Acid attack on women is one of the gruesome forms of attack on the human body. Acid attacks have a catastrophic, psychological, social and mental effect on human body. It is the priority of Punjab Government to provide every possible help to the acid attack victims to help them return to the main stream society.Disclosing this here in a press communiqué, Mrs. Razia Sultana, Social Security and Women & Child Development Minister, Punjab said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh has chalked out a comprehensive strategy to provide security and financial assistance to all the acid attack victims in order to make them self-reliant. She said that a scheme “The Punjab Financial Assistance to Acid Victims’ Scheme 2017” has been framed and submitted for the approval of cabinet. She further said that this scheme envisaged Rs.8,000 as financial assistance per month to the acid attack victim by Social Security and Women & Child Development Department, in case of 40 per cent or more disability in the acid attack.Minister said that at present financial assistance to the acid attack victim is also being provided under various notifications issued by the home department.
Divulging details, she said that there is also a provision of Rs.3 lakh as financial assistance in case of disfiguring of face in the attack and Rs.50,000, onetime assistance, for the cure of other wounds. She said that immediately after any acid attack incident adhoc relief of Rs.25,000 is given to the victim, whereas Rs.5 lakh financial assistance is provided to the dependents of victims, who succumbed to the injuries of acid attack. Mrs. Sultana said that the health department has already issued strict instructions to all the government and private hospital to start medical treatment of acid attack victims immediately.She emphasized that to avail the financial assistance; the victim of her family member must approach the concerned District Social Security Officer (DSSO). The approval for assistance would be accorded by a District Level Committee, under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner and the financial aid would be directly credited to the account of the acid attack victim.