Chandigarh: The Government of India has approved a policy proposed by the Chandigarh Administration to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹10,000 to acid attack survivors in the Union Territory, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed during a recent hearing.
The approval was conveyed in a letter issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Chief Secretary of Chandigarh. The sanctioned policy, titled SAHAS—Support and Assistance for Healing Acid Survivors, aims to provide sustained financial support to victims of acid attacks residing in the UT.
According to the Centre, instead of launching an entirely new scheme, the financial assistance may be incorporated as a separate component under existing welfare programmes such as the Union Territory of Chandigarh Victims Assistance Scheme, 2012, or the pension scheme for persons with disabilities, depending on administrative suitability.
The policy mandates the inclusion of appropriate economic criteria for identifying beneficiaries and for the continuation of the pension. The Centre has also directed that all payments be made strictly through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, with safeguards related to residency and eligibility to prevent misuse of funds. The required budgetary allocation will be met from the Chandigarh Administration’s existing resources.
The Centre’s response came while the High Court was hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate H.C. Arora. Arora alleged that despite assurances given in a public interest litigation, the Chandigarh Administration had failed to provide monthly financial assistance to acid attack survivors at par with Punjab and Haryana. Punjab has been paying a monthly pension of ₹10,000 to acid attack victims since 2016.
Subsequently, the Secretary of the Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Department filed an affidavit stating that the scheme had been finalised and sent for approval to the competent authority.
As per the approved draft policy, applicants must submit a disability certificate confirming that the disability resulted from an acid attack. Applications may be filed by the survivor or, in cases of severe disability, by a family member or legal heir. Other mandatory documents include a copy of the FIR, Aadhaar card, proof of residence, bank account details, and an annual life certificate.
The administration has stated that all applications will be processed within one month, and approved beneficiaries will start receiving payments from the first day of the following month. The policy also provides for an appeal mechanism, allowing aggrieved applicants to approach the Secretary of the Social Welfare Department in case of rejection.
