NEW DELHI: The Chhattisgarh cabinet has approved a new ‘Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025’ for Maoist violence victims and to facilitate reintegration into the society of surrendered Maoists, according to an official.
The policy extends rehabilitation and legal assistance to surrendered Maoists to begin afresh, the official said.
Under the policy, land will be provided to civilian victims of Maoist violence, while there will be an enhanced compensation for families of those killed whilst supporting anti-Maoist operations.
Informers
For instance, compensation for the death of an informer specifically aiding police in anti-Maoist operations, will be doubled from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, supplementing central scheme benefits, news agency PTI reported.
In case of permanent disability, informers’ compensation will be hiked to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 3 lakh, according to the policy draft.
Civilians
Civilian victims or families affected by murder/serious injury/permanent disability will receive 1.5 hectares of agricultural land or 4 decimal urban residential land. If land allocation is unfeasible, rural and urban victims will receive financial support of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh respectively.
Additionally, there will be a complete exemption from stamp duty and registration fees for up to two acres for victim families purchasing agricultural land within three years of the incident.
For civilian deaths, if government employment is unavailable for a family member, the state government will provide a compensation of Rs 15 lakh compensation will be provided (Rs 10 lakh for spouse-children, Rs 5 lakh for parents).
The Chhattisgarh government will subsidise 40% of the salary for five years, capped at Rs 5 lakh annually, for victims securing private sector employment.
There will be free education for victims’ children at Prayas Residential Schools and Eklavya Model Schools, with priority for reserved seats in private schools under the Right To Education Act.
Students pursuing higher education or technical training will get an annual Rs 25,000 scholarship.
Maoists
Surrendered Maoists will receive Rs 50,000 cash assistance. There will be an additional compensation for weapon surrender: Rs 5 lakh for LMG, Rs 4 lakh for AK-47, and Rs 2 lakh for Insas or SLR rifles.
Unmarried or widowed Maoists will get Rs 1 lakh for marriage within three years.
Surrendered Maoists with Rs 5 lakh or higher bounty will receive 4 decimal urban land or 1 hectare rural agricultural land. If land is unavailable, Rs 2 lakh is provided for property purchase.
Rs 1 lakh incentive is offered for recovering substantial Maoist equipment caches.
The government has revised rewards for lower-ranking Maoists based on their positions.
Development projects worth Rs 1 crore will be approved upon surrender of all Maoist members and militia active in any village panchayat.