New Delhi: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended that Rs 50,000 be given to the families of those who died of COVID-19, the Union government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 21.
It said that ex-gratia assistance will also be given to the kin of those who died of the virus due to involvement in COVID-19 relief operations or activities associated with the preparedness for dealing with the pandemic.
“The ex-gratia assistance will be given subject to the cause of death being certified as COVID-19 as per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ICMR,” the government said, adding that the assistance will be provided by states from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The Union government had earlier submitted by that state governments cannot afford to pay Rs 4 lakh to the dependents of those who died of COVID-19 and had instead argued in favour of a “broader approach”.
The Supreme Court had, in July, said that families of people who have died due to COVID-19 are entitled to ex-gratia payment, and asked the NDMA to issue fresh guidelines for providing minimum standards of financial help to such families within six weeks.
Earlier in September, the top court had expressed displeasure over the Union government’s delay in framing guidelines for certificates for COVID-19 deaths and the lack of clarity over what can be considered a COVID-19 death.
A week later, the latter filed an affidavit with guidelines.
(With PTI inputs)