₹50,000 ex-gratia to kin of those who died due to Covid: Centre tells SC

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 to kin of coronavirus victims will be provided from State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF).

Since the start of the pandemic, India has recorded over 400,000 Covid-related deaths. The second wave has been particularly devastating for the country with many deaths occurring during that period

The Centre has told the top court that ex-gratia will be given, subject to cause of death being certified as Covid-19 as per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ICMR.

The compensation will be given also to kin of Covid-19 victims including those involved in relief operations, it further said.

The apex court had earlier given Centre 10 days to submit compensation rules for those who have died due to the pandemic. The court also asked the government to provide rules for death certificates.

On September 3, the top court had expressed displeasure over delay in framing of guidelines for issuance of death certificates to the families of those who died of Covid-19.

The Centre, in its earlier affidavit filed before the apex court, said that it had laid down guidelines for issuance of Covid death certificates.

As per the affidavit, that deaths occurring due to poisoning, suicide, homicide and deaths due to accident, among others, will not be considered as Covid-19 deaths, even if Covid-19 is an accompanying condition.

Earlier in June, the court also rapped the government for not providing compensation for victims and said that the families of those who died from Covid should get financial help, and gave the NDMA six weeks to decide on the amount and frame guidelines.

India has reported 26,964 new cases in the last 24 hours and the active caseload stands at 301,989, which is the lowest in 186 days. Active cases account for less than 1% of total cases, currently at 0.90%, the lowest since March 2020.