Bhubaneswar: The government of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh today announced compensation for the families of their respective citizens who lost lives in the Hirakhand Express accident.
The Odisha government has declared Rs 5 lakh compensation each to the family of deceased from the State and free treatment of the injured who are undergoing treatment at various hospital.
Similarly, the neighbouring State has declared same amount for the families of dead passengers from Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, currently visiting Switzerland, tweeted that the amount will be in addition to Rs 2 lakh announced by the Ministry of Railways.
The compensation will be paid under Chandranna Bima, the state insurance scheme.
"Families of victims from AP who lost their lives in the railway accident will get Rs. 5 lakh compensation under Chandranna Bima. This compensation is in addition to the Rs.2 lakh announced by Union Railways Minister.", he tweeted.
Naidu further said that he was anguished to learn about the derailment of the Jagadalpur-Bhubaneswar Express. At least 50 persons were injured in the accident.
Earlier in the day, the Railways declared Rs 2 lakh compensation to each family of deceased.
At least 39 people were killed and 50 injured when the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailed at around 11.30 pm on Saturday near Kuneru station in Andhra Pradesh, 24 km away from Rayagada in Odisha. The train was on its way to Bhubaneswar from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.