MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI I.D. SWAMI)
(a to k ) : A Statement is laid on the table of the House
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (k) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 324 for answer on 16.4.2002 regarding Riots in Gujarat:
(a): No major riot resulting in huge loss of life and property (including religious places) was reported from any other parts of the country after recent riots in Gujarat. As regards Gujarat, so far 635 persons were killed in the disturbances besides 143 were killed in police firing and 2258 persons suffered injuries. 10262 houses, 13758 shops, 2648 cabins and 2995 vehicles, worth more than Rs. 233 crores, were burnt/damaged.
(b) : POTA has not been used in this riot.
(c) & (d) : Does not arise in view of (a) above except Gujarat. In so far as Gujarat is concerned, the State Government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incidents and the involvement of any organisation in this regard will be known only after the Inquiry is completed and report submitted by the said Inquiry authority.
(e), (f) & (g) : As regards relief measures, following emergency relief measures were announced by the State Government of Gujarat:
(i) Death compensation to the next of kin of the deceased: @ Rs. One Lakh.
(ii) Injury assistance: From Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 50,000/- depending on percentages of disability
(iii) Cash assistance: Rs. 15/- per day per person (maximum 5 persons) for 15 days.
(iv) Assistance for household kits: Rs. 1250/- per family
(v) Assistance for earning assets to handcart pullers, lari Gallawalas etc. : Rs.10,000/-
(vi) Housing : Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 50,000/- depending on damage suffered.
(vii) Assistance to Relief Camps:
The State Government has played pro-active role to support relief camps run by the Non Governmental Organisations and essential commodities per day per head being supplied as per the following norms :-
Wheat Flour : 400 grams,
Rice : 100 Grams, Oil, sugar, dal and milk powder: @ 50 grams each. Rs. 5/- per person per day for miscellaneous expenditure
After the Prime Minister`s visit to Gujarat on 4.4.2002, the following relief measures were announced by the Prime Minister :-
(i) Legal heirs of those who lost their lives in communal violence will be given Rs. 1.5 lacs (inclusive of contribution of Rs. One lac from PM`s Relief Fund)
(ii) Financial aid of Rs. 50,000/- for permanent incapacitation and upto Rs. 25,000/- for incapacitation below 40% will be given out of PM`s Relief Fund.
(iii) Food and other items provided to the inmates of relief camps will be provided by Government of India and the entire expenditure thereupon would be reimbursed.
(iv) Cash assistance of Rs. 5/- per head per day to the camps inmates has been increased to Rs. 7/- per head per day.
(v) State Government has introduced a new Scheme of `Sant Kabir Awas Yojna` whereunder financial assistance upto Rs. 50,000/- will be given for the houses destroyed or damaged fully or partially during the riots.
Some more schemes:
(i) A scheme to provide books and other material to the students in the relief camps.
(ii) It is also being arranged to provide tuition to the students at the relief camps, involving leading NGOs and other organisations.
(iii) A scheme to provide vocational training for increasing the skills of the inmates of the relief camps is also under consideration.
(h), (i) & (J): Yes Sir. Preliminary Report of the NHRC on the riots of Gujarat has been received. Most of the recommendations pertain to the Government of Gujarat, which have also been addressed directly by the NHRC to the Govt. of Gujarat. On the recommendations pertaining to the Union Government necessary action has been initiated.
(k): `Public Order` and `Police` are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India and hence the State Governments are primarily concerned with the issues under question. The Union Government, on its part, assisted the State Governments in a variety of ways i.e. through sharing of information, sending alert messages, providing Central Para-military Forces, including the specially constituted composite force called Rapid Action Force as well as regular army columns, on specific request, All the State Governments/Union Territories were also requested to implement in letter and spirit the guidelines for promotion of communal harmony in the country which were issued earlier
