Patna, July 26: The state cabinet today decided to set up Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) police stations in 28 revenue districts and two police districts (Bagaha and Naugachia). The total number of SC/ST police stations in the state will rise up to 40 with this decision.
Ten districts in the state already have SC/ST police stations. The opening of the new police stations has paved way for creation of 510 new posts of policemen — from station house officers (SHOs) to constables. The increase in the number of police stations and also the officials to man them are aimed at minimising the atrocities on the SCs/STs in the state.
In another notable decision, the government gave its nod to payment of compensation to victims of atrocities. The cabinet has fixed different slabs for different atrocities, depending on their nature and gravity. For instance, a rape victims will be paid Rs 50,000 in compensation during the process of investigating agency identifying the perpetrator of the crime.
A compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be paid to dependents/ immediate family member of a person killed because of some atrocity. In case of grievous injury or acid attack, the victims will be paid Rs 25,000. The compensation against atrocities will be paid across the board — be it a victim belonging to an SC/ST category or otherwise.
Principal secretary, cabinet co-ordination, Ravikant said that the compensation amount paid to the victims/ relatives during the investigation of the case would be compensated against the sum fixed by the court in the final judgment.
The cabinet also deciding to execute one per cent hike in the commercial taxes on commodities listed under the central tax commodities Act 1956. The hike will affect the prices of coal, iron ore, cotton, leather and woolen fabrics. The existing commercial tax on these commodities is four to five per cent.
The state cabinet announced a bailout package for National Jute Manufacturing Corporation Ltd, Kathihar, as per the new industrial policy.
Ravikant said: “The cabinet also decided to provide Rs 5 crore to Chanakya National Law University for construction of buildings and meeting other establishment costs.”
The cabinet also created 22 new posts in jails across the state in keeping with the recent jail reforms. The decision will incur an additional amount of Rs 59 lakh on the state exchequer.
