Government announces Rs 50,000 ex-gratia for kin of Covid victims

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended ₹50,000 as compensation to kin of coronavirus victims.

The Centre has also informed the top court that the said ex-gratia assistance will be provided from State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF).

The ex gratia will also be given to kin of Covid-19 victims who were involved in relief operations or associated with "preparedness activities", the court was told.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had in an order in April 2015 announced that ex gratia for families of those dying of a disaster should be Rs 4 lakh.

Noting that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) failed in discharging its statutory duty to give financial relief to families of deceased COVID patients, the apex court had asked the NDMA to frame guidelines while refusing to enter the executive domain of fixing the quantum of compensation to be paid.

Justifying the modest amount fixed by the NDMA, the Centre said, "Covid-19 is a disaster that has not abated. The number of deaths continues to rise. There is uncertainty about the new variants of the virus and likely future waves. Therefore, it is not possible to ascertain the total final financial burden emanating from the ex gratia. Financial prudence demands that we plan in a manner that assistance can be provided to a larger number of people should the number of deaths rise."

The compensation will be paid for future Covid-related deaths as well, the government told the court. The cause of death will need to be certified as Covid-19 in accordance with the health ministry guidelines to claim the compensation.

In the affidavit submitted to the top court, the government said that all claims related to Covid deaths must be settled within 30 days of submission of the required documents, adding that the amount should be disbursed through the Aadhaar-linked direct benefit transfer procedures.

At least two states have responded to the guidelines, saying the Centre cannot leave the payment of ex-gratia entirely to states.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday that the Centre cannot say it has no role to play in award of compensation to kin of those who died of COVID-19 and payment of ex-gratia cannot be left entirely to the States.

As per a report by Indian Express, Rajasthan's Congress state president and Minister of State for Education Govind Singh Dotasara responded that the Centre can't impose (the ex-gratia payment) on states, tell them what to do or what not to do. He said that the payment should be covered under the National Disaster Relief Fund.