J&K notifies consolidated ex-gratia norms, Rs 25 lakh for domicile defence personnel killed

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has notified consolidated norms for granting ex-gratia relief to victims of law and order disturbances and security-related incidents, fixing compensation at Rs 1 lakh for civilian deaths and up to Rs 25 lakh for eligible defence and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.mThe consolidated instructions, issued through an order of the Lieutenant Governor, lay down compensation under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) for defence and security personnel, police, government employees, civilians and property damaged in specified incidents.

Rs 25 lakh for domicile personnel

Under the revised framework, the next of kin of defence or CAPF personnel who are domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir will receive Rs 25 lakh in the event of their death, irrespective of whether they are killed within or outside the Union territory.

For defence and CAPF personnel who are not J&K domiciles, the ex-gratia amount has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh.

The benefit will also extend to the families of paramilitary personnel serving in Jammu and Kashmir who are killed within the UT in militancy-related incidents while on sanctioned leave or during inter-station movement while on leave.

Police personnel and Special Police Officers (SPOs) will be eligible for Rs 5 lakh in case of death, while the amount for ex-servicemen has been fixed at Rs 2 lakh.

Relief for disability

The administration has also prescribed compensation for personnel suffering disabilities in eligible incidents. Those left permanently disabled will receive Rs 75,000, while Rs 10,000 will be provided in cases of partial disability.

The order specifies that ex-gratia assistance will ordinarily be available only when death or disability occurs during, or as a consequence of, the due performance of official duties.

In the case of police personnel, the Director General of Police will be responsible for sanctioning the ex-gratia relief.

Police personnel killed or left fully or partially disabled in militancy-related incidents while on duly sanctioned leave will also be covered under the scheme.

For government employees other than police personnel, compensation in case of death has been fixed at Rs 1 lakh. Magistrates covered by the provisions will be entitled to Rs 2 lakh.

Rs 1 lakh for civilian deaths

For civilians killed in law and order disturbances, the administration has fixed ex-gratia relief at Rs 1 lakh.

The same amount will apply to eligible civilian deaths linked to incidents near the International Border or Line of Control, as well as to surrendered militants and militants who had turned informers.

The order, however, makes eligibility conditional on the circumstances surrounding an incident. Ex-gratia assistance will be provided only when the person concerned was not directly or indirectly involved in violence or incitement and was killed, injured or disabled as an innocent victim.

Up to Rs 10 lakh for property damage

The administration has separately laid down compensation norms for property damaged during counter-terrorism operations conducted by the Army or CAPFs.

Relief in such cases will be limited to the actual assessed loss or Rs 10 lakh, whichever is lower. The damage and corresponding loss will have to be verified by the District Level Screening Committee.

For property damaged due to cross-border shelling or firing along the International Border or Line of Control, compensation will be 50 per cent of the assessed loss or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is lower.

The consolidated order brings the different categories of ex-gratia assistance under a common framework, specifying eligibility conditions and compensation ceilings for deaths, disabilities and property losses arising from security-related and law and order incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.