Dehradun, July 27 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said ex-servicemen will be sent abroad for employment opportunities through the Uttarakhand Ex-Servicemen Welfare Corporation, and civilians will comprise 50% of the beneficiaries. He also paid floral tributes to the Kargil martyrs at the Shaheed Smarak in Gandhi Park, Dehradun, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas (Shaurya Diwas). During the event, he announced the construction of an ECHS (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) centre and a Sainik Vishram Grih (Sainik Rest House) in Kaleshwar of Chamoli district, and another rest house in Nainital and added that 22,500 people in Uttarakhand have received employment through UPNL, and the process for their regularisation is underway. Dhami said, "India's brave soldiers fought against all odds in the valleys and rugged terrain of Kargil, forcing the enemy to retreat. The echo of their valour still resonates today." He said that 75 soldiers from Uttarakhand were martyred in the Kargil conflict. Dhami said that the central government has taken several major initiatives in recent years for soldiers, including implementing the One Rank-One Pension scheme, construction of the National War Memorial, increasing the defence budget, and improving border infrastructure. He said Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan to its knees in just four days. "This is the new India, which gives a strong response to every enemy provocation." Dhami said the state government has increased the ex-gratia for martyrs' families from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.50 lakh, along with enhancements in the one-time and annual assistance granted to recipients of all gallantry awards -- from Param Vir Chakra to Mention in Dispatch. The ex-gratia amount for Param Vir Chakra awardees has been increased from Rs.50 lakh to Rs.1.5 crore, he said. "One member of each martyred soldier's family is being provided a government job, and the application period has been extended from two years to five years," Dhami said. He further added that ex-servicemen and gallantry awardees are entitled to free travel in state transport corporation buses, and a 25% concession in stamp duty on purchase of property worth up to Rs.25 lakh is being offered to both serving and retired personnel. Soldier Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's armed forces have become significantly stronger. He said that hundreds of soldiers were martyred in the Kargil War, including 75 from Uttarakhand, of which 31 were from the Dehradun region. He added that so far, 1,831 soldiers from Uttarakhand have laid down their lives, and 1,528 of them have been honoured with gallantry awards. A total of 344 Vishisht Seva Medals have been awarded to the brave soldiers of the state, he said. He said, "The central and state governments are working together for the welfare of soldiers. The state government has implemented a policy to provide government jobs to one dependent of each martyred soldier's family. So far, 37 individuals have received employment under this initiative."...