Text of Govt Press Release - Relief and rehab for 2002 Gujarat Riot victims

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Press Release

March 22, 2007

RELIEF AND REHABILITATION OF VICTIMS OF COMMUNAL RIOTS IN GUJARAT OF 2002
21:6 IST
The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the following proposals in respect of Relief and rehabilitation of victims of communal riots in Gujarat of 2002 :

There were 1169 deaths. The next of kin would be paid ex-gratia at Rs. 3.5 lakhs which would be in addition to amount already paid by the State Government. This implies a liability of Rs. 53.19 crores.

For the 2548 cases of injury, an ex-gratia would be paid at Rs. 1.25 lakhs each which would be reduced by the amount already paid by the State Government yielding a net liability of Rs. 39.20 crores.

The State Government has paid ex-gratia of Rs. 30.10 crores for damage to residential property. This implies an additional liability of Rs. 9.03 crores.

Similarly, the State Government has paid an ex-gratia of Rs. 17.18 crores for uninsured commercial / industrial property. This implies an additional liability of Rs. 5.15 crores.

The aggregate liability for items (i) to (iv) above is, therefore, Rs. 106.57 crores. The above package would be treated as separate and ‘standalone’ case.

The following components of the package are not quantifiable as they are contingent upon the number of applicants for the benefit :

a) Children / family members of those who died in the riots of 2002 will be given preference in recruitment in para-military forces, IR Battalions, State Police Forces, Public Sector Undertakings and other State and Central Government Departments by giving necessary age relaxation.

b) The Central Government / State Governments may launch a special recruitment drive to accommodate eligible members from riot affected families.

c) Those who had lost their jobs would be allowed to rejoin by treating the period of absence as ‘dies-non’.

d) Those who had to leave their jobs due to riots and have already crossed the age of superannuation may be given necessary pensionary benefits by relaxing the normal rules to the extent possible.

This Cabinet’s decision will result in relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the communal riots in Gujarat of 2002, on par with the measures taken in respect of victims of anti-Sikh riots of 1984.