By adopting the families of the martyrs, Sahara India Pariwar will provide emotional protection, rearing and livelihood to the families of soldiers who attained martyrdom in Kargil till July 5, 1999. ``They have undertaken the responsibility of providing the families of 300 to 340 martyrs with the means of a respectable life. For this, they have earmarked an amount of Rs 50 crore,'' says a company release.

The financial package includes subsistence allowance to the dependent widow or dependent parents, brothers and sisters; educational help to the children, special gifts on birthdays and festivals, etc. Apart from these, the company will provide employment to one member of themartyr's family, houses to the homeless families under the Sahara States project. This will be on easy loan terms, and soft credit will be also given to purchase domestic consumer items.

Sahara roped in celebrity Sahara directors Amitabh Bachchan and Kapil Dev at a function in the Capital last week to announce these measures. ``Sahara India Pariwar Kartavya Council will see to it that the society does not forget the families of martyrs -- which is usually the case--after the war is over. It will also take care that these families are not deprived of the basic necessities of life and face no difficulty in leading a respectable life. Toward this end, the council will continue to provide these families with money, honour and love and assure them that every member of the six lakh strong Sahara India Pariwar stands solidly behind them in their joys as well as woes,'' claimed Bachchan.

Sahara India Pariwar will invite the families of martyrs to every social and national festival by treating them as an importantpart of its large family. ``It will provide them with such social security as is necessary for leading a life of peace, happiness and contentment,'' added Dev, one of the first cricketers to visit the war zone and the first to give a call for severing cricket ties with Pakistan.

The payment plan would be graded for the families on the basis of annual salary in the four categories of Jawan to Hawaldar Major; Naib Subedar to Subedar Major; Second Lieutenant to Major, and Lieutenant Colonel and above.The facilities extended to the soldiers' families will continue for 10 years but may be extended if their children have not become self-dependent by then. The benefits will be applicable to the martyrs of the army and equivalent cadres of the Air Force and other Defence Forces. Assistance would also be provided to the dependent father/mother/ brother/sister of unmarried martyrs exactly on the same basis.

``Sahara India Pariwar is and will remain with these families. It will be the responsibility of the branchmanager and other workers of the nearest Sahara office to take care of the families regularly,'' says Roy `Sahara.'