The Railways are yet to dispose of 71 claims for jobs on compensatory grounds to dependents of victims of the terrorist attack at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee admitted that of the 103 claims filed before the Railway Claims Tribunal, 71 cases were still pending. The Railways had so far issued appointment letters in 31 cases and adhered to the compensation awarded by the tribunal in 32 cases. The Railways paid out an ex gratia of Rs. 5.22 crore in 147 cases. It paid an enhanced ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakh each to the kin of those killed in the attack.
Ms. Banerjee said the Railways were processing the claims of three cases for issue of appointment letters. It either rejected or did not consider two claims for jobs on compassionate grounds: one was not a dependent of the deceased; and the widow of a deceased had already got a job elsewhere. At least three persons declined to settle for a Group D job offered by the Railways.
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As for the three other cases, it was found that relevant documents had not been submitted, and officials requested them to hand in the applications at the earliest, she said.
The Railways received four claims from minors, and it agreed to consider their pleas once they attained the age of 18.