M A I N   N E W S

Punjab crime victims to get compensation
Cabinet gives nod to policy; CrPC section modified
Tribune News Service

Relief Plan The policy will ensure Rs 1 lakh in case of loss of life, Rs 40,000 in case of loss of any limb or part of body resulting in 40 per cent or above handicap. Rs 30,000 would be given as compensation for rape, Rs 20,000 for injury causing severe mental agony to women and children. Compensation will be given at the end of the first trial. Rs 7 cr to be provided for the purpose in fiscal year 2011-12

Chandigarh, January 3
The Punjab Cabinet has approved the formulation of a “victim compensation policy” that would ensure immediate monetary assistance to victims of a crime or their dependents where there is a fatality. The policy has been formulated on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here on Monday.

A Punjab Government spokesperson said the policy has been formulated to give Rs 1 lakh in case of loss of life, Rs 40,000 in case of loss of any limb or part of body resulting in 40 percent or above handicap, Rs 30,000 as compensation for rape and Rs 20,000 for injury causing severe mental agony to women and children (example human trafficking).

The compensation will be given at the end of the first trial. The victim or their dependents can also apply to the Legal Services Authority for interim compensation in case where the victim was the sole breadwinner. The state has already made changes in the CrPC under Section 357A to make the compensation policy practical.

Based on the data of such offences available as of now, it has been proposed that the state would provide an amount of Rs 4 crore for the financial year 2010-11. Likewise, Rs 7 crore would be provided in the financial year 2011-12.

In another decision, the Cabinet decided to impose an entry tax at the rate of 1 per cent on pulses and 5 per cent on various kinds of pipes. However, crude palm oil has been exempted from entry tax.

The Cabinet also gave approval to amend the Section 39 of the Punjab VAT Act after inserting sub-section (1-A) after sub section (1) to issue 75 percent of refunds on the basis of monthly returns and against the indemnity bond. The indemnity bond facility would be extended to genuine manufacturers and traders up to a particular limit of Rs 1 crore.

Keeping in view the historic and religious importance of holy towns of Chamkaur Sahib, Baba Bakala and Machiwara, the Cabinet approved to rename these as Sri Chamkaur Sahib, Baba Bakala Sahib and Machiwara Sahib, respectively.

The Cabinet also gave a nod for notifying the ‘Punjab Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Counselling and Rehabilitation Centres’ Rules, 2010, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, for regulating the drug de-addiction centres in the state.

Further the Cabinet gave an approval in principle to transfer village Talwandi Butian and Punia from sub-tehsil Lohian in Jalandhar district to sub-division/tehsil Shahkot of Jalandhar district. The proposal was forwarded by Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar and director, Land Records, Punjab.

To ensure hassle-free and timely disbursement of pension to the beneficiaries under various schemes, the Cabinet also approved suitable changes in old-age pension and other financial assistance schemes in the state. It has also been decided to amend the Prison Act, 1994, to prohibit the use of mobile phone in jails of the state.