Saturday, January 31, 2015

Ex-gratia grants hiked for members of armed forces personnel

CHANDIGARH, JAN 31
The Haryana Government has enhanced the rate of ex-gratia to be given to members of families of armed forces  personnel, including Army, Navy and the Air Force, who die in harness  or get disabled while performing their bona fide official duties in  operational areas, in war, terrorist or militant attack, border  skirmishes and United Nations Peace Keeping Force (UNPKF).
         Giving this information here today, an official spokesman said  that grant of ex-gratia admissible under the policy would be given in  all cases of battle casualty declared by the Defence Authorities,  irrespective of any operation or any specified area of operation.
 Also, the government has enlarged the scope of payment of ex-gratia to  include contingencies like M.T. accident, heart attack, air crash,  accident on sea and natural calamities etc which demand exceptional  courage in performance of their duties.
         He said that according to the revised policy, the revised  rates of ex-gratia for casualties which occurred on or after February  19, 2014 will be Rs 20 lakh in case of death in war and action against  militants, terrorists and border skirmishes against Rs 2.5 lakh from  April 1, 1999 to February 18, 2014.
 Similarly, Rs 20 lakh will be given in case of death during I.E.D  blast against only Rs 2 lakh earlier. Likewise, Rs 20 lakh will be  given in case of death declared as battle casualty by the Defence  Authorities, irrespective of any operation or any specified area of  operation.
For Defence Forces personnel posted in the UNPKF and for accidents  like air crash, M.T. accident, accident on sea, heart attack and loss  of life during natural calamity, no ex-gratia was paid earlier.
 He said that ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh will be given in case of 78 per  cent disability and above for eligible persons instead of Rs 1 lakh  given earlier. Similarly, Rs 10 lakh will be given in case of  disability of 50 per cent to 74 per cent for eligible persons instead
of Rs 75,000 and Rs 5 lakh in case of disability of 25 per cent to 49  per cent for eligible persons instead of Rs 50,000 given earlier.
         The spokesman said that the enhanced amount of ex-gratia would  be applicable to those who get killed or disabled on or after February  19, 2014 only for defence forces personnel (Army, Navy and Air Force)  for all battle casualties irrespective of any operation or any  specified area of operation as declared by defence authorities.
 It will be applicable to those are domiciles of Haryana at the time of  joining the service, at the time of casualty or disability and  disabled personnel or NOK of casualties occurred, are domicile of  Haryana till date. That includes disabled personnel of battle  casualty, who are boarded out due to disability or retained in  service. Previous cases would not be reopened.
 The ex-gratia amount can be claimed within three years of casualty.  Thereafter, it will be time barred. While, the ex-gratia from April 1,  1999 to February 18, 2014 will be given as per policy no.  13/8/92-4DIII dated September 30, 1999 and policy memo no.
21/1/97-4DIII dated June 15, 2001.
         The ex-gratia amount will be paid from the Haryana Chief  Minister’s War Hero’s Relief Fund or the expenditure shall be met  under Major Head ‘2235-Social Security and Welfare-200-other  scheme-(95) Rewards to Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen for acts of  gallantry’ (Non Plan) Demand No.22.

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