1,915 Covid victims' kin given Rs 9.58 crore aid in Ludhiana district

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, May 24

Many families were crippled after losing their sole breadwinners to the Covid virus while many children were orphaned, abandoned or left with single parent as an aftermath of the pandemic.

In a welfare gesture to provide some relief to such aggrieved families, the district administration has disbursed Rs 9.58 crore financial aid to the next of kin of 1,915 Covid victims in Ludhiana, officials said.

Officialspeak

We are committed to provide Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to the legal heirs of Covid victims, whether here or anywhere else. Our SDMs are actively approaching the families of deceased through area patwaris, anganwari, ASHA workers, municipal councillors and guiding them in submitting the application form. The claims are settled on priority after requisite verification. Surabhi Malik, DC

Having earned the dubious distinction of being the worst-hit district, Ludhiana has till date registered 3,406 Covid deaths in the district, of which 2,280 were locals while the rest 1,126 deceased belonged to other districts or states but had died here, the administration has confirmed.

Sharing details, the Deputy Commissioner, Surabhi Malik, told The Tribune, here on Tuesday, that the district administration has received a total of 1,933 claims from the kin of Covid victims so far, of which 1,915 claims have already been settled.

She said a sum of Rs 9,57,50,000 has been disbursed to the legal heirs of 1,915 Covid victims while 1 claim has been rejected, another transferred to other state to which the deceased belonged and 16 claims were still under review as the persons applying for the compensation were not the legal heirs of the deceased.

ADC (General), Rahul Chaba said the district administration has received Rs 14,51,50,000, in two instalments of Rs 10,51,50,000 and Rs 4 crore from the state government to compensate the next of kin of Covid victims in Ludhiana. He said residents of the district, who had died of Covid in the district or anywhere else, were entitled for ex-gratia from the district administration.

However, the Covid victims, who had died in Ludhiana district but were residents of other districts or states can claim ex-gratia from their respective districts or states, to which the victims belonged.

“We have transferred such cases to their home districts from where the legal heirs of the victims will get the ex-gratia,” he added.

How to get relief

The deceased’s kin have to make claim for ex-gratia by submitting application (in prescribed format) along with required documents, including death certificate, legal heir certificate and RTPCR Covid positive report.

Telling numbers

• Total deaths registered: 3,406
• Ludhiana residents: 2,280
• Claims received: 1,933
• Claims settled: 1,915
• Rejected: 1
• Transferred: 1
• Under review: 16