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Give Rs 50,000 ex-gratia within 30 days of applying: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday while approving Centre’s disaster management guidelines on payment of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia compensation to the next kin of those who died of Covid-19, said the money to be disbursed within 30 days of applying. A Bench of Justice M.R. Shah and Justice A.S. Bopanna ordered that no state should deny […]

The Supreme Court on Monday while approving Centre’s disaster management guidelines on payment of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia compensation to the next kin of those who died of Covid-19, said the money to be disbursed within 30 days of applying. A Bench of Justice M.R. Shah and Justice A.S. Bopanna ordered that no state should deny the ex-gratia compensation of Rs 50,000 to the next kin of persons who died of Covid-19 on the sole ground that the death certificate does not mention Covid-19 as the cause of death. The Bench approved the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority for grant of compensation in Covid-19 death cases. The apex court asked the Centre and States to give wide publicity to the ex-gratia scheme. Next of kin of deceased died due to Covid-19 will get ex gratia of 50,000, which shall be minimum and over and above amounts paid by Centre and State under various schemes, the Bench directed. The payment will be from State Disaster Relief Funds, it added. No State shall deny the Rs 50,000 benefit on the ground that cause of death in death certificate is not Covid-19, the Bench ordered, adding that the district authorities to take remedial steps to have the cause of death corrected. District level committee details to be published in print media, it said. Earlier, the court had expressed happiness in the Central government’s decision to provide Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia to families of those who died of Covid-19, saying it will bring some solace to the persons who have suffered. The Central government had informed the court that NDMA recommended an amount of Rs 50,000

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