Centre plans to give insurance cover of Rs 4 lakh each to 40,000 panch, sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir

NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering to give an insurance cover of Rs 4 lakh each to over 40,000 panch and sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir due to their vulnerability to terror threats, officials said on Thursday.

The Union Home Ministry is also planning to educate the leaders of the lowest level of the elected bodies on the central laws and other facilities to be applicable and available in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.

"We are examining the proposal to provide an insurance cover of Rs 4 lakh to all Panch and Sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir," a senior Home Ministry official said.

The move comes after a delegation of panch and sarpanch of Jammu and Kashmir met Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently and requested him for the insurance cover due to the terror threats to them.

The delegation had sought an insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh each to the Panch and Sarpanch, but the central government is planning to give them the cover of Rs 4 lakh each, the officials said.

The panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held late last year in which over 40,000 Panch and Sarpanch were elected to these local bodies.

The Home Ministry has also asked the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to educate Panch and Sarpanch on the central laws that will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir and how they will benefit the people and the panchayats.

The central funds have started reaching the panchayats for carrying out the development projects, another official said.

The central government on August 5 had announced the abrogation of special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.