Covid victims’ kin to get Rs 50,000 ex gratia

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 30

The state government today issued the notification for providing Rs 50,000 as ex gratia to the families of Covid victims; as many as 3,659 persons have died of the virus in the state so far.

Considering the present 3,659 total deaths in Himachal, the government will have to bear a financial burden of about Rs 19 crore to provide the financial assistance to the bereaved families. However, the death tally is likely to go up as many casualties had gone unreported and many families, which had not disclosed the cause of death as Covid, would come forward to get the ex gratia. A Grievance Redressal Committee has also been constituted to resolve disputes arising out of the claims for the ex gratia.

To cost govt Rs 19 cr

• Considering the present data of 3,659 total deaths, the government will have to bear a financial burden of about Rs19 crore to provide financial assistance to the bereaved families.
• The families of those involved in relief operations or associated with preparedness activities who fell prey to the virus shall also be entitled to the ex gratia, subject to the verification of the cause of death as Covid.

The notification was issued after the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued the guidelines for providing ex gratia to the families of Covid victims. The families of those involved in relief operations or associated with preparedness activities, who also fell prey to the virus, shall also be entitled to the ex gratia of Rs 50,000 per person, subject to the verification of the cause of death as Covid.

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the Revenue Department have directed the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) to settle all claims within 30 days of the submission of the required documents and disburse the ex gratia through the Aadhaar-linked direct benefit transfer procedure.

The DDMAs have also been directed that the procedure of claim, verification, sanction and the final disbursement of the ex-gratia amount should be done through a robust yet simple and people-friendly procedure. The bereaved families will have to submit their claims on a form issued by the SDMA along with specific documents, including the death certificate citing Covid as cause.

The Grievance Redressal Committee will address grievances with regard to the certification of death, as prescribed by the Union Ministry of Health and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines. The committee will also propose remedial measures, including the issuance of amended official documents for Covid, after verifying facts in accordance with the laid down guidelines.

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