Haryana has a special scheme for women, girls and children up to 18 years who survive an acid attack — the Relief and Rehabilitation of Women and Children Acid Victims scheme. Under it, Rs 1 lakh is paid within 15 days of the attack, 100% free medical treatment is provided, and a severely disabled survivor also gets Rs 8,000 a month. The scheme is run by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, Haryana. This guide gives the full truth — including one confusion: old news reports and a court judgment mention Rs 3 lakh, while the current notification says Rs 1 lakh. The difference is explained in the “Biggest confusion” section below.
First, understand this: this scheme is not only about compensation — it also covers immediate relief, full free treatment, rehabilitation and legal and psychological help. And one more important point — there is another, separate scheme with a similar name (“Financial Assistance to Women and Girl Acid Attack Victims”, Social Justice & Empowerment Department, 2018), which pays a lifetime monthly pension (Rs 8,000–Rs 14,400) based on the percentage of disability. Do not mix the two up — the difference is explained in detail below.
Scheme at a Glance
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Relief and Rehabilitation of Women and Children Acid Victims |
| Run by | Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, Haryana |
| Notification | No. 654-SW(3)-2018 dated 8 May 2018 (Haryana Gazette, 5 June 2018) — in supersession of the 25 March 2016 notification; the scheme was originally launched in May 2011 |
| Benefit | Rs 1 lakh within 15 days (Rs 25,000 immediately + Rs 75,000); 100% free treatment (medicine, food, bedding, plastic/reconstructive surgery); Rs 8,000 a month for disabled survivors; preference in fair price shop allotment |
| Who gets it | Girls, women and boys up to 18 years residing in Haryana who faced an acid attack after 2 May 2011 |
| Where to apply | Offline — to the District Level Committee (chaired by the Deputy Commissioner); no online portal is recorded in the notification |
| Time limit to apply | Within 15 days of the attack (delay can be condoned on valid reasons) |
| Timeline (RTS) | Ad-hoc relief within 15 days; medical reimbursement forwarded within 15 days/1 month (see below) |
| Application fee | No fee is recorded in the notification — ask the office |
| Status check | District Level Committee / Deputy Commissioner office — where the application was submitted |
| Contact | Women helpline 181 (24×7); Emergency 112; WCD Haryana 0172-2560349 |
How Much Assistance?
According to the notification dated 8 May 2018, the scheme gives these benefits:
| Benefit | Amount / Details | When and how |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate financial assistance | Rs 1,00,000 | Within 15 days of the incident — Rs 25,000 ad-hoc relief immediately by the Deputy Commissioner (recouped by WCD) and the remaining Rs 75,000 by WCD within 15 days |
| Free treatment | 100% free — medicine, food, bedding, plastic/reconstructive surgery | At any Government Hospital or Government-approved hospital; WCD pays the hospital directly into its bank account |
| Monthly financial assistance | Rs 8,000 a month | For acid victims who come under the definition of disability (certified by the District Medical Board) — provided by the Social Justice & Empowerment Department |
| Fair price shop preference | Preference in allotment of fair price shops | Given by the Food and Supply Department, Haryana |
| Other help | Medical, psychological and legal assistance | State and District Level Committees arrange it by coordinating with Government and non-Government organisations |
Note: the Rs 1 lakh is for immediate needs after the attack — the full cost of treatment is additionally free; treatment is not deducted from this Rs 1 lakh.
The Biggest Confusion — Rs 1 Lakh or Rs 3 Lakh?
Three different figures are heard about this scheme’s amount. Each has a different source and status — do not mix them up:
| Figure | Whose figure it is | Status today |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 1 lakh | The current notification (8 May 2018, No. 654-SW(3)-2018) — within 15 days | This is the verified amount under the current scheme — rely on this |
| Rs 3 lakh | Maximum compensation under the 2016 scheme — recorded in the Punjab & Haryana High Court judgment (Suman vs Union of India); the Supreme Court also directed a Rs 3 lakh minimum compensation in 2013 (Laxmi vs Union of India) | The 2018 notification does NOT repeat this figure — whether Rs 3 lakh is payable today is not verified from the notification; ask WCD/the District Committee |
| Rs 5 lakh | The 2012 amendment — to the legal heirs of a victim who died in the attack (news report, September 2012) | This figure is also not in the 2018 notification — its current status is unverified; ask the office |
An honest warning: many websites directly write “Rs 3 lakh” for this scheme. That figure comes from the 2016 scheme and court decisions — the current 2018 notification says only Rs 1 lakh (within 15 days). It is possible that further amounts follow from the District/State Committee or the Victim Compensation Scheme, but nothing of that kind is recorded in the notification — so no additional amount has been written here by guess. Before applying, confirm the total payable amount from the District Level Committee. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) gives acid attack victims an additional Rs 1,00,000 (from 9 November 2016) — that is a separate Central arrangement.
