Chandigarh, Nov 18 (IANS): Making an exception to the state government's existing 'Policy of Appointments of Honour and Gratitude', the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved the amendment to the rules to provide jobs in the state services to married siblings of three bachelor battle casualties of the Galwan Valley.

The decision has been taken by the Amarinder Singh government in recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by Sepoy Gurtej Singh, Sepoy Gurbinder Singh and Lance Naik Saleem Khan.

As per existing rules, only dependent family members or next of kin of the battle casualties were eligible for jobs, but in the case of these three men, since no dependent family member existed, the government decided to make an exception and give jobs to their married brothers.

Disclosing this, a spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said that Gurpreet Singh, brother of Sepoy Gurtej Singh; Gurpreet Singh, brother of Sepoy Gurbinder Singh; and Niyamat Ali, brother of Lance Naik Saleem Khan, had applied for appointment in the state services despite not falling under the definition of the "Dependent members of the War Heroes".

The spokesperson pointed out that under the Policy of Appointments and Honour and Gratitude in the Class I and II services to the dependent members of families of "War Heroes" dated September 24, 1999 and the Policy of Appointments and Honour and Gratitude in the Class III and IV services to the dependent members of families of "War Heroes" dated August 19, 1999, the widow or the dependent member of the family of a "War Hero" is offered appointment in the State Services.