Excelsior Correspondent
AKHNOOR, June 7: The General Body (GB) meeting of Akhnoor Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association was held here today under the chairmanship of S Lakhbir Singh Sohal.
As per a statement, the meeting began by observing the two-minute silence in the memory of departed souls of late ex-servicemen Subedar Punjabu Ram Bhagat of Kangar, Rasal Singh of Gurha Brahamana, Faju Ram of Gurha Jagir, Sant Singh of Suneil, and martyr Neelam Singh of Chak Kirlapur Jourian.
Later, the meeting discussed all the issues confronting the ex-servicemen and special concern was shown by all regarding anomalies in OROP-II, MSP, ECHS, and disability pension, window pension, and premature retirement benefits.
Chairman of the Association, S Lakhbir Singh Sohal said that while framing policies, the interests of JCOs who sacrifice their lives on the border, are ignored.
He demanded separate counters, allocation of private beds in the hospitals for jawans and JCOs, open recruitment for JCOs and jawans in ECHS, providing of free medicines in polyclinic ECHS, and regular audit of ECHS by CAG.
Prominent members who spoke on the occasion were Banarsi Lal, Bodh Raj Bhagat, Raghbir Singh, Ashok Kumar, Gurumukh Singh, Ramesh Lal, Lochan Singh, Sewa Singh and others.