Who Is Eligible?
- Attack after 2 May 2011 — victims of attacks before this date are not covered by this scheme.
- Girls, women and boys up to 18 years — before the 2018 amendment only women/girls were covered; boys up to 18 were added then.
- Residing in Haryana — the victim must be a resident of Haryana (this scheme has no 3-year residence condition — that condition belongs to the #170 pension scheme).
- Even if the victim is not finally cured, eligibility continues — the notification calls this a “continuing cause of action”.
- The victim herself or an heir can apply — if the victim is disabled from applying, an heir can apply on her behalf; a parent/guardian for a child victim; a husband or parent/guardian for a married woman.
Who Is Not Eligible?
- Attack before 2 May 2011 — because of the cut-off date in the notification.
- Non-residents of Haryana — the scheme is only for residents of Haryana.
- Men above 18 years — for boys the limit is up to 18 years; adult men are not covered by this scheme.
- An application can be rejected if — the police were not informed promptly without delay, the applicant did not cooperate with the police, or did not assist the Committee (grounds for rejection in the notification).
- Self-inflicted injury — this scheme’s notification says nothing on this, but the #170 pension scheme expressly excludes self-inflicted injuries; the District Committee examines the facts in this scheme too.
Time Limit — The 15-Day Rule
Time matters greatly in this scheme — the notification fixes a timeline for every step:
- Application: within 15 days of the attack — apply to the District Level Committee immediately. The Committee can condone the delay on showing valid reasons.
- Ad-hoc relief: within 15 days — once prima facie satisfied that an acid attack case is made out, the Committee orders interim relief within 15 days.
- Rs 1 lakh: within 15 days — Rs 25,000 immediately by the Deputy Commissioner; the remaining Rs 75,000 by WCD within 15 days.
- Home study: within one week of the incident — the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) conducts a home study to assess the victim’s additional needs.
- Forwarding medical reimbursement: 15 days or 1 month — the District Committee forwards the application to the Director, WCD within 15 days of the complainant giving evidence or within one month of receipt of the application, whichever is earlier.
Remember: the 15-day limit is for the application — not for treatment. No hospital can refuse treatment, and there is no need to wait for an FIR for treatment (see below).
Documents Required
According to the notification, only two documents are asked for with the application:
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Medical certificate | To confirm the injury from the acid attack — required where the application is made by or on behalf of the victim |
| Copy of FIR / Complaint | Proof of the police complaint about the attack |
Note: only these two documents are written in the notification. In practice the District Committee may also ask for identity proof, Haryana residence proof, bank account details and a disability certificate (from the District Medical Board, for the Rs 8,000-a-month assistance) — but that list is not recorded in the notification, so confirm the final list from the District Level Committee / Deputy Commissioner office. No form number is recorded in the notification — the application is given to the District Committee in plain form.
How to Apply — Through the District Level Committee
No online portal is recorded in the notification for this scheme — the application is made offline, to the District Level Committee. Apply like this:
- File an FIR immediately — report the acid attack at the nearest police station (acid attack is a serious offence under Section 326A of the Indian Penal Code). Do not wait for the FIR for treatment — a hospital cannot refuse treatment.
- Start treatment — get treated at a Government Hospital or a Government-approved hospital; the full cost (medicine, food, bedding, surgery) is free.
- Apply to the District Level Committee — submit the application at your district’s Deputy Commissioner office; the Committee is chaired by the Deputy Commissioner. The victim herself, a parent/guardian, husband or legal heir can apply.
- Attach documents — attach the medical certificate and a copy of the FIR/complaint.
