In a move which will benefit the martyrs of the State, Haryana Government has enhanced the rate of ex-gratia to be given to members of families of Armed Forces, including Army, Navy and the Air Force, who die in harness or get disabled while performing their bona fide official duties in operational areas, in war, terrorist or militant attack, border skirmishes and United Nations Peace Keeping Force (UNPKF).
An official spokesman said grant of ex-gratia admissible under the policy would be given in all cases of battle casualty declared by the Defence Authorities, irrespective of any operation or any specified area of operation.
Also, the Government has enlarged the scope of payment of ex-gratia to include contingencies like MT accident, heart attack, air crash, accident on sea and natural calamities etc which demand exceptional courage in performance of their duties.
According to the revised policy, the revised rates of ex-gratia for casualties which occurred on or after February 19, 2014 will be Rs20 lakh in case of death in war and action against militants, terrorists and border skirmishes against Rs2.5 lakh from April 1, 1999 to February 18, 2014.
Similarly, Rs20 lakh will be given in case of death during I.E.D blast against only Rs2 lakh earlier. likewise, Rs20 lakh will be given in case of death declared as battle casualty by the Defence authorities, irrespective of any operation or any specified area of operation.
For Defence forces personnel posted in the UNPKF and for accidents like air crash, MT accident, accident on sea, heart attack and loss of life during natural calamity, no ex-gratia was paid earlier.
The spokesman said that ex-gratia of Rs15 lakh will be given in case of 78 per cent disability and above for eligible persons instead of Rs1 lakh given earlier. Similarly, Rs10 lakh will be given in case of disability of 50 per cent to 74 per cent for eligible persons instead of Rs75,000 and Rs5 lakh in case of disability of 25 per cent to 49 per cent for eligible persons instead of Rs50,000 given earlier.
The enhanced amount of ex-gratia would be applicable to those who got killed or disabled on or after February 19, 2014 only for Defence forces personnel (Army, Navy and Air Force) for all battle casualties irrespective of any operation or any specified area of operation as declared by Defence.
It will be applicable to those are domiciles of Haryana at the time of joining the service, at the time of casualty or disability and disabled personnel or NOK of casualties occurred, are domicile of Haryana till date. That includes disabled personnel of battle casualty, who are boarded out due to disability or retained in service. Previous cases would not be reopened.