Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 each for injured in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) boiler blast in Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister’s office tweeted the announcement of the ex-gratia.

Prime Minister @narendramodi has approved an ex- gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the accident at the NTPC plant in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. PM has approved Rs. 50,000 each for those injured due to the accident.

Advertisement

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 2, 2017

The state government has ordered a magisterial probe, while the NTPC has also launched a probe into the incident which it said took place due to “excess ash deposition” in the furnace.

The boiler blast at the NTPc’s unit in Raebareli took place on Wednesday and has till now claimed lives of 26 people. The coal-fired plant is owned by NTPC Ltd, and has now been shut down after the accident. NTPC operated the 550 Mega Watt power plant of Uttar Pradesh, which is named after Feroze Gandhi, husband of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Earlier on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Mauritius on a three-day visit, had announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those killed, Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured, and Rs 25,000 each to those with less grave injuries.

#UPCM श्री #YogiAdityanath ने दर्घटना पर गहरा दु:ख व्यक्त करते हुए मृतक आश्रितों को 2 लाख रुपये की आर्थिक सहायता देने की घोषणा की है।

— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) November 1, 2017

गंभीर रूप से घायलों को 50 हजार रुपये और सामान्य घायल लोगों को 25 हजार रुपये की आर्थिक सहायता दी जाएगी: #UPCM श्री #YogiAdityanath

— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) November 1, 2017

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi who asked the administration to provide immediate relief to the victims, visited the blast site and met the families of the victim on Thursday and took stock of relief operations being carried by authorities.

Rahul took a break from election campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat to visit Raebareli — the parliamentary constituency of his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Raebareli is the parliamentary constituency of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. She expressed shock and horror at the tragedy and asked party workers to help in the relief operations.

O Wednesday, Union Minister Piyush wrote a condolence message on Twitter and “prayed” for the recovery of the injured in the accident.

Deeply saddened by the accident at NTPC Raebareli. Condolences to the bereaved families & prayers for speedy recovery of the injured.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) November 1, 2017

(With agency inputs)