Atrocities against SC/STs: State govt hikes compensation

The State government has issued an order increasing the compensation to members of SC/ST communities who are victims of atrocities, including humiliation and verbal abuse.

The compensation amount has almost been doubled or trebled. The compensation for victims made to eat inedible or obnoxious food has been increased to Rs 60,000, beginning this month.

A quarter of the relief amount has to be paid soon after the charge sheet in the atrocities case is submitted before the court. The remaining amount should be settled after the court announces the quantum of punishment for the culprit. 

Humiliating members of SC/ST communities, harassing them, cultivating land belonging to them, forcing members of these communities into begging and keeping them in bonded labour are other forms of atrocities for which the compensation has been increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000.

Women from SC/ST communities who are victims of rape and sexual harassment will now get a compensation of Rs 1.2 lakh. If a non-earning member of an SC/ST family is handicapped or murdered in a case of atrocity, the compensation has been fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh.

In the case of an earning member being handicapped or murdered, the compensation is Rs five lakh.