The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Sunday, 26 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid floral tributes to the martyrs of the Kargil War at the Shaheed Smarak, Gandhi Park, Dehradun, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas (Shaurya Diwas), and declared a significant hike in ex-gratia for Param Vir Chakra awardees from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore. Families of Kargil martyrs were honoured at the event, with the Chief Minister saluting their sacrifice and service to the nation.

Context

Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on 26 July to commemorate India's victory in the 1999 Kargil War, fought at altitudes exceeding 18,000 feet in Jammu and Kashmir. CM Dhami noted that 527 soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in the conflict, of whom 75 were from Uttarakhand. 'Uttarakhand kewal Devbhoomi hi nahin, balki Veerbhoomi bhi hai' ('Uttarakhand is not just the land of gods, but also the land of warriors'), he said, underlining the state's deep military heritage.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister described the Kargil victory as an eternal symbol of the Indian Army's indomitable courage, unmatched valour, and patriotism, noting that soldiers had defeated the enemy under the most extreme conditions while demonstrating India's military strength to the world.

Policy Backdrop

The ex-gratia hike for Param Vir Chakra awardees — India's highest wartime gallantry honour — is part of a broader pattern of Uttarakhand augmenting welfare measures for its military community. The state had earlier raised the ex-gratia for martyrs' families from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, and has now announced a historical increase in lump-sum and annual assistance for all gallantry award winners.

CM Dhami credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with strengthening India's security policy, citing One Rank One Pension (OROP), the National War Memorial inaugurated in 2019, decisive action against terrorism, rapid development of border infrastructure, and the push for Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence as landmark decisions that have elevated the dignity of soldiers, veterans, and their families.

On the Agnipath scheme, the state announced the formation of the country's first 'Agniveer Rozgar Cell' to support employment for discharged Agniveers, with priority placement in Uttarakhand Police, the Forest Department, and other state services, alongside skill development training, self-employment support, the Homestay Yojana, and special assistance in border areas.

Stakeholders and Impact

Several welfare measures announced at the event will directly benefit veterans and martyrs' families across the state. The application window for government job absorption of one family member of a martyr has been extended from two years to five years. Financial assistance for the marriage of martyrs' daughters, free travel on Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation buses for gallantry award winners, and stamp duty exemption on property purchases for serving and retired soldiers are among the new provisions.

The state also committed to simplifying the arms licence process for ex-servicemen and to expediting the resolution of pending land fraud cases involving soldiers and veterans in district courts. Sainik Kalyan Minister Ganesh Joshi reaffirmed the government's commitment to soldier welfare under CM Dhami's leadership. The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, MLA Munna Singh Chauhan, Major General Sammi Sabharwal (Retd.), DM Dr Ashish Chauhan, SSP Pramendra Dobhal, and families of Kargil martyrs.

What's Next

The Sainya Dham — conceived as Uttarakhand's 'fifth dham' — at Guniyal village, Dehradun, is in its final stage of construction. Built using sacred soil brought from the homes of every martyr in the state, it is intended to serve as a permanent site of inspiration for future generations on themes of patriotism, sacrifice, and service. CM Dhami called on the people of Uttarakhand to draw inspiration from the Kargil martyrs and contribute actively to building a 'Viksit Bharat' and a developed, self-reliant, and empowered Uttarakhand. The rollout timelines for the Agniveer Rozgar Cell and the revised ex-gratia disbursements are expected to be formalised in the coming weeks.