Bihar Cabinet approves payment of Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia

Bihar Cabinet today gave its nod to payment of Rupees 5 lakh as ex-gratia to the next of kin of civilians killed in incidents of violence related to terror, communal tension and cross firing on the borders.
The incidents will also cover those killed in naxal violence and and mines/IED blasts.
Earlier the ex-gratia amount was Rupees 3 lakh per individual.
As per the amended guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India for payment of ex-gratia to civilians, the Cabinet gave its nod to the state's home department's proposal in this regard, Cabinet Secretariat Department Principal Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra said.

The said amount will be first paid by the state government to the next of kin of the victims of such incidents, Mehrotra said.
While 70 per cent of the amount will be released immediately by the Centre to the state government, the remaining 30 per cent will be paid by the Centre after audit verification, he said.

Even foreigners will be paid ex-gratia under the new guideline, official sources said.
The ex-gratia payment will also be made to the injured if he/she has suffered permanent disability of 50 per cent or more, Mehrotra said.
In another decision, the Cabinet also gave its nod to the Rural Works Department's proposal to take loans of Rs 2310 crore from New Development Bank (NDB) (BRICS) for constructing all weather roads to connect villages having more than 250 residents in 26 Non-IAP (Integrated Action Plan) districts of Bihar except Kishanganj, Mehrotra said.

A total of 4000 km roads has to be built on which Rs 3300 crore will be spent, he said adding that of the Rs 3300 crore, Rs 2310 crore will be taken as loan from NDB while the remaining Rs 990 crore will be borne by the state budget.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to abolish the provision of reservation for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Backward Class, Extremely Backward Class in the 13 member management committee of block level 370 fisheries cooperative societies of the state, Cooperative Department's Principal Secretary Amrit Lal Meena said.