Telangana government to give Rs 5 crore to Col Santosh Babu’s family

Hyderabad: The Telangana government announced on Friday that it would give Rs 5 crore as ex gratia payment to the family of Col B. Santosh Babu who was killed in a skirmish with Chinese soldiers in Galwan valley last Monday. The families of 19 other Indian soldiers will be given Rs 10 lakh each.

Chief minister Chandrashekar Rao announced these decisions during the all-party meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi via video conference on Friday.

Chandrashekar Rao also said the government will provide a residential plot and a Group-1 job to the Colonel’s wife Santoshi.

The chief minister said he would visit Col Santosh's family and personally hand over the cheque. Cheques to the families of the other 19 soldiers would be handed over through the defence ministry.

“The entire country should stand by the Army personnel guarding the country at the borders putting their lives at risk. We must display the symbol of unity and send a strong signal that the nation is with them and their families. Our actions will instil confidence in the armed forces and their families,” Chandrashekar Rao said.