In a step aimed at providing some amount of relief to victims of terror incidents, the Centre has decided to frame a comprehensive compensation policy for family members who lose their close ones to terrorist and Naxal attacks.
The move, borrowed from the compensation package that was given to the Gujarat riot-hit and victims of anti-Sikh riots, significantly comes in an election year. Government officials pointed out that even though compensation packages were dealt by the states, as law and order was exclusively a state subject, it was felt that coming out with such a policy would go a long way in underlining the Centre and the UPA’s concern for terror victims. The issue is expected to be cleared by the Union Cabinet on Thursday.
The compensation package entails giving Rs 3 lakh to the family of those who are killed in a terrorist or Naxal related incident. The money, however, will not be directly disbursed to the family of the victim but will be kept in a bank account with a three year lock- in period. The interest accrued on the primary amount will be handed over the family every quarter. They will be able to access the whole amount of Rs 3 lakh after the completion of three year period.
Sources said the government expects an outgo of Rs 48 crore annually for the compensation package with the assessment that on an average about 1,600 civilians become victims of terror incidents every year.
Figures with the government for the last five years show that the number of civilians killed in such incidents have risen steadily. Last year around 1,800 people died in incidents related to terrorist and militant attacks as well as Naxal violence.
The compensation package will, however, not include family members of those who may have perpetrated the attacks and become victims themselves.
Government officials indicated that the Rs 3 lakh compensation will be over and above any other compensation offered by state governments and other agencies.
?It has been seen that compensation packages have fluctuated depending on the magnitude of the attacks, media projection of the incident and pressure on the state administration. At times state governments have announced generous packages but sometimes there is none when the incidents go virtually unnoticed,? a senior functionary said.
