NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in a bus accident in Uttarakhand. He also sanctioned from the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF) Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured in the accident in Uttarkashi. Twenty-four pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh were killed when their bus fell into the Bhagirathi river near Nalupani in Uttarkashi district last evening.
The accident took place when the pilgrims were returning from Gangotri shrine in the Himalayas. "My prayers & solidarity with those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate bus accident in Uttarkashi. May the injured recover soon," the prime minister said.
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary S Ramaswamy has requested his Madhya Pradesh counterpart B P Singh to send the addresses and bank account numbers and IFSC codes of the victims so that the compensation could be deposited into their accounts.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has already announced an ex gratia of Rs one lakh to the family of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident. Meanwhile, the state urban development minister who is in-charge of Uttarkashi district, Madan Kaushik, today visited Uttarkashi to enquire about the accident victims. Kaushik, who went to Uttarkashi in a helicopter, has brought four of the injured along with him to Dehradun where they have been admitted to Max Hospital.