Govt may soon announce first tranche of compensation package

New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) The Indian Government is soon
expected to announce the first tranche of a compensation
package to the family members of the passengers killed in the
Air India plane crash in Mangalore city in south India.
Government is likely to be working on announcing an
immediate package of Rs 10 lakh, even as concerned officials
were in discussions with various agencies to study the
Aircraft Act and the Montreal Convention regarding the
compensation package, sources said.
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced Rs
two lakh compensation to each crash victim's family while
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said the airlines
will give up to USD 1,60,000 (about Rs 72 lakh) to the family
members of each victim as per the provisions of the Carriage
by Air (Amendment) Act.
Under this Act, which has been amended as per The
Montreal Convention, kin of each victim is entitled for up to
one lakh special drawing rights (SDR) which as per the present
exchange rates is worth about USD 1,60,000 (Rs 72 lakh).
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has also
announced Rs two lakh compensation to each of the families of
the 158 people killed in Saturday's crash.
Meanwhile, sources said the Government has also asked
the local police to expedite the post-mortem and hand over the
bodies to the relatives quickly. So far, 150 bodies have been
identified.
Most of the relatives have been flown in from Dubai and
from different parts of the country to Mangalore, they said.
PTI SGI
MRD