Mamata announces ₹10L aid for kin of 3 killed in Pahalgam, 6 Para commando
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also offered a government job to one member from the four the bereaved households
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh for the three tourist from West Bengal --- Samir Guha, Bitan Adhikari and Manish Ranjan --- who were among the 26 killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack and the army special forces commando --- havaldar Jhantu Ali Shaikh --- of 6 Para killed in an encounter two days later.
“Three tourists from our state were killed in the terrorist attack in Kashmir and one army personnel was killed during an encounter. I am sure the centre would announce some compensation for the victims’ families. We will give the four families ₹10 lakh each,” Banerjee said at the state secretariat, adding if the deceased are survived by parents and spouse, the money will be divided into ₹5 lakh each.
She also offered a government job to one member from the four the bereaved households and announced an additional monthly pension of ₹10,000 for the elderly parents of Adhikari, a 40-year-old techie based in Florida, had come to Kolkata on vacation. He went to Kashmir on April 16 with wife Sohini and three-year-old son. They were supposed to return on the night of April 24.
Also Read: Pahalgam: Intelligence Bureau officer among 3 from Bengal killed in terror attack
“I spoke with the parents of Bitan Adhikari, one of the victims. They are elderly and used to depend on their son for medicines. A Swasthya Sathi card (cashless health scheme funded by the state government) will be issued in the name of Bitan’s father. We will also give him an additional monthly pension of ₹10,000,” she said.
Banerjee promised a job to the wife of the Indian Army special forces para commando soldier from Nadia, who was killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces in the Dudu-Basantgarh area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Thursday. “His children were studying in army school. I have spoken with his wife. We can also ensure that the two children get admission in a good school in Kolkata, if the family members want,” she added.
Also Read: J&K: Army commando killed, two soldiers injured in Udhampur encounter
Meanwhile, West Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant held a meeting with a section of non-teaching staff in government schools who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court verdict on April 3 that scrapped the appointment of 25,752 government appointed 2016-batch school teachers and non-teaching staff in connection with the bribe-for-job case.
Banerjee, who addressed the meeting over phone, announced a monthly financial assistance to non-teaching staff of government schools who lost their jobs
Also Read:Bengal school teachers start fresh agitation, demand release of OMR list
“Firstly, we are going to file a review petition in the Supreme Court both for the teachers and the non-teaching staff (who have lost their jobs after the apex courts verdict). But till the time the review petition is heard by the apex court and the verdict is announced, the state government will pay a monthly assistance of ₹25,000 to group C staff and ₹20,000 to group D staff,” she added.
On an appeal by the state, the top court directed on April 17 that only non-tainted teachers may continue in service until December 31 and ordered the state to start a fresh recruitment process for them. The top court did not grant any relief to the Group-C and D staff.
