Villagers leave for safer places. (Shuaib Masoodi)
The Centre will reimburse compensation funds to victims of cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir. The ceasefire violations have resulted in the loss of several lives and mass displacement in Rajouri and other districts of the Valley since the beginning of this year.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the decision was taken after a request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). According to the MHA order, fund paid as compensation by the J&K government will be reimbursed to the stategovernment by the Centre through security related expenditure (SRE).
The order further states that the state government may consider paying relief and compensation for damaged houses, crop or livestock losses, relief for stay at relief camps, displacement, etc. to those affected by cross-border firing, at the rates equal to the NDRF recommendations fixed from time to time.
The MHA communique also advises the state government that item-wise claims and compensation paid by the state government to victims of cross-border firing may be submitted along with details, from time to time, to seek timely reimbursement from the Centre.
Twenty people — 11 security personnel and nine civilians — so far have been killed and more than 75 injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and international border in Jammu division this year.
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