Centre allocates INR 195 crore for SRE in Northeast states

Reimbursements made to North Eastern States under SRE scheme during the last seven year is as under

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Jan. 3 (EMN): The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) maintained that the central government has been implementing a scheme for reimbursement of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) for the Northeast (NE) states “seriously affected by militancy/insurgency since 1995.”

According to a notification issued by the MHA, the scheme was being implemented in all NE states except Mizoram and Sikkim. It stated that for the financial year 2019-20, INR 195 crore has been allocated under SRE (NE) scheme.

Under the scheme, the funds are shared between the centre and state in the ratio of 90:10. Expenditure incurred by NE states on various security related items, including raising of India Reserve Battalion; logistics provided to the CAPFs/army deployed in the state; ex-gratia grant and gratuitous relief to the victims of extremist violence; 75% of the expenditure incurred on POL (petrol, oil and lubricants) in operations; 100% ex-gratia to NoK of police personnel; honorarium paid to village guards/village defence committees/home guards deployed for security purposes; and expenditure incurred on maintenance of designated camps set up for groups with whom the central government/state governments have entered into agreement for suspension of operations(SoO) and expenditure incurred on surrendered militants and their rehabilitation is being reimbursed.

A comprehensive review of the SRE scheme for NE states was effected on April 1, 2018 and the following changes were made:

• Wages for home guards hiked to INR 200 per day from INR 150 per day.
• Honorarium for village defence guard (VDP) doubled to INR 3,000 per month from INR 1,500 per month.
• Maintenance expenses of designated camp for each cadre enhanced from INR 3,000 to INR 6,000 per month.
• Enhanced ex-gratia for killed / injured person in extremist violence –
 Civilian death – increased from INR 1 lakh to INR 2 lakh
 Police personnel death – increased from INR 3 lakh to INR 20 lakh
 Permanent disability for police-enhanced from INR 75,000 to INR 5 lakh