NDMA recommends compensation of Rs 50000 to kin of Covid deceased relief workers
The Central Government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the kin of those who lost their lives due to Corona. The Central Government also told the Supreme Court that this ex-gratia amount would also be given to the families of those involved in the relief work. If the cause of death is confirmed as COVID-19 then the said ex-gratia amount will be provided to the next of kin of the deceased.
The government told the top court that this compensation would also be given to the families of those involved in the Covid-19 relief operation, who died due to this pandemic. The government said that this ex-gratia will be provided only after the death due to COVID-19 is certified as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ICMR. The Center said that this financial assistance will be provided by the states from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
On September 3, the Supreme Court had expressed displeasure over the delay in framing guidelines for issuance of death certificates to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the corona pandemic. The top court had also directed the central government to file a compliance report by September 1. The Supreme Court said in a stern tone that ‘we have already passed a lot of orders. It seems that by the time you prepare the guidelines, the third phase of the pandemic will also be over.’
Had refused to give ex-gratia amount of four lakh rupees
In June this year, the Central Government had filed a reply in the Supreme Court on a petition requesting to give an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 4 lakh.
The Center had said that compensation of Rs 4 lakh each cannot be given to the victims of Covid-19 as the Disaster Management Act provides for compensation only for natural calamities like earthquake, flood etc. The government said that if the amount of compensation is given on death due to one disease and not on the other, then it will be completely wrong.
