More families seek compensation from Punjab govt

We are scuritinising fresh applications after which the joint verification of claims will be conducted by the state departments concerned. BRIG SATINDER SINGH, director, defence welfare, Punjab

CHANDIGARH: As the Punjab government has started giving compensation to the families of 1962, 1965, 1971 war victims, the authorities are receiving requests from more families seeking similar package.

In the last 3 years, around 100odd applications were received from different parts of Punjab after the state government in 2017 approved a policy for release of compensation in cash in lieu of land.

Around 125 families, who had been fighting for compensation for the past 41 years, since the government discontinued its policy of allotting 10-acre land to martyr families in 1976, are being compensated in cash, officials said.

The first two installments for the widows of martyrs of the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars were released from July last year. Compensation was also released to the dependents of martyrs and disabled soldiers of the 1962 and 1965 wars.Around 1,500 families had availed the benefits of the 10-acre land policy for families of fallen soldiers.

Explaining the reason behind the fresh applications, Brig Satinder said that after a speedy process to provide compensation was launched by the government, families of other ex-servicemen who may have not availed the benefit of the policy, have now come forward seeking compensation.