Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 2: The Government today announced Rs 25 lakh worth ex-gratia relief in favour of next of kin of elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions if they lose their lives in the militancy related incidents.
An order to this effect was issued today by the Rural Development Department.
The proposal had earlier been approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The order said the next of kin of elected representatives will get payment of ex-gratia relief of Rs 25 lakh in case of death of the representatives in the militancy related incidents.
The elected representatives of the Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir include Chairpersons, Vice Chairpersons and Members of the District Development Councils (DDCs) and Block Development Councils (BDCs) besides the Sarpanchs and Panchs.
The order issued by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj stated that the next of kin of elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions will be entitled to ex-gratia relief in case of their death in militancy related incidents but, for the purpose, the case file complete in all respects shall be submitted by the concerned Deputy Commissioner to the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
The Rural Development Department will, in turn, submit the file to the Finance Department for release of ex-gratia in favour of next of kin of the deceased.
“The concerned Deputy Commissioner shall be the designated authority for disbursing the ex-gratia to next of kin of the deceased,” the order read.
The order further read that notwithstanding the instant order which shall have prospective effect, all the previous cases falling within the ambit of previous Government order issued on November 27, 2020, which have either not been processed or are under process, shall be settled in terms of the Government order ibid.
There are thousands of elected representatives of three Panchayati Raj Institutions including the District Development Councils, Block Development Councils and Sarpanchs and Panchs of Panchayats, whose kin will be eligible for Rs 25 lakh relief if any of them is killed in militancy related incidents.
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