New Delhi: For the first time, civilian victims of cross border firing along the Indo-Pak border will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh similar to those who die due to terrorism or Maoist violence.
The decision to give compensation to the victims of cross border firing and enhancing the amount from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to the victims of terrorism or Maoist violence was taken by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.
“Now onwards, any civilian who dies anywhere in the country due to terror attack, Naxal violence, firing from across the border, shelling or IED explosion will be given Rs 5 lakh as compensation uniformly. The amount will be given next of kin of the victim,” an official said.
Rs 5 lakh will also be given to those who receive 50 per cent or more disability or incapacitation due to the same reasons.
The compensation amount will be given subject to the condition that no employment has been provided to any of the family members of the victims by state or central government.
A formal notification in this regard will be issued by the Home Ministry after taking an approval of the Union Cabinet soon, the official said.
More than 50 civilians die every year due to shelling and cross border firing along the Indo-Pak order in Jammu and Kashmir.
Seven persons died due to terror attacks in the country in 2015 while civilian toll due to militancy in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015 was 17. As many as 168 civilians were killed due to Naxal violence in Maoist-hit states in 2015.
Home Ministry’s scheme for ‘Assistance to civilian victims of terrorist and communal violence’ has been effective since April 1, 2008.
Under the scheme, an amount of Rs 3 lakh was given to the civilian victims or next of kin of the victim in the case of death or incapacitation or disability with 50 per cent or more, subject to the condition that no employment has been provided to any of the family members of the victims by the state government.
“This Rs 3 lakh has been enhanced now to Rs 5 lakh,” the official said.
An ex-gratia lump sum compensation of Rs 15 lakh is admissible to the next of kin of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, who die in harness in the performance of their bona fide official duties under various circumstances.
Also, the next of kin of deceased is entitled to get liberalised family pension i.e. last pay drawn.
In addition, the CAPFs have their own compensation regime, apart from ex-gratia payment. Further, compensation is also paid under different schemes of the Home Ministry like the Security Related Expenditure Scheme etc.
Similarly, the defence forces have their own system of compensation for the defence personnel.
PTI