The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs5 lakh compensation to victims of cross-border firing along the India-Pakistan Border in Jammu & Kashmir. This long-pending decision would give parity in compensation to the victims with those who die in terror attacks or Maoists’ violence.
At present, there is no scheme to compensate victims of cross-border firing.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave its approval to enhance the grant of compensation under “Central Scheme for assistance to civilian victims of terrorist, communal, left-wing extremist (lWE), cross-border firing and mine or improvised explosive devices (IED) blasts on Indian territory from Rsthree lakh to Rsfive lakh.
“It is a historic decision by the Modi Government. It gives a message to them the Central Government cares for them will go in a long way,” Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said while announcing the details of the compensation packages.
More than 50 civilians die every year due to shelling and cross border firing along the Indo-Pak order in Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 13,921 civilians have lost their lives till last year. A total of 168 civilians were killed due to naxal violence in Maoist-hit States in 2015.
Approximately 770 km of the line of Control and approximately 220 km of International Border have been a witness to frequent ceasefire violation and the influx of terrorists since 1990.
“The amount will be given to the next of kin of the victim…. The amount will also be given to those who receive 50 per cent or more disability or incapacitation due to the same reasons,”an official release said.