By IANS,
Lucknow : Government officials headed by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and defence officials led by Lt. Gen. Anil Chait met Monday to thrash out issues between the civil administration and the army.
At the Civil Army Liaison Conference, the first to be held since 2008, the chief minister assured the defence services he would look into the issues raised by them. Lt. Gen. Chait said the army would extend all help to the state government during the Maha Kumbh 2013.
Akhilesh Yadav said that a decision would be taken within a month on one-time financial aid to “brave” Kargil widows. He added that the request to remove VAT on the electronics items being sold in army canteens would also be looked into.
The chief minister assured the army officers that his government would take prompt decisions on issues like trade tax waiver on the set quota of two-wheelers and four-wheelers through CSD canteens, addressing the traffic situation and sorting out the issue of acquisition of 36 acres of land near Chiyunki station for the army.
Akhilesh Yadav directed his officials to conduct a survey with the army to identify the limits of the Fatehgarh cantonment area. Referring to the dangers of bird hits at the Army Aviation Centre in Bareilly due to the proximity to a slaughter house, the chief minister told the officers to find an early solution.
He also said that police would help in removing encroachments in the cantonment boards’ areas and that the army’s request to implement the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Revolution Mission (JNNURM) would be forwarded to the union government.
Besides, the chief minister assured the army officers that issues such as providing land for army welfare housing organisations and increasing funds to ex-army men would be looked into.