By IANS,
New Delhi : Six years after communal violence ravaged Gujarat, the Indian government Thursday announced a compensation package of Rs.3.32 billion ($77 million) for the survivors and families of the dead.
“A compensation of Rs.350,000 will be given to the family members of the 1,169 people who died in the riots. The total amount for this comes to Rs.40.19 crore (Rs.401 million),” Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters here.
He said the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held Thursday.
Another sum of Rs.296 million has been earmarked for the 2,548 people injured in the violence. Each person will get Rs.125,000.
For those who suffered financial losses due to damage to property, an amount of Rs.2.62 billion has been sanctioned.
The Gujarat riots broke out after 59 Hindus were killed near the Godhra railway station when a mob allegedly torched the coaches of the Sabarmati Express train. In the terrible retalitatory violence that raged for weeks, more than 1,000 people were killed, mostly Muslims.