Lok Sabha Question No. 3819 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Insurance Coverage to Amarnath Yatris
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sudheer Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3819

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  JULY, 2019/ ASHADHA 25, 1941 (SAKA)

## INSURANCE COVERAGE TO AMARNATH YATRIS

3819.

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government is aware that  the route  covered under the Amarnath Yatra is in difficult and inhospitable terrain prone to landslides, shooting stones, snow avalanches;
- (b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of incidents/accidents along with the number of yatris killed/injured during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether the Government provides insurance cover to every registered yatri and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  details  of  compensation/ insurance paid by the Amarnath Shrine Board to the victims during the said period;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to increase the insurance amount for the Amarnath Yatris; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) and (b):    Yes Sir. Government of India provides necessary support to the  State  Government  that  includes  deployment  of  mountain  rescue teams,  NDRF  teams  on  strategic  locations  with  all  rescue  equipments, upgradation  of  tracks  and  fixing  railings  along  the  critical  stretches  of the  tracks,  installation  of  Automatic  Weather  Stations,  deployment  of sufficient number of CAPF Coys, etc.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.3819 FOR 16.07.2019

The number of pilgrims who died and injured during the Yatra in the last three years and the current year is as given below:

| Year                    |   Number of deaths |   Number of serious Injuries |
|-------------------------|--------------------|------------------------------|
| 2016                    |                 22 |                           65 |
| 2017                    |                 29 |                           84 |
| 2018                    |                 34 |                           28 |
| 2019 (up to 10.07.2019) |                 05 |                           20 |

(c) and (d):    Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board provides a Group Accidental Insurance  Cover  for  3  Lakh  Yatris  and  33,000  Service  Providers  for  an amount of Rs. 3.00 lakh per Yatri/Service Provider against any accidental death,  from  the  date  of  entry  into  the  J&K  State  up  to  exit  in  case  of Yatris and one month before commencement of the Yatra and one week after conclusion of the Yatra in case of Service Provider.  Details of the compensation paid during the last three years are as under:

| Year   | Ex-gratia relief disbursed to NOKs of deceased Yatris/ Service Providers   | Ex-gratia relief disbursed to NOKs of deceased Yatris/ Service Providers   | Insurance claim disbursed to NOKs of deceased Yatris   | Insurance claim disbursed to NOKs of deceased Yatris   | Ex-gratia relief disbursed to the injured Yatris   | Ex-gratia relief disbursed to the injured Yatris   |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
|        | Number                                                                     | Amount(in Rs. lakh)                                                        | Number                                                 | Amount (in Rs. lakh)                                   | Number                                             | Amount (in Rs. lakh)                               |
| 2016   | 09                                                                         | 6.25                                                                       | 03                                                     | 3.00                                                   | Nil                                                | Nil                                                |
| 2017   | 10                                                                         | 43.50                                                                      | 17                                                     | 51.00                                                  | 36                                                 | 33.00                                              |
| 2018   | 04                                                                         | 3.50                                                                       | 11                                                     | 33.00                                                  | Nil                                                | Nil                                                |
| Total  | 23                                                                         | 53.25                                                                      | 31                                                     | 87.00                                                  | 36                                                 | 33.00                                              |

(e) and (f):    Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has already enhanced the sum assured of Group Insurance cover from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 3 Lakhs since the Yatra of 2017 onwards.

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