- Get ad-hoc relief — the Committee orders Rs 25,000 ad-hoc relief within 15 days; the remaining Rs 75,000 comes from WCD within 15 days.
- Cooperate with the home study — the DCPO visits within a week to assess needs; this can also bring help from other welfare schemes.
- Medical reimbursement — hospital bills, verified by the District Committee and countersigned by the Civil Surgeon, are sent to the Director, WCD; payment is made directly into the hospital’s bank account.
Committees — who does what: the State Level Committee is chaired by the Women and Child Development Minister; its members are the Administrative Secretaries of WCD, Health, Social Justice & Empowerment and SC/BC Departments, and the Director, WCD (Member Secretary) — it coordinates the District Committees, watches proper disbursement of funds and approves medical reimbursement. The District Level Committee is chaired by the Deputy Commissioner; it has two or more experts in criminal law/women’s empowerment and a medical doctor (at least two women) — this Committee decides the claims and runs the scheme in its district.
About online application: the exact service name for this scheme could not be verified on the SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in) — search for “Acid” or “तेजाब” under the WCD services on SARAL. Also, saralharyana.gov.in did not open directly from this environment on 8 November 2026 (no response from the server) — that does not mean the website is down; try opening it from your phone/browser, or take help from the nearest Antyodaya centre / Atal Seva Kendra (CSC).
How to Get Free Treatment
The biggest relief in this scheme is free treatment — and there is no need to wait for an FIR for it:
- 100% free treatment — medicine, food, bedding and plastic/reconstructive surgery, at any Government Hospital or Government-approved hospital.
- No hospital can refuse — the notification clearly says that no medical facility, Government-owned or privately-owned, can deny specialised or any form of treatment to a victim on any ground.
- FIR is not a precondition for treatment — a police report or FIR is not a relevant precondition for treatment; the hospital must inform the District Board/State Board and the police while treating, but cannot stop treatment.
- List of hospitals — the list of approved hospitals is on the Haryana Health Department’s website (the page is recorded in the notification at haryanahealth.nic.in; it did not open from this environment on 8 November 2026 — open it from your browser or ask the Health Department). An earlier list included PGIMS Rohtak, PGIMER Chandigarh and AIIMS New Delhi along with private hospitals such as Escorts, Batra, Sir Ganga Ram, Indraprastha Apollo, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Maharaja Aggarsen, Fortis Mohali — confirm the current list from the Health Department.
- Payment directly to the hospital — WCD pays the medical reimbursement directly into the hospital’s bank account; bills are verified by the District Committee and countersigned by the Civil Surgeon.
Rehabilitation — Rs 8,000 a Month and a Ration Shop
After treatment, the scheme provides for rebuilding life:
- Rs 8,000 a month — a severe acid victim is treated in the disabled persons category as certified by the District Medical Board; victims who come under the definition of disability get Rs 8,000 a month from the Social Justice & Empowerment Department. (The 2018 notification cites Section 2(i) of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995; today the definition of disability is fixed by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.)
- Preference in ration shop allotment — the Food and Supply Department gives acid attack victims preference in allotment of fair price shops — a route to self-reliance.
- Medical, psychological and legal help — the State and District Committees coordinate with Government and non-Government organisations to get the victim legal, medical and psychological assistance.
- One Stop Centre (Sakhi) — every district’s Sakhi One Stop Centre also helps women affected by violence (legal, medical and counselling) — contact the women helpline 181.
Caution: the Rs 8,000-a-month assistance under this scheme and the Rs 8,000 rate at the 40–50% band of the #170 pension scheme look the same — whether both can be taken together is not recorded in either notification. Applications are separate (to the DLC here, to the District Social Welfare Officer there) — ask the District Social Welfare Officer / District Level Committee before taking both.
