Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced this while talking to mediapersons here this morning. He was here to console the family of Major Harminder Pal Singh, who was killed in an encounter with Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Baramullah district of north Kashmir on April 13.

He asked his Principal Secretary, Ramesh Inder Singh, who was accompanying him, to collect the details in this regard and take immediate steps for the construction of the memorial at Kharar.

The Chief Minister said the Major's widow, Rupinder Pal Kaur, would be appointed as a project officer in the Punjab School Education Board, S.A.S. Nagar, for which he has directed Board chairman J.S. Ahluwalia.

Badal took a serious note of the absence of senior police and civil officials from the Major's funeral and directed Roopnagar Senior Superintendent of Police Jaskaran Singh to ensure their presence on such occasions.

Earlier, while consoling the Major's bereaved family, Badal said the Major was a brave man and his action was significant, particularly in light of the Khalsa tercentenary, as he had upheld the spirit of Guru Gobind Singh by rising to fight the evil. He said it was an irreparable loss for the country.

The Nagar Sudhar Sabha, in a memorandum to Badal, demanded to upgrade government dispensary at Ward-I, here and name if after Major Harminder Pal Singh.

Roopnagar Member of Parliament Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal and some Akali leaders were also present on the occasion.