Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday announced that the state government will provide Rs 5 crore cash and a plot of land to the family of late Colonel Santosh Babu. Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar regiment, Colonel Santosh Babu was killed in a violent face-off with Chinese troops on June 15 at the Galwan Valley, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
KCR said that he would personally visit the bereaved family and offer support.
The CM also announced that the government will provide employment in the Group-I category to the late army officer’s wife. Besides this, the government also said that they will provide Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the other 19 soldiers who were killed in the clash.
Colonel Santosh Babu is a native of Suryapet district in Telangana. His final rites were held in his hometown on Thursday with full military honours.
Telangana Energy Minister from Suryapet Jagdish Reddy, State Legislative Council Chairman G Sukhender Reddy, State Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay, Member of Parliament (MP) from Nizamabad D Aravind, Congress leader and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkatreddy, Army officers and top police and civil officials had paid their tributes.
KCR said that though the Union government is providing support, the state governments should also come forward. “That’s when the families of the soldiers would know that the entire country supports them,” KCR said.
Meanwhile, speaking at the all-party meeting on Friday, which was held to discuss the present crisis with China, KCR told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that no decisions should be made in haste and at the same they need not fear China. Offering full support to the Union government in their plans to tackle China, the Chief Minister suggested the Prime Minister develop both short-term and long-term plans to confront China. KCR said that at this juncture, they don't need politics but a war strategy.