Fee, Timeline and Status Check
| Point | Status |
|---|---|
| Application fee | No fee is recorded in the notification — ask the office |
| Last date to apply | No annual last date — apply within 15 days of the attack (delay can be condoned on valid reasons) |
| Ad-hoc relief | Within 15 days (Rs 25,000 immediately from the Deputy Commissioner + Rs 75,000 from WCD within 15 days) |
| Medical reimbursement | District Committee forwards it to the Director, WCD within 15 days of evidence or 1 month of receipt, whichever is earlier; payment directly into the hospital’s account |
| Timeline (RTS) | No separate RTS timeline is published for this scheme — the 15-day/1-month limits above are from the notification |
| Status check (online) | No online status portal is verified |
| Status check (offline) | District Level Committee / Deputy Commissioner office — where the application was submitted |
| Helpline | Women helpline 181 (24×7); Emergency 112; Child helpline 1098; WCD Haryana 0172-2560349 |
Know the Difference — This Scheme vs Other Schemes
An acid attack survivor has several routes — do not mix them up:
| Scheme / Route | For whom | Benefit | Key point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relief & Rehabilitation scheme (this guide, WCD) | Girls, women, boys up to 18; attack after 2.5.2011; Haryana resident | Rs 1 lakh in 15 days; 100% free treatment; Rs 8,000/month if disabled; fair price shop preference | Apply to the District Level Committee (Deputy Commissioner) within 15 days; notification 8 May 2018 |
| Financial Assistance to Women and Girl Acid Attack Victims (Social Justice Dept, 2018) | Women/girls only; attack after 2.5.2011; Haryana resident for 3 years before the attack | Lifetime monthly pension — 40–50% disability: Rs 8,000; 51–60%: Rs 11,200; above 61%: Rs 14,400 (from 1 November 2025) | Apply to the District Social Welfare Officer; self-inflicted injuries excluded; notification 4 October 2018 |
| Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme 2020 (Part-I & Part-II) | Acid attack victims (Part-I all victims; Part-II women victims) | Compensation as per schedule — the amount was not verified from the document fetched, so it is not written here | Compensation is granted by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) on the Trial Court’s recommendation — the court route |
| Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) | Acid attack victims (Central Government) | Rs 1,00,000 additional (from 9 November 2016) | A separate Central arrangement, apart from the State scheme |
| Protection Against Domestic Violence (PWDVA 2005) | Women victims of domestic violence | Protection order, residence order, monetary relief, custody, compensation — legal relief | A legal right, not a compensation scheme; may apply separately in an acid attack case |
| Free legal aid | Victims who need a lawyer | Free lawyer — the Government appoints counsel and pays the fee | From the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA); applies in acid attack cases too |
The same survivor may be eligible for more than one route — but the rules about double compensation for the same injury differ from scheme to scheme. Ask the concerned office before applying which benefits can be taken together. Remember in particular: the WCD scheme’s Rs 8,000-a-month assistance and the Social Justice Department’s pension scheme’s Rs 8,000 rate are from two separate schemes — they need separate applications.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How much money will I get under this scheme?
Rs 1 lakh within 15 days of the attack — Rs 25,000 immediately from the Deputy Commissioner and the remaining Rs 75,000 from the Women and Child Development Department within 15 days. Apart from this, full treatment is 100% free, and a disabled survivor also gets Rs 8,000 a month.
2. What about the Rs 3 lakh figure — will I not get Rs 3 lakh?
The Rs 3 lakh figure is from the 2016 scheme — recorded in the Punjab & Haryana High Court judgment (Suman vs Union of India), and the Supreme Court also directed a Rs 3 lakh minimum compensation in 2013. But the current 2018 notification says only Rs 1 lakh (within 15 days) — Rs 3 lakh is not repeated in it. So this guide does not present Rs 3 lakh as the current amount — confirm the total payable amount from the District Level Committee / WCD.
3. Will boys also get assistance?
Yes — boys up to 18 years are also covered. The 2018 amendment renamed the scheme “Women and Children Acid Victims” and added boys. Men above 18 years are not covered by this scheme.
4. What if the attack happened before 2 May 2011?
Not under this scheme — eligibility is only for attacks after 2 May 2011. In such cases, ask the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) about the Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme or legal routes.
5. By when should I apply?
Within 15 days of the attack, to the District Level Committee. The Committee can condone the delay on showing valid reasons. If the victim is not finally cured, eligibility continues on the basis of a “continuing cause of action”.
6. How will treatment be paid for — will I have to pay first?
No — treatment at a Government or approved hospital is 100% free (medicine, food, bedding, surgery included). WCD pays the hospital’s bill directly into the hospital’s bank account. There is no need to wait for an FIR for treatment, and no hospital can refuse treatment.
