Delhi govt to give ₹1 cr to families of soldiers, cops killed in line of duty

The scheme will cover personnel of the Delhi Fire Service, Home Guards and the district disaster management force as well.

The Delhi government intends to pay ₹1 crore in compensation to the families of members of the armed forces, the police and paramilitary units who die in the line of duty in the national capital or elsewhere in the country under a policy approved by the cabinet on Tuesday.

A view of Delhi Vidhan Sabha during the Delhi Government Budget 2018-19 at Delhi Legislative Assembly, Old Secretariat, in New Delhi.(Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

The scheme will cover personnel of the Delhi Fire Service, Home Guards and the district disaster management force as well. Families from another states whose kin die in the line of duty in Delhi will also be eligible for the compensation. The announcement was made by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The proposal was first approved by the Delhi cabinet in April 2015 - two months after his Aam Aadmi Party came to power for the second time in the capital , but it was turned down by then LG Najeeb Jung, who had reasoned the compensation could be given only to Delhi residents.

Kejriwal said the scheme would be implemented immediately. “After the SC’s July 4 verdict, we will be sending just a copy of the cabinet decision to the LG. The scheme comes into effect from now and no concurrence of the LG is needed. In the past three years, no such family of martyrs has been given the compensation because the scheme was stopped by the LG. Only five to six people had benefitted from the scheme. At least 10 cases are pending before us at the moment.”

The reference was to an SC ruling that the LG is bound to listen to the city’s democratically elected government and act on its “aid and advice.” The LG, however, has exclusive control over land, law and order and the police, the court said.

Under the compensation policy, one member of the family of the deceased will also be given a job as per his/her educational qualifications in a Group C or Group D post under the Delhi government, provided the employment has not been offered by the central government or any other organisation.Kejriwal added that compensation of ?50,000 per month would also be awarded to the families of those missing in action or prisoners of war.

“ ₹1 crore is nothing in front of their supreme sacrifices but it is just a token of respect...”

The CM said a group of ministers headed by deputy CM Manish Sisodia would process the compensation claims.