Next of kin of each slain scribe to get Rs 5 lakh

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 12: Taking a path-breaking step Assam Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal is going to pay ex gratia amounting to Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the 32 jourlists, who were slain in the State since 1991 by militants or miscreants, on December 22 at a function in Guwahati.

Chief Minister’s media adviser Hrishikesh Goswami informed the Assam Press Correspondents’ Union (APCU) of this on Tuesday. This move is fulfillment of an assurance given to an APCU delegation by the Chief Minister on May 24, 2016 when the former submitted him a charter of demands, including ex gratia to the next of kin of the 32 jourlists slain in the State since 1991.

Sonowal Cabinet was on record having taken the decision to pay Rs 3 lakh as ex gratia to the next of kin of each of the 32 slain jourlists in the State in its very first Cabinet meeting. However, the APCU had to take up the issue with the Chief Minister later again pleading him to raise the ex gratia amount to Rs 5 lakh each as is being given to the next of kin of martyrs of the Assam Agitation. Accepting APCU’s plea the Chief Minister raised the amount of ex gratia up to Rs 5 lakh each and earmarked Rs 1.60 crore for it. Sonowal is going to pay the ex gratia to the next of kin of the slain jourlists on December 22 from the amount earmarked for it. The APCU hailed the Chief Minister for his gesture towards the family members of the slain jourlists.