7. Who gets the Rs 8,000 a month?
Victims who come under the definition of disability — a severe acid victim is treated in the disabled persons category as certified by the District Medical Board. This Rs 8,000 a month is provided by the Social Justice & Empowerment Department.
8. Can I apply online?
No online portal is recorded in the notification — the application is made offline, to the District Level Committee (Deputy Commissioner office). The exact service name for this scheme could not be verified on the SARAL portal — search for “Acid” or “तेजाब” under the WCD services on SARAL.
9. Is the Rs 8,000/Rs 11,200/Rs 14,400 monthly pension part of this scheme?
No — that is a separate scheme: “Financial Assistance to Women and Girl Acid Attack Victims” (Social Justice Department, 4 October 2018). It pays a lifetime pension by disability percentage — 40–50%: Rs 8,000; 51–60%: Rs 11,200; above 61%: Rs 14,400 (from 1 November 2025, as multiples of the Rs 3,200 Divyang pension). Applications for it go to the District Social Welfare Officer, and it requires 3 years’ Haryana residence before the attack.
10. What other routes are there for compensation?
Three more routes: (1) Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme 2020 — the DLSA grants compensation on the Trial Court’s recommendation; (2) PMNRF — Rs 1,00,000 additional from the Centre; (3) Free legal aid — a free lawyer from the DLSA. Ask the District Legal Services Authority about these.
Official Links and Contact
| Work | Link / Contact |
|---|---|
| Women and Child Development Department, Haryana | wcdhry.gov.in — the scheme is listed at Sr. No. 10 in the WCD schemes-for-women list |
| Scheme notification (Haryana Gazette, 5 June 2018) | Gazette Notification No. 654-SW(3)-2018, 8 May 2018 — full text of the scheme (eligibility, committees, procedure, benefits) |
| Antyodaya SARAL portal | saralharyana.gov.in — the exact service name for this scheme could not be verified on SARAL; SARAL helpline 0172-3968400 (the site did not open from this environment on 8 November 2026; try from your browser) |
| myScheme — Haryana schemes (list) | myscheme.gov.in/search/state/Haryana (this scheme’s myScheme detail page is client-rendered and could not be read directly) |
| List of approved hospitals | haryanahealth.nic.in — the page recorded in the notification (did not open from this environment on 8 November 2026; confirm from the Health Department) |
| Women helpline (24×7) | 181 — for women in distress; Women and Child Development Department, Haryana |
| Child helpline | 1098 — national toll-free number for children (linked with ERSS 112) |
| WCD Haryana headquarters | Bays No. 15-20, Sector-4, Panchkula – 134112; phone 0172-2560349; email [email protected] |
| Haryana State Commission for Women | 0172-2584039, 0172-2583639 |
| Emergency services | 112 (ERSS); Police 100 |
Related guides — also read: Protection Against Domestic Violence 2026: 5 Legal Remedies under PWDVA | Free Legal Aid for SC and Vimukat Jatis 2026 | Haryana Working Women Hostel (Sakhi Niwas) 2026
Disclaimer
This guide was prepared on 8 November 2026 from available official sources — the Haryana Government Gazette (Notification No. 654-SW(3)-2018, 8 May 2018), the Women and Child Development Department Haryana website, the Social Justice & Empowerment Department notification (1517/SW(4)-2018, 4 October 2018), the Punjab & Haryana High Court judgment (Suman vs Union of India) and the myScheme portal. The benefit amount, eligibility and process can change over time — confirm the latest information from your district’s District Level Committee / Deputy Commissioner office, the women helpline 181 or WCD Haryana (0172-2560349) before applying. Where sources differ or information could not be verified (especially Rs 1 lakh vs Rs 3 lakh, the current status of the Rs 5 lakh death benefit, the service name on SARAL and the current list of hospitals), the guide says so clearly. Viksit Haryana is not an official portal of any government department.
[…] guides — also read: Haryana Acid Victims Relief & Rehabilitation Scheme 2026: Rs 1 Lakh Aid & Free Treatment | Protection Against Domestic Violence 2026: 5 Legal Remedies under PWDVA | Free Legal Aid for SC […]