Rahul Gandhi to lay foundation stone of Amar Jawan Jyoti at Chhattisgarh today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Chhattisgarh`s Raipur on Thursday to lay the foundation stone of `Amar Jawan Jyoti` and inaugurate Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Bhumiheen Krishi Mazduur Yojana.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Chhattisgarh`s Raipur on Thursday (February 3) to lay the foundation stone of `Amar Jawan Jyoti` and inaugurate Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Bhumiheen Krishi Mazduur Yojana.

According to an official statement, Amar Jawan Jyoti will be constructed on the premises of the 4th Battalion, Chhattisgarh Armed Forces Mana, Raipur. The flame of Chhattisgarh Amar Jawan Jyoti will continue to be lit in honour of the martyrs.

"We will honour the martyrdom of the sons of Chhattisgarh who sacrificed their lives for the country by joining uniformed services, as well as the Bravehearts of the country who sacrificed their lives in Chhattisgarh through `Chhattisgarh Amar Jawan Jyoti`," said Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Amar Jawan Jyoti at Chhattisgarh

The announcement of reinstating an eternal flame at Raipur comes amid the controversy that arose after the Centre decided to merge the Amar Jawan Jyoti at New Delhi’s India Gate with the one at the New War Memorial.

As per the announcement, this Amar Jawan Jyoti will be complemented by a wall with names of Martyrs, a memorial tower and a VVIP platform will also be set up.

 The wall will be constructed with brown marble with the names of Martyrs engraved on the same. This crescent-shaped wall will be about 25 feet high having a length of about 100 feet, and the thickness of this wall will be 3 feet.

The memorial tower will be set up of sandstone, brown white marble granite in front of a crescent-shaped wall.

A memento will be made on its top. Rifle and helmet will be in the form of insignia on the base in front of the memorial tower. The flame of Chhattisgarh Amar Jawan Jyoti will be lit in front of this symbol which will be ignited 24 hours by fuel supply through underground pipelines.

A fort-like two-storey building will be constructed just in front of the memorial tower, the length of the base of which will be 150 feet and the width will be 90 feet.

Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Yojna

Rahul Gandhi will also inaugurate the Chhattisgarh government`s Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Bhumiheen Krishi Mazduur Yojana. Under this scheme, the Chhattisgarh government will give annual financial aid of Rs 6000 to rural landless families.

The registration for the scheme was started last year in September.

(With ANI inputs)