Year on, Punjab govt yet to start ex gratia scheme for ‘physical casualty’ cases in armed forces
Soldiers’ deaths due to natural causes, illness, accident, suicide, or murder due to family disputes, whether in operational or non-operational areas, are classified as ‘physical casualties.’
A year after Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s announcement, his government has yet to implement an ex gratia grant of ₹25 lakh for ‘physical casualty’ cases in the armed forces.
The grant, meant for the families of defence personnel, who died in non-battle scenarios, was announced by the chief minister at an event organised in Amritsar on July 26, 2023, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Mann had explained that ex-gratia is given to soldiers who die in a battle or clash, but if any soldier dies during his service because of an avalanche, in any accident, heart attack, or brain haemorrhage, in such cases ex-gratia is not given. “My government will now start giving ex gratia in ‘physical casualty’ cases,” he declared.
However, the announcement remains unimplemented to date, as a proposal submitted by the department of defence services welfare to the chief minister’s office (CMO) is awaiting approval. The state government presently gives financial assistance of ₹1 lakh from the Flag Day Fund to the next of kin (NOK) of soldiers who “die in harness other than battle casualty.”
Officials familiar with the matter said that a meeting was scheduled to be held under the chairmanship of the chief minister on Wednesday, but it got postponed. This was the second time the meeting had been postponed. They said that the department would be given a fresh date for the meeting sometime next week in all probability.
Soldiers’ deaths due to natural causes, illness, accident, suicide, or murder due to family disputes, whether in operational or non-operational areas, are classified as ‘physical casualties.’ According to an officer of the defence services welfare department, there are 50 to 60 physical casualties in the state each year on average. “The decision on ex gratia grant in such cases will be taken soon. Punjab has been a pioneer in devising policies for the benefit and welfare of defence personnel. We will also take the lead in helping families of soldiers in physical casualty cases,” said the officer, who did not want to be named.
The Punjab government provides an ex gratia grant of ₹1 crore to the families of battle casualties. Of this, ₹60 lakh goes to the widow and ₹40 lakh to the parents. One of the first decisions made by the current AAP government after assuming control of the state in March 2022 was to increase the ex gratia grant from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore.
