To establish a close contact with ex-servicemen and the people of border areas, an integrated ex-servicemen rally was organised by the Army at the border village Khalra in Amritsar district. The rally was inaugurated by Lt Gen K Davar, GOC Vajra Corps. Maj Gen Ashok Kapur, General Officer Commanding Panther Division, while welcoming the ex-servicemen informed them that the aim of this rally was to establish a close contact with ex-servicemen and people of the border area to ascertain their problems, to locate their resettlement and employment avenues and to provide free medical cover at their doorsteps. The General Officer Commanding also said that about 10,000 boys were screened for recruitment in Army during the rally.

A medical camp was also organised at which nearly 1000 people were treated and given medicines free of cost. The facilities of the medical camp were extended even after the rally concluded. Various information stalls were established at the rally. Stalls were put by various banks. Ex-servicemen and the villagers were educated about the benefits they could avail from the new schemes introduced by these banks. Punjab Agricultural University also put up a stall and explained the latest developments. The Animal Husbandry Department educated the people about artificial insemination and preventive measures against diseases. A Pension Adalat and Redressal Cell was established by JCDA, Jalandhar and DC Amritsar respectively. The ex-servicemen and people of Khalra belt got a golden opportunity to have their problems resolved on the spot. Stalls were also put up by the horticulture department, fishery department, Zone Recruitment Office, Jalandhar and many other organisatons. Canteen services for the ex-servicemen were extended at the rally.

Gifts were distributed to Veer Naris, gallantry award winners among ex-servicemen and civilians. The gathering was also addressed by Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, the Excise and Taxation Minister of Punjab. He informed the guests about various schemes under consideration of the State Government.

About 7000 ex-servicemen from the districts of Ferozepur, Moga, Muktsar, Faridkot and Ludhiana met at Ferozepur. The integrated rally was organised under the aegis of Maj Gen LM Tewari, GOC Golden Arrow Division. Sardar Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Minister of Irrigation (Pingali) and Sardar Jora Singh Mann, MP Ferozepur alongwith Lt Gen Surjit Singh, GOC-in-C Western Command and Lt Gen Kamal Davar, GOC Vajra Corps enquired about the problems of ex-servicemen.

About Rs 15 lakh was presented to beneficiaries of various government schemes. Mrs Deep Surjit Singh, President Army Wives Welfare Association, Western Command distributed utility items like sewing machines, blankets and shawls among war widows. Officials of district administration and various government departments established their stalls to bring awareness among the ex-servicemen on various schemes. A number of stalls were also established by civil institutions to offer their services on-the-spot to ex-servicemen.

A Pension Adalat was also established which was headed by Mr LP Chaurasia from CDA (Pensions), Allahabad. A large number of pending pension cases were resolved on-the-spot while the remaining cases were registered for subsequent follow-up action.

For the first time a representative from Army Group Insurance was made available at the rally site to assist ex-servicemen and war widows to resolve their outstanding cases relating to insurance claims. A number of cases were resolved on-the-spot.

A representative of the Resettlement Directorate, New Delhi was also available at the rally. He processed the applications for allotment of discarded army vehicles and, in many cases, allotment was made on-the-spot.

An elaborate and well-equipped medical camp was organised near the Jyoti Stadium. A free medical check-up along with facilities like ECG, ultra-sound and x-ray was provided. Free medicines and spectacles were also distributed among needy ex-servicemen. A large number of civil and Non-Governmental Organisations came forward to provide free medicines and spectacles. A veterinary aid camp was also organised on the occasion.

A recruitment rally was also inaugurated at Ferozepur for the recruitment of Mazhbi, Ramdasia and Jat Sikhs.