Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was happy all the government employees of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh would get the 7th Pay Commission benefits. He was speaking on the occasion of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), on Thursday.
"I am happy that from today all the govt employees of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh will be getting the benefits under the 7th Pay Commission as granted to the employees of other Union Territories," said Modi in Kevadia, Gujarat.
The Modi government on October 22 had said all government employees of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh would get financial facilities as per the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations from October 31. The decision will help over 4.5 lakh government employees of these UTs. The government will bear around Rs 4,800 crore worth of cost due to the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission in the UTs.
During his speech on Thursday, Modi took a 'national unity pledge' with the crowd. The personnel of the Gujarat Police, Jammu & Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force also carried out a 'Ekta parade' on this occasion. Mock drill demonstrations were also conducted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Disaster Response Force and National Security Guard.
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PM Modi also dedicated the decision to abrogate Article 370 to the country's first home minister on Sardar Patel's 144th birth anniversary. "Centuries ago, India was united by Chanakya, and after that Sardar Patel achieved the same feat by merging princely states with the Union of India," the PM said.
Taking a jibe at Pakistan, PM Modi said those who "can't win wars against us" are trying to destroy our unity. Article 370 had only given "separatism and terrorism" to Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
Edited by Manoj Sharma with agency inputs