The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday relaxed rules to give government jobs to married siblings of three soldiers killed in the Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June this year.
While two of them were killed fighting Chinese troops, the third soldier died during patrolling near a river close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
According to a statement, the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by Sepoy Gurtej Singh, Sepoy Gurbinder Singh and Lance Naik Saleem Khan.
As per existing rules, only dependent family members or next of kin are given government jobs in such cases.
But in the case of the three soldiers as no dependent family member existed, the government decided to make an exception and give jobs to their married brothers, the release said.
A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said brothers of the three soldiers had applied for appointment in the state services despite not falling under the definition of “dependent members of the war heroes”.
The spokesperson said as per the existing policy, a dependent member is defined as a widow or wife or a dependent son or dependent unmarried daughter or adopted dependent son or adopted unmarried daughter.
In case of an unmarried “war hero”, one of his dependent unmarried brothers/unmarried sisters are eligible for appointment under the policy, said the spokesperson.
Sepoys Gurtej Singh and Gurbinder Singh were among the soldiers killed fighting Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. The other soldiers from Punjab killed the clash were Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh and Naib Subedar Satnam Singh.
Lance Naik Saleem Khan had died on June 25 while patrolling near a river close to the Line of Actual Control.
Such deaths are generally declared as battle casualties by the Army Headquarters and the next of their kin are granted financial assistance and government jobs.
But of these five soldiers, three were unmarried at the time of their death, said the release