Rs 4 lakh insurance cover for J&K panches in the offing

New Delhi, September 19

As the issue was raised by panchayat representatives of Jammu and Kashmir during their meetings with the top functionaries of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the government is working out a scheme to bring them under an insurance coverage of Rs 4 lakh.

There are over 40,000 panches and sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir and because of their vulnerability to terror the work is in progress to bring them under an insurance coverage of Rs 4 lakh, said a senior MHA official.

Besides this, the MHA is also making efforts and brought the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj on board to work out a training module to educate the grass-root leaders on the Central laws and other facilities to be applicable and available to them after the government’s decision to do away with special provisions to the state under Article 370.

“We are examining the proposal to provide insurance cover of Rs 4 lakh to all panches and sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir and also trying to evolve a training module for them to sensitise them to their rights and duties in the changed situation,” a senior MHA official said. — TNS