Delhi govt to pay defence personnel Rs 1 cr ex gratia

New Delhi: Delhi government gave its nod to the extension of scheme of paying Rs 1 crore ex-gratia to families of those defence personnel who lose their lives on account of operations, calamities and disaster.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today.

A senior government official said that the scheme will cover those defence personnel dying in operations or war if his permanent address recorded at the time of joining service is in Delhi.

In April this year, the Arvind Kejriwal government had announced that it would provide compensation to the tune of Rs 1 crore to kin of uniformed services personnel killed on active duty.

While announcing the scheme, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said, "We gave compensation of Rs 1 crore during our last term (49-day stint) but now we have made it a policy after the cabinet meeting.

"Financial help is not to support livelihood of martyr family but to pay homage to his courage and sacrifice," he had said.