that the Chinese troops tried to “unilaterally” change the status quo in the Yangtse area but the Indian Army compelled them to retreat by its firm and resolute response.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said the Indian Army will not let China change the status quo along the LAC “unilaterally” and its current deployment along the frontier was not seen before.

In October last year, the then Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Pande (now Army Chief) told journalists that new villages have come up on the Chinese side of the border in certain areas and India has taken note of it in its operational strategy.