Question : RELIEF WORK IN RIOT AFFECTED AREAS OF GUJARAT

(a) whether the National Commission for Minorities have urged the Union Government to ensure an impartial enquiry by a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court to bring out the facts and truth of violence in Gujarat after the Godhra incidents;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Government thereon;

(c) whether the Prime Minister has recently visited the riot affected areas of Gujarat;

(d) if so, the details of the instructions/directions issued by the Prime Minister to bring normalcy and improve the rehabilitation work in the State; and

(e) the measures taken/proposed to be taken to implement the instructions/directions of the Prime Minister?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS ( SHRI I.D.SWAMI)

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. However, since the Gujarat Government has already instituted a judicial lnquiry headed by Justice K.G. Shah, Retired Judge of the High court of Gurarat under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, it is not proposed to institute a parallel Inquiry by the Union Government.

(c),(d) and (e): The Prime Minister visited Gujarat on 4.4.2002. Subsequently, the Prime Minister has announced the following measures:-

A. Ex-gratia Payment


(i) Ex-gratia payment of Rs. One lakh to the next of kin of deceased from the Prime Minister`s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). This will be in addition to Rs. 50,000/- already sanctioned by the Government of Gujarat.

(ii) Rs. 50,000/- to the permanently disabled/injured. This will also be given from the PMNRF.

(B) Relief Camps:


(i) Sanitation, drinking water, general cleanliness in the Relief Camps will be improved by Government of Gujarat.

(ii) The expenditure incurred on food-grains in the relief camps will be borne by the Government of India.

(iii) One set of text books and one set of school uniforms will be given free to children in the relief camps. The expenditure will be reimbursed by the PMNRF.

(C) Housing:


(i) In rural areas, an amount upto Rs. 50,000/- will be given for repair/reconstruction of damaged/fullly damaged houses. The expenditure will be borne by Government of India.

(ii) In the Urban areas, reconstruction of work for the houses will be taken after a comprehensive survey. It will be ensured that there will be proper urban planning while re-locating communities. The entire expenditure towards this will be borne by the Government of India.


(D) In the riot affected areas, Below Poverty Line (BPL) families will be given 35 Kg. Food-grains free of cost for the next two months.

(E) Shops/factories which have been damaged will be given appropriate assistance after a survey.

(F) Government of India will bear the expenditure required to rehabilitate all orphaned children and widows. Smt. Ela Bhat of SEWA has been requested to prepare a scheme/programme for this purpose.

The Prime Minister has directed that Cabinet Secretary will monitor the relief and rehabilitation measures mentioned above on weekly basis.