Prez visits Siachen base camp, expresses gratitude to soldiers
SIACHEN (J&K): President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday visited the Army base camp in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, and expressed gratitude to the soldiers posted there.
The bravery and valour of soldiers deployed in Siachen over the past 34 years, the president said, had given every Indian the confidence that the borders were safe and secure.
Kovind said he had come to Siachen to iterate to the troops posted here that all citizens of India and Government of India were always with them and supportive of their families.
Addressing the soldiers, he said as the supreme commander of the armed forces and as the president of India, he had come to them carrying the gratitude of the entire country.
The president said Siachen was the world’s highest battlefield and it was difficult to live even a normal life in the extreme climate.
“In such a situation, it is extraordinary for soldiers to stay in a state of constant mobilisation and combat readiness. Their determination and dedication is worthy of the highest praise - and their allegiance to the defence of India is an ideal for all our fellow citizens,” Kovind said.
The president also visited the Kumar Post.
Kovind is the second president to visit Siachen. The previous visit was undertaken by former president APJ Abdul Kalam in April 2004.
This makes Kovind the first president to travel to Siachen in 14 years.
He also asked soldiers posted at Siachen to visit the Rashtrapati Bhavan when they get time to visit Delhi.
The president paid his respects at the Siachen war memorial, a symbol of the sacrifice of 11,000 soldiers and officers who have been killed since the Indian Army began Operation Meghdoot on the Siachen glacier on April 13, 1984. NEW DELHI: Central government has issued orders for extending assistance to clear the dues of sugarcane farmers. In a statement, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry said government has decided to provide financial assistance of 5.50 rupees per quintal of cane crushed in sugar season 201718 to sugar mills to offset the cost of cane.
The assistance shall be paid directly to the farmers on behalf of the mills and be adjusted against the cane price payable due to the farmers against Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) including arrears relating to previous years.
The total assistance would be about 1540 crore rupees, which will directly benefit a large number of farmers and will help the sugar mills in a long way in discharging their liabilities on account of cane price dues of farmers. The decision has been taken to clear the dues of sugarcane farmers that have accumulated to over 20,000 crores rupees.