state Govt hikes aid for sexual assault victims

BHUBANESWAR: A month after the Supreme Court directed States to make mandatory payment of minimum `4 lakh as compensation to rape survivor and `5 lakh for gang-rape survivor, Odisha Government increased the compensation amount for women victims of sexual assault and other crimes.
As per a notification issued by the Home department, in case of death, the victim’s family members will get `5 lakh to `10 lakh compensation while a rape survivor will be given `4 lakh to `7 lakh. Similarly, a gang-rape survivor will get `5 lakh to `10 lakh and in case of unnatural sexual assault, the victim will get `4 lakh to `7 lakh. 

A victim having lost her limb or part of body due to assault resulting in 80 per cent permanent disability or more will get `2 lakh to `5 lakh and in case of 40 per cent to 80 per cent disability, the compensation amount will be `2 lakh to `4 lakh. Compensation for 20 per cent to 40 per cent disability is up to `3 lakh.
A victim with below 20 per cent disability or grievous physical or mental injury is eligible for a compensation of `1 lakh to `2 lakh. In case of loss of foetus or miscarriage due to assault or loss of fertility, the victim will be provided `2 lakh to `3 lakh. If rape leads to pregnancy, the victim will get `3 lakh to `4 lakh.          

Compensation amount has also been revised for burn victims. A victim with disfigured face will get `7 lakh to `8 lakh while the assistance for more than 50 per cent injury is `5 lakh to `8 lakh. Victims with less than 50 per cent injury will get `3 lakh to `5 lakh.   

“If a woman victim of sexual assault/acid attack is covered under one or more category of the schedule, she will be entitled to be considered for combined value of the compensation,” stated the notification.
The State Government has also made amendments to the Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme, 2017 and included mob violence and lynching in the category of crimes.