Relief for 2002 riot victims of Gujarat

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday announced an Rs 92.39 crore financial package for the victims of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. The package provides a payment of Rs.3.5 lakh to kin of each of the 1,169 people who died in the riots, a number provided by the Gujarat Government

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters.

The compensation would be in addition to the amount already paid by the state government. The Centre will also pay Rs 1.25 lakh to each of the 2,548 people injured during the communal violence.

Other, unquantifiable elements of the package include preference in government jobs to children or family members of those killed in the riots and a special recruitment drive to accommodate such members.

The Centre ‘’is also open to respond to cases which are reported by the state government, both in the case of death and injury,’’ Dasmunsi said.

The financial package for the kin of those killed would work out to Rs 53.19 crore and for the injured to Rs 39.20 crore (net outgo).