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Scheme to help civilian victims of terror strikes

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for launching a Central scheme to assist civilian victims of violence perpetrated by terrorists, militants, insurgents and naxalites. The assistance would be in addition to support that is being already given by the Central and State Governments.

Announcing this, Union Minister and Cabinet spokesperson Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said a major advantage of the scheme would be that the assistance would be provided immediately after an attack so that the victims in the case of those who were disabled and the kith and kin in the case of those who get killed do not have to wait for the various formalities to be completed under the existing schemes.

If the victim or a successor was a child, a sum of Rs. 3 lakh would be deposited in a bank account and the interest will be paid to them every quarter till they become a major. After that, the principal sum would be given to them.

The National Foundation for Communal Harmony would implement the scheme. The Governing Council of the Foundation would frame the detailed guidelines for the scheme and announce it soon.

PSLV flights

Chaired by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet also approved the funding of 15 polar satellite launch vehicle operational flights (C14 to C 28) to be realised from 2009 to 2012 at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,518 crore. The flights would help in launching the series of remote sensing, navigation and space science satellites planned for the 11th Plan period and beyond.

The Indian Space Research Organisation has so far completed three developmental and nine operational flights and the last 11 flights have been consecutively successful. In the last mission, PSLV C10 successfully launched a commercial satellite for an international customer on January 21. This was the second commercial launch using PSLV. With this, PSLV has emerged as a versatile launch vehicle to carry out polar sun-synchronous orbit, geo-synchronous transfer orbit and low inclination low earth orbit missions. Meanwhile, the satellite missions for PSLV C9 to C13 have been committed. They are expected to be launched by 2008-09 end.

MoU with Malaysia

The Cabinet meeting also gave its approval for signing a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia on employment of workers, whether they were unskilled, semi-skilled or fully skilled. The pact would set out responsibilities of the employers, workers, and recruitment agencies and provide for protection and welfare of all categories of workers under the labour and other relevant laws of the host country.

It will, among others, provide for bilateral cooperation in promoting orderly recruitment and development of workers including cooperation in pre-departure orientation and skill upgradation training. A joint working group would be set up to implement the MoU, with a specific mandate to regularly review employment and availability of corresponding skills in both the countries and to explore new avenues for cooperation in the field of labour and manpower development for mutual benefit.

About 1.37 lakh Indian workers are estimated to be employed in Malaysia, accounting for a substantial proportion of the 20 lakh foreign workers in that country. There had been complaints about ill-treatment and exploitation of the workers.

The pact should be of great benefit to the workers as it would lay down a specific framework for their protection, apart from promotion of employment.

The Cabinet congratulated Minister for Overseas Affairs, Vyalar Ravi, for finalising the agreement, Mr. Dasmunsi said.

Special grant

The Union Cabinet also met on Thursday and approved the taking up of the development of Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo as commemorative projects under the tercentenary celebrations of Guru-ta-Gaddi of Guru Granth Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs. 99.73 crore and Rs. 79.84 crore respectively.

The fund would be provided to Punjab Government as a special grant. It would be asked to complete the project by October 2009, within the commemoration year.

Indira Awaas Yojana

The Cabinet also decided to enhance the unit assistance for the construction of houses under the Indira Awaas Yojana from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 35,000 in the plains and from Rs. 27,500 to Rs. 38,000 in hilly and other difficult areas and to increase the unit assistance for upgradation from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 15,000 across the country. The new rates would be applicable in respect of new dwelling units sanctioned after April 1.

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