AAP govt approves Rs 1 cr compensation for ex-serviceman Grewal’s family again

In March, Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal had struck down the AAP government’s proposal to award the compensation.

After the Delhi Lt. Governor rejected it three months ago, the Aam Aadmi Party government on Wednesday once again approved the proposal to award Rs 1 crore as compensation to the family of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal.

Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat, on July 10, 2017. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Grewal has allegedly committed suicide in November last year over the issue implementation of “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) scheme.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, while briefing reporters about the Cabinet decisions, said the government was resending the proposal to the Lt. Governor requesting him to clear it as a one-time “exception”.

Earlier, a similar proposal was sent by the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation to the L-G office, which was struck down by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in March arguing that the “death did not occur in the line of duty, as mandated under the Delhi government’s existing policy” to grant ex-gratia to victims.

“Grewal ji belonged to a poor family and he died for a cause. We all should think beyond boundaries on such issues. The government will request the LG to clear it by treating it as exception in the ex-gratia scheme,” Sisodia said.