DIMAPUR, June 6: With regard to the unfortunate demise of three IRB personnel from Nagaland during election duty recently, the Rising People’s Party (RPP) demanded that the state government releases ex-gratia payments within 10 days after the counting process.
According to the ECI directive, ex-gratia payment amounting to Rs. 15 lakhs per deceased personnel/polling officers etc., should be paid on or before June 14 by the state government, the RPP said in a statement on Thursday.
The RPP then said that this amount will be reimbursed by the central government at a later date. It also said no expense is to be borne by the state government. The ECI directive specifically mentioned that the state government is free to make its own ex-gratia payment from the state exchequer.
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“Whether the NDPP-BJP coalition will make its own ex-gratia payments – apart from the compulsory payment of Rs. 15 lakhs per personnel, remains to be seen,” it added.
Apart from the urgency to make the payments on or before June 14, the RPP urged the state government to provide employment to the relatives of the deceased.
The RPP then questioned the NDPP-BJP coalition as to why there has been no public response to the fact that TA/DA of Rs. 1500 was reduced to Rs. 550.
“Our police personnel were going to be operating in a very hostile environment for several months in sweltering heat in India. The TA/DA should not have been reduced from Rs 1500 to Rs 500. The state government owes an appropriate answer to our brave jawans,” said the RPP in its statement. (NNN)
