PATNA: The Bihar government on Tuesday increased the compensation amount for acid-attack and rape survivors from Rs 3 lakh to 7 lakh. Survivors who are under the age of 14 would get 50 per cent more compensation.
A meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also passed proposals to raise compensation amounts payable to victims of human trafficking and sexual harassment, said special cabinet secretary UN Pandey.
“Acid attack victims whose faces have been disfigured used to get a compensation of Rs 3 lakh. This has been increased to Rs 7 lakh. If the victim of acid attack or rape is under the age of 14, she would get 50 per cent more compensation,” he said.
Victims of acid attack who have suffered damage in their eyesight up to 80 per cent or have turned disabled would get a monthly compensation of Rs 10,000 instead of the whole compensation amount in a single instalment, added Pandey. Decisions on such matters would be taken by the district-level panels.
“Human traffic victims would receive a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each instead of the Rs 1 lakh paid currently. In matters in which there has been no sexual assault on the victims, they would each get Rs 1 lakh instead of the Rs 50,000 currently paid,” added Pandey.
Bihar has witnessed a surge in acid attacks in recent years. Women, mostly teenage girls, have been the victims of such attacks. A minor girl was attacked with acid by a man after he failed to establish an illicit relationship with her in East Champaran district earlier this month. This was the third acid attack in the district over the last few months.
A 21-year-old man was arrested in Patna in March for allegedly throwing acid on a woman who rejected his advances. The man had met the woman on Facebook some months ago and had developed what police called a “one-sided love” for her.