Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 22: In a significant decision that comes at a time when Pakistan was resorting to heavy mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) killing and injuring innocent civilians, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has mooted a proposal to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of every civilian killed in firing on the borders and Rs 50,000 to the injured. This amount will be over and above the ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh provided to firing victims by the State Government.
The step will help the families of firing victims, who have been losing their kith and kin in the Pakistani shelling and firing, both on the LoC and International Border (IB). Only a week ago, six civilians were killed and over 20 others were injured in heavy Pakistan shelling in Balakote sector.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the proposal to provide Rs 5 lakh worth compensation to all victims of Pakistan shelling and firing along LoC and IB has been mooted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) headed by Rajnath Singh.
“The MHA has approved the proposal and it will now go to the Union Cabinet for final nod, which is expected to be given anytime now,’’ sources said.
They admitted that the Union Government’s compensation to Pakistan shelling and firing victims will be a big relief as firing from across the LoC and IB was fast becoming a routine affair due to escalated tensions between the two hostile neighbours as presently there was a provision of Rs 1 lakh relief to the families of border firing victims and Rs 5,000 to the injured under SRO 43 of 1994, which was paid by the State Government apart from one job to dependent of the family.
Sources said the Government of India was of the view that casualties take place on the borders due to Pakistan’s shelling or firing mainly due to “external factors’’ and people, who bravely hold the fort against the enemy despite heavy shelling and firing deserved to be compensated by the Centre also in addition to the State Government.
“The Centre also has its responsibility to compensate the people, hit by Pakistan’s shelling and firing. The proposal for Central compensation to the firing victims was pending for the past quite some time. However, the previous UPA Government didn’t take any decision on it and lingered on the issue. Now, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has cleared the proposal, which will shortly be put before the Union Cabinet for final approval,’’ sources said.
There were indications that the proposal might be granted retrospective effect to give benefit to families of civilians, who have lost their lives in Pakistan shelling and firing during last and current year when the shelling and firing was at its peak.
A number of civilians had lost their lives in RS Pura, Arnia, Samba, Hiranagar, Kanachak and Pargwal sectors along the International Border in Jammu sector and twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch along the LoC in Jammu region during 2014 and 2015. Apart from the fatal casualties, a number of civilians were injured in the firing with some of them suffering permanent disability
The Centre has proposed Rs 50,000 for those injured in the shelling and firing in the new proposal while the amount was likely to increase substantially in case of those suffering permanent disability in the border hostilities.
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