Centre to reimburse compensation paid to victims of cross-border firing by J&K govt

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MEA) on Monday said that the Centre will reimburse funds spent by Jammu and Kashmir government in paying compensation to victims of cross-border firing. The statement was made by Union minister Jitendra Singh.

The Union Minister said that the J&K government should expedite the mechanism in seeking prompt reimbursement of funds from the Centre.

In a statement, Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), said that this would prevent delays and address concerns of the state government "about non-payment or inadequate payment of compensation to border victims".

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for being extremely sensitive in promptly responding to the demands from the border areas.

According to an order passed by the Home Ministry, the funds paid as compensation by the Jammu and Kashmir government will be reimbursed by the Centre through security related expenditure (SRE).

The J&K government may consider paying "relief and compensation for housing damages/losses, crop or livestock losses, relief for stay at relief camps, displacement, etc." to those affected by cross-border firing at rates equal to NDRF recommendations fixed from time to time, the order read.

Item-wise claims and compensations 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, it added.

(With PTI inputs)