Capt Kanwaljit Singh was addressing a gathering of retired officers and other ex-servicemen of 5 Sikh (TA) Regiment, from which he himself had started his career.

The minister said that keeping in view the dedication and sincerity of the ex-serviceman, the Panchayats and other elected bodies should involve them in the development and welfare process at local levels, so that strict vigilance can be exercised. He assured that in the coming months, more such meetings of ex-servicemen will be organized to listen to their views and opinions on the efficient implementation of development projects. He added that there are about 6.5 lakh ex-servicemen in the state, who can be helpful for accelerating the pace of development in rural areas.

Later, the Minister spoke to his old colleagues of the regiment.

Lt Gen Charanjit Singh (retd), Col D S Ghuman (retd), District President Ex-servicemen League, and Sub Hakam Singh Jitwal Khurd told the minister about the problems of ex-servicemen and demanded that proper respect should be given to them in government offices. They also demanded that ex-servicemen should be given representation in various committees relating to development and welfare.