Govt doubles compensation for victims of rape, acid attack
₹10 lakh for gang-rape victims, ₹8 lakh for acid attack victims now in Jharkhand
JAMSHEDPUR: The Jharkhand government almost doubled the compensation amount for rape, gangrape, acid attack victims and other victims of crimes, legal officials said here on Wednesday. As per the new compensation scheme notified, gang-rape and murder victims will now get ₹10 lakh as compensation.
“State government had hiked the compensation amount for victims of heinous crimes in the wake of Supreme Court (SC) orders on May 11 and July 25 last year. State home, jail and disaster management department had issued notification to this effect on Tuesday evening which would be effective from July 30 this year,” said Nitish Nilesh Sanga, secretary, district legal services authority (DLSA).
He said the SC had ordered significant hike in compensation amounts for crime victims in the case between Nipun Saxena and Government of India. “The SC, in its orders, had observed that the mental state is also adversely affected along with financial loss for the families of the victims of heinous criminal acts. The objective of providing such victims and their families is to share their pain and enable them to lead a good life,” said Sanga.
As per the new notification, victims of gang-rape and murder will now be getting compensation of ₹10 lakh which was earlier ₹5 lakh. Victims of rape and unnatural sex will be getting compensation of ₹7 lakh in place of ₹4 lakh. “Victims of acid attack would henceforth be entitled for compensation of ₹8 lakh, while in case of miscarriage, victim would get compensation of ₹3 lakh,” said Sanga.
The Notification further stated that victims losing limbs or part of body would now get compensation of Rs 4 lakh instead of Rs 2 lakh earlier, Rs 2 lakh in case of 20% disability, Rs 2 lakh for serious injury, which was earlier Rs 1 lakh.
As per DLSA records here, it has sent 22 proposals for crime victims under state’s victim compensation schemes recommending a total compensation amount of ₹44 lakh in 2018-19. Similary, 19 such proposals were forwarded in 2019-20 for compensation amount of ₹41.50 lakh so far.