New Delhi, September 8
Two decades later, the families of 1984 riot victims can see light at the end of the tunnel, with the government assuring to grant compensation to those whose near and dear ones went missing and they did not have a death certificate.

The families of the victims can secure the death certificate from municipal authorities or panchayat, file the claim form and get the compensation, said Minister of State for Home Affairs S.Ragupathy.

The clarification by the Centre comes as a solace to many but very late as they have been denied any compensation for nearly 22 years.

“In the case of a missing person, the police, on the basis of a complaint filed, carry out investigation. In case, the police submits a report to the effect that the person is not traceable, the next of kin can file a petition, along with all proof, including copy of FIR/complaint filed in the police station concerned before the designated authority for a decree declaring the missing person as dead,” the minister said. And based on such decree, the municipal/panchayat authorities can issue the death certificate.

Mr Raghupathy said the next of kin of the persons went missing during riots, but were cremated without verification, can claim the compensation sanctioned by the state governments and the various relief sanctioned by the Centre under the rehabilitation package of January 2006, after obtaining the death certificate.

The issue of compensation was raised by Congress MP Rana Gurjeet Singh. He said a number of families did not get relief under the Rs 715 crore rehabilitation package for want of a death certificate.

Stating the principle followed in civil cases, where the whereabouts of a person are not known for a period of seven years, the person is assumed as dead for all intent and purpose, he said.

He also demanded that relief provided by the Centre would not reach the actual beneficiary, if the government did not extend the last date for filing claims in such cases.

Recently, the Punjab Government had stated that it had disbursed Rs 204.44 crore as rehabilitation grant ed at the rate of Rs 2 lakh each to 10,222 families of the 1984 riots.

The Centre had announced the grant of enhanced ex gratia, which includes payment in case of death at Rs 3.5 lakh in each case, in addition to what had been already paid by the state governments. Ex gratia payments in case of injuries would be given at the rate of Rs 1.25 lakh minus the amount already paid as per the relevant court judgements.

Compensation for damaged residential properties would be paid at ten times the amount of compensation paid minus the amount already paid. Similarly, the compensation for damaged uninsured commercial or industrial properties would be paid at ten times the amount of compensation paid minus the amount already paid.

Rehabilitation grant to 22,000 families which had to move under duress from other riot-affected states to Punjab and were still living there would be paid at the rate of Rs two lakh per family.