TNI Bureau: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to frame guidelines to pay ex-gratia compensation to the kin of those who lost their lives due to Covid-19. 

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, in its judgement directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to come up with a fresh set of guidelines within six weeks to ascertain the minimum ex-gratia amount that can be paid to the family members of those who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the Government must compensate the families of individuals who died as a result of Covid-19 but that the amount of compensation will be determined by the Government.

The court was hearing petitions seeking directions to the Centre to provide ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to families of people who lost their lives to Covid-19.

In an affidavit filed in the court earlier, the Centre had said that the if ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh is given for every person who loses life due to Covid-19, the entire amount of SDRF may possibly be spent on this item alone.

The Supreme Court, accepting the Government’s stance, instructed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to establish minimal relief requirements so that some compensation can be provided.

Meanwhile, the Government has been requested to produce death certificates that list Covid-19 as the cause of death and to set up insurance policies to cover Covid-19 medical treatment.