NDA Govt Cabinet clears Rs. 500 crore for National War Memorial Wednesday Oct 07,2015

The Centre on Wednesday Oct 07,2015 cleared the National War Memorial and National War Museum to be constructed at the India Gate circle in the national capital.

The proposal, to build the country’s first national memorial for soldiers who laid down their lives in post Independence, has been pending since the 1960s.

“The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved the construction of a National War Memorial and a National War Museum at Princess Park, near India Gate, New Delhi in memory of all Indian soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice for the country post-independence,” an official statement said.

The project, estimated to cost around Rs. 500 crore, would be completed in five years, it said.

According to official estimates, more than 22,500 soldiers have made the sacrifice in national interests and in defence of the sovereignty and integrity of the country since 1947. 

While a significant number of them have died in battles fought with Pakistan and China, majority have actually died in anti-insurgency operations in the Northeast and Kashmir.

“Even after 69 years of Independence, no memorial to commemorate the martyrs has been constructed till date. With the present decision of the Cabinet a long pending demand of the Armed Forces has been redressed,” the NDA Government said.