Finally, CM8217;s Jawan Relief Fund set up

GANDHINAGAR, AUG 15: Though belatedly, the Gujarat Government set up the Chief Minister's Jawan Relief Fund on the eve of the 53rd Indepen...

GANDHINAGAR, AUG 15: Though belatedly, the Gujarat Government set up the Chief Minister8217;s Jawan Relief Fund on the eve of the 53rd Independence Day. About Rs 20 crore collected from the State people during the Kargil conflict last year will now be deposited in the Fund which will be utilised for the overall welfare of jawans and their families in the State.

A senior officer told The Indian Express here that the Chief Minister8217;s Jawan Relief Fund, registered as a public charitable trust on Monday, has Keshubhai Patel as chairman and seven other members including the Chief Secretary. The Fund will carry out rehabilitation and welfare activities for the families of not only defence services jawans but also of the para-military forces like BSF, CRPF and SRP in the State.

It may be recalled here that the BJP Government had to face strong criticism from the Opposition Congress for depositing the Kargil funds collected from Gujarat into the Chief Minister8217;s Relief Fund without spending a rupee out of it on the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of the Kargil martyrs from the State.

The row over the misuse8217; of Kargil martyrs8217; fund by the Gujarat Government had even rocked the Assembly during the last budget session, and senior Congress MLA Urvashi Devi had even shot off a letter to the President, seeking his intervention in the matter. In her two-page letter to President K R Narayanan, Urvashi had urged him to ensure that the money collected for the Kargil Fund from Gujarat be handed over to the Army8217;s Central Relief Fund for the rehabilitation of families of jawans/army personnel injured or killed in the Kargil conflict.

Drawing the President8217;s attention to a very grave matter8217;, Urvashi Devi had said in the letter that Rs 22.73 crore had been collected for the Kargil Fund in Gujarat. Responding to Urvashi8217;s charge, both Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and Finance Minister Vajubhai Vala had then informed the House that only Rs 2.60 crore of the Kargil funds had been transferred to the Army8217;s Central Welfare Fund, while the remaining amount was put into the CM8217;s Relief Fund.

Taking strong exception to this, Urvashi Devi had shot back, saying, 8220;the Gujarat Government has no moral right to keep the money in the CM8217;s Relief Fund. It must be utilised for every soldier who had fought the Kargil battle gallantly. People of Gujarat were generous because they were contributing for the Kargil soldiers, and I can assure you they would never have given such a huge amount to the CM8217;s Relief Fund8221;.

Terming the government8217;s action as outrageous8217;, the Opposition member pointed out, 8220;Everybody contributed generously for our soldiers; children gave all their pocket money, housewives their household money, even tribals and poor farmers who depend on daily wages contributed for the Kargil Fund which must be utilised for the rehabilitation of families of the Kargil martyrs8221;.