Now Reading: Government proposes 40% hike in SC/ST atrocity compensation to Rs 12 lakh
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Government proposes 40% hike in SC/ST atrocity compensation to Rs 12 lakh
Government proposes 40% hike in SC/ST atrocity compensation to Rs 12 lakh
The government has proposed raising compensation for victims of atrocities under the SC/ST Act by over 40%, with the maximum likely to go from Rs 8.25 lakh to about Rs 12 lakh.…
The Story in Brief
The government has proposed raising compensation for victims of atrocities under the SC/ST Act by over 40%, with the maximum likely to go from Rs 8.25 lakh to about Rs 12 lakh. The minimum would rise from Rs 85,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The social justice ministry has sent the proposal, based on the Consumer Price Index, to the Expenditure Finance Committee. If approved, this will be the first increase in a decade.
The government has also proposed a one-time grant of Rs 5 lakh to states for setting up special police stations for atrocity cases. Only seven states and Union territories have such stations, despite the 1989 Act requiring them. A parliamentary committee expressed shock that 181 stations exist across just seven states. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, which report the highest number of atrocities, have none. States will bear recurring costs.
The Indian Opinion
The hike is welcome, but the real test is whether states will finally set up the special police stations mandated by law. Only seven states have done so in three decades. The Rs 5-lakh one-time assistance is trivial for major states. Why should victims in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, which report the highest atrocities, have no dedicated police station? The compensation number is clear. The question is enforcement.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
