SRINAGAR, AUGUST 14 (KNS) : The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, today approved the extension of ex-gratia relief of Rs. 25 lakhs to all Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, and members of District Development Councils of Jammu and Kashmir in case of death due to a militancy-related incident. Earlier, the Government has provided similar relief for all elected BDC Chairmen, Sarpanches, Panches and all elected members of Municipal Bodies of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.

The decision aims at strengthening the grass roots democracy by providing a sense of security to the elected members of local bodies facing threat from anti-state elements.

The ex-gratia relief will act as a guarantee for the subsistence of the family members of the elected representatives who are killed in militancy-related incidents.(KNS)