Shivraj cabinet approves MP Mao Surrender, Rehabilitation and Relief Policy

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved the Mao Surrender, Rehabilitation-cum-Relief Policy, 2023 during a meeting chaired chief miner Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Madhya Pradesh chief miner Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (PTI Photo) Talking to media persons, medical education miner Vishwas Sarang said, “The council of miners has approved the ‘Madhya Pradesh Mao Surrender, Rehabilitation cum Relief Policy 2023’ with the objective of providing gainful employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to surrendered Maos. The main objective of this policy is to include those who voluntarily surrender themselves into the mainstream renouncing the path of violence.” According to the policy, ₹1.50 lakh will be given to surrendered Maos for the construction of houses, an ex-gratia amount of ₹10,000 to ₹4.50 lakh for surrendering arms, an incentive amount of ₹50,000 for weddings, ₹5 lakh or the announced award amount, whichever is more, for the purchase of immovable property, and ₹1.50 lakh for vocational training. Further, they will also avail benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and food assance scheme of the central government. “According to the policy, ₹15 lakh will be given to the victim’s family in case of death of a citizen affected violence, ₹20 lakh to the families of deceased security personnel, and ₹4 lakh in case of physical disability. In case of the death of a citizen from Mao violence, the family member will be given appointment on a class III/IV post in the state government,” Sarang said. The cabinet has also decided to increase the rate of dearness relief payable to state government pensioners/family pensioners. As per the decision, the rate of dearness relief has been increased to 42% under the seventh pay scale and 221% under the sixth pay scale. With this, the state is likely to incur an estimated additional expenditure of ₹410 crore.