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GOVT. approves welfare fund for crime victims

It would be funded by earnings of convicted prisoners

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the setting up of a welfare fund for victims of crime that would be funded by part earnings of prisoners who have been convicted of serious crimes such as rape and murder.

The Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh approved its start with a corpus fund of Rs 5 lakhs from the Government, an official spokesman said.

It will be funded by 35 per cent of the wages earned by convicts in a month.

The amount shall be deposited in the fund in a separate bank account, he said.

In case of crimes where the victim dies, the compensation will be immediately paid to the kith and kin.

Thirty-five per cent of the wages earned by prisoners shall go into the prisoners' welfare fund and be utilised under welfare activities for jail inmates.

The remaining 30 per cent will be given to the prisoner and he will be free to spend it on his personal requirements.

In other decisions, the Cabinet granted sanction for filling 1,168 posts of various categories in police, home guards and State commissions.

It also decided to reduce the component of VAT exemption from existing Rs 4 and Rs 2 per litre of petrol and diesel respectively to Rs 2 and Rs 1 per litre as prices of both commodities have been reduced by Rs 2 and Rs 1.

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GOVT. approves welfare fund for crime victims

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