Rs 50,000 ex gratia assistance to kin of persons who died due to Covid-19

Ex gratia amount to be paid from State Disaster Response Funds; collectors given permission
Image used for representational purpose only
Image used for representational purpose only

VIJAYAWADA: An ex gratia assistance of Rs 50,000 will be paid to the next kin of persons who died due to Covid-19, from the State Disaster Response Fund. The State government has accorded permission to district collectors to this effect and released guidelines for the same. Orders to this effect were issued late Monday. 

The move came in response to the National Disaster Management Authority asking the states and Union Territories to notify a committee at district-level for issuance of the official document for Covid-19 deaths and payment of Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid-19 from the SDRF funds. The NDMA letter was in wake of the Supreme Court’s directions. 

Accordingly, the State government on October 6 issued orders constituting district-level Covid Death Ascertaining Committee (CDAC) for issuance of official document for Covid-19 death to the next kin of the deceased. Guidelines for providing the ex gratia state that collectors will be constituting a cell in their office under district revenue officers to receive and acknowledge all applications. Each application will be issued a receipt and unique number. 

On receipt of the certificates from the DCAC and applications from dependents of the deceased, the DRO will submit the comprehensive proposal for payment of ex gratia to the district collector, also the chairman of district Disaster Management Authority. Payments will be made in two weeks’ time. DDMA is the disbursing authority for the ex gratia to the next kin of Covid-19 victims, and has been asked to ensure maintenance of sufficient funds under the relevant head of the account to make the payments. 

People who have already availed the benefit under PMGKP, ex gratia paid under GO Rt No 200 dated June 14, 2021 and the ex-gratia to the orphans as per GO No 243 dated May 19 will be exempted. DMHOs were directed to submit a weekly compliance report to the director of public health on the claims received and ex gratia paid. On October 26, the number of Covid fatalities in the State stood at 14,356. The government has to shell out Rs 71.78 crore to pay the benefit to the next of kin of all the deceased.

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