Punjab Yet to Implement ₹25 Lakh Ex Gratia ‘Physical Casualty’ Cases
Chandigarh, September 2024: A year has passed since Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a ₹25 lakh ex gratia grant for the families of armed forces personnel who die in non-battle circumstances. However, despite the promise made on July 26, 2023, during the Kargil Vijay Diwas event in Amritsar, the government has yet to implement the scheme. The ex gratia, meant for ‘physical casualty’ cases such as death due to natural causes, accidents, or illness, is still awaiting approval from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
The proposal, submitted by the state’s Department of Defence Services Welfare, remains unapproved as key meetings have been postponed twice. The most recent meeting, scheduled under the Chief Minister’s leadership for last Wednesday, was delayed again, leaving families of non-battle casualties without the promised financial support.
The ex gratia scheme was designed to fill a crucial gap, as financial assistance is currently only provided to soldiers who die in combat or conflict-related situations. CM Bhagwant Mann had highlighted the need for such a grant, explaining that while soldiers who die in battle receive ex gratia, no such assistance exists for those who perish in accidents, avalanches, heart attacks, or other non-battle scenarios during their service.
“My government will now start giving ex gratia in ‘physical casualty’ cases,” Mann had declared during the Kargil Vijay Diwas event in 2023. Despite this announcement, the families of soldiers who died in service due to non-combat reasons are still waiting for the ₹25 lakh compensation, which has yet to materialize.
At present, the Punjab government offers a mere ₹1 lakh from the Flag Day Fund to the next of kin (NOK) of soldiers who die outside of battle. Soldiers’ deaths due to natural causes, accidents, illness, or even incidents like suicide or family disputes fall under the ‘physical casualty’ category. According to officials from the defence services welfare department, the state records an average of 50 to 60 such cases annually.
The state government has long been recognized for its progressive policies toward the welfare of armed forces personnel. Punjab provides an ex gratia grant of ₹1 crore to the families of soldiers who die in combat, with ₹60 lakh given to the widow and ₹40 lakh to the parents. One of the first major decisions of the current AAP government, upon taking office in March 2022, was to increase this ex gratia from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore for battle casualties. However, no such financial support exists for non-battle deaths, further emphasizing the need for the promised ₹25 lakh grant.
Officials familiar with the issue have shared that the postponed meeting will likely be rescheduled for next week. Despite the delays, an officer from the Department of Defence Services Welfare, who spoke anonymously, expressed optimism that the decision would be made soon. “Punjab has led the way in formulating policies aimed at the welfare and benefit of defense personnel. We will also take the lead in helping families of soldiers in physical casualty cases,” the official stated.
While the state government has taken notable steps to support the families of soldiers who die in combat, the lack of progress on the ex gratia for non-battle deaths raises concerns. Many hope that the delays in approval will soon be resolved, ensuring that families of soldiers who die in non-combat scenarios are not left without support.
This article brings attention to the ongoing delays in implementing Punjab’s ₹25 lakh ex gratia for physical casualty cases and the broader impact on soldiers’ families.
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