Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Oct 11: Union Home Ministry has mooted a fresh proposal for providing suitable compensation to border residents, who suffer fatal injuries due to dastardly firing from across the border.
Reliable sources in MHA told EXCELSIOR, “as per the proposal, civilians killed in the firing would be paid compensation to the tune of Rs 2 lac while those injured would be paid Rs 50,000 by the Centre. This would be in addition to the compensation being given provided by the State Government”.
“Presently, the State Government pays Rs 1 lac to those killed and Rs 10,000 to those injured in firing from the other side. However, after the present proposal of the MHA is implemented, the total compensation shall get enhanced to Rs 3 lac for all casualties comprising the State component and that being released by the Centre”.
Sources said, “the decision would bring some relief to the innocent border dwellers, who had become victim to the firing from across the border. The existing relief distribution policy was highly discriminatory towards them as even people suffering from terrorist violence in the State were being paid higher compensation to the tune of Rs 5 lacs”.
The issue had been brought to the notice of Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh by the Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on October 7, a day before he started visit of border areas. During his visit to Suchetgarh, Bishnah and RS Pura areas he even conveyed this decision to the border dwellers.
Intriguingly, sources said, “the proposal for higher compensation for border dwellers met with stiff resistance from a top bureaucrat of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who actually hails from the State. The senior bureaucrat had contended before the Union Home Minister that it would be inappropriate to enhance the compensation, as similar demands would then come to fore from other border areas of the country”.
“However, the Union Home Minister gave categorical instructions that modalities for the proposal should be formulated within the shortest possible time and steps initiated for its implementation”, sources in the Ministry confirmed.
Sources further elaborated, “even the compensation of Rs 1 lac, which is being paid by State Government to the family of deceased is also actually reimbursed by the Central Government, after submission of necessary details”.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on October 10 had also given clear directions that the people displaced from border areas of Jammu and Kashmir because of Pakistani shelling should be suitable compensated.
Residents of border areas had pleaded with several dignitaries, who visited them during the border skirmishes that their plight was akin to that of militancy victims and therefore they should be compensated at par with the militancy victims. They had also demanded that the SRO 43 be amended to bring the firing victims at par with militancy victims.
Pertinently, eight persons have been killed and nearly 90 others injured in shelling and firing by Pakistani troops from October 1 till date, along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts forcing over 35,000 people from 113 border hamlets to flee.
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