Kolkata, Oct 30 The West Bengal administration has decided to provide a government job to an eligible family member of each person killed in political violence in the state over the past 25 years, including those who lost their lives during or in the aftermath of elections, a well-placed source said on Friday.
The proposal was approved by the Cabinet and received legal clearance, he said, adding that a formal announcement is expected shortly.
“The government’s objective is to ensure that families who lost their loved ones in political violence are not left without support. The initiative is intended to provide them with long-term assistance and a measure of financial security,” the official told PTI.
He said that it will cover victims of political violence spanning both the 15-year Trinamool Congress rule and the preceding 10 years of Left Front regime.
Families of those killed in violence linked to Lok Sabha, Assembly and three-tier panchayat elections will also be eligible for consideration under the proposed initiative, he said.
“The scheme is not being restricted to any particular political period. All eligible cases falling within the 25 years will be examined, irrespective of which government was in power when the incident took place,” the official pointed out.
In the formal notification, the government will lay down the eligibility criteria and procedures to ensure transparency in the selection process.
“Applicants will be required to submit documentary evidence detailing the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death, including the specific cause and the events leading to it,” he said.
Applications will be submitted through the respective district administrations. The District Magistrate’s office will scrutinise the documents and verify the claims, with police reports and administrative inquiries forming part of the verification process.
“The government wants the entire exercise to be carried out through a clearly defined and transparent mechanism. Every claim will be examined based on documentary evidence, police reports and administrative verification before a final decision is taken,” the official said.
The West Bengal government will also provide a one-time financial assistance of Rs five lakh to the families of Anganwadi workers and helpers who die while in service before attaining the age of 65, the official said.
The decision, notified by the state Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, will cover personnel engaged under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, including those working in both government-run and NGO-managed projects.
Under the new provision, the family of an Anganwadi worker or helper who dies before turning 65 will be entitled to receive Rs 5 lakh as a one-time payment.
“The government wants to ensure that families of Anganwadi workers and helpers do not have to face financial hardship without support following the sudden loss of a family member. The assistance is intended to provide some measure of financial security to them,” he said.
The benefit will be available to eligible personnel working under both government-run and NGO-operated ICDS projects.
The decision is applicable retrospectively from April 1, as specified in the government notification. Further details regarding the procedure for claiming the assistance are expected to be communicated by the department.
(PTI News)
