(Asian News Hub) – Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed over a thousand militant attacks on army and Central Armed Police Forces in last years’ since 2019 in J&K and 177 personnel were killed, government informed parliament on Monday, GNS reported.
Replying to a by parliamentarian Anand Sharma in the Rajya Sabha, presently in winter session, Minister of Defence Ajay Bhatt said that 594 militant attacks were recorded in 2019, 244 in 2020 and 195 as on Mid November.
He said that while 80 security forces personnel include CAPF were killed in 2019, 62 in 2020 and 35 till 15 November 2021.
The MoS Ajay Bhatt also informed that 137 soldiers, 49 air force and four navy personnel lost life due to covid-19.
Responding to separate question by parliamentarian Dr. Santanu Sen regarding the details of the total number of defence personnel, their family members and civilian staff who got COVID-19 positive since its outbreak and those who lost their life due to virus, the minister said that 1311 family members of serving army personnel and 276 defence civilian staff died due to covid-19. He said 114 family members of serving Air Force and 41 defence civilian staff of Air Force besides 66 family members of serving navy personnel and 96 family members of defence civilian staff died due to the pathogen.
He said As per extant Rules, no special compensation for deaths occurring due to infectious disease is provided to Armed Forces personnel by the Ministry of Defence, while they are in service. However, all such cases of death while in service are provided terminal benefits, he said as per the reply, a copy of which lies with GNS.
In addition, he said, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued guidelines on the 11th September, 2021 for grant of the ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 50,000 (Rupees fifty thousand only) per deceased person, including those involved in the relief operations or associated in the preparedness activities, subject to cause of death being certified as COVID-19, as per the ‘Guidelines for Official Document for COVID19 Death’ jointly issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Indian Council of Medical Research on the 3rd September, 2021.
