NTPC blast: UP Power Minister announces Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia for kin

Union Minister of State for Power R K Singh on Thursday announced Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia to the next of kin of those killed in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant explosion here.

Speaking to media, the minister said, "We will give ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Rs 10 Lakh will be given to those with serious injuries and Rs 2 lakh for those with minor injuries."

Singh informed that a committee has been formed to probe the cause of the blast and to decide on prevention mechanism.

"We will ensure that those mechanisms be implemented. The investigation will be completed in 30 days," he said.

Earlier in the day, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visited the NTPC's Unchahar plant in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli where a boiler exploded on Wednesday killing 26 people and injuring 66 others.

Gandhi met the families of the deceased and visited the injured admitted in the district hospital.

Rae Bareli is the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the explosion.

Hours after the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of deceased, Rs 50,000 for critically injured and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries.

-ANI