
Chandigarh: Acid attack victims to get ₹10K monthly
In an affidavit submitted in the HC, secretary, social welfare women and child development, AS Chagti said that concurrence for the same has been received from the finance department and funds are available. The scheme 'Support and Assistance for Healing Acid Survivors' has been prepared and sent for the approval of competent authority.
It is under this scheme that monthly pension will be provided, she told the HC, adding that notification in this regard would be issued shortly. It was further submitted that this pension will be over and above the other financial assistance provided to such victims.
The information was given during a hearing of a contempt petition filed by advocate HC Arora against the UT administration earlier this year.
Arora had alleged that in a PIL filed by him, UT administration had undertaken to pay monthly financial assistance to acid attack victims at the rate it is paid by Punjab and Haryana, but it did not keep its promise while Punjab was paying monthly a pension of ₹10,000 since 2016.

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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: Acid attack victims to get ₹10K monthly
The Chandigarh administration has informed the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that acid attack victims in the city will receive a lifetime monthly pension of ₹10,000. The information was given during a hearing of a contempt petition filed by advocate HC Arora against the UT administration earlier this year. (HT photo for representation) In an affidavit submitted in the HC, secretary, social welfare women and child development, AS Chagti said that concurrence for the same has been received from the finance department and funds are available. The scheme 'Support and Assistance for Healing Acid Survivors' has been prepared and sent for the approval of competent authority. It is under this scheme that monthly pension will be provided, she told the HC, adding that notification in this regard would be issued shortly. It was further submitted that this pension will be over and above the other financial assistance provided to such victims. The information was given during a hearing of a contempt petition filed by advocate HC Arora against the UT administration earlier this year. Arora had alleged that in a PIL filed by him, UT administration had undertaken to pay monthly financial assistance to acid attack victims at the rate it is paid by Punjab and Haryana, but it did not keep its promise while Punjab was paying monthly a pension of ₹10,000 since 2016.