On 25th September, 2021 following a Supreme Court judgement, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued orders to all States/ UT’s to release ex gratia relief of ₹ 50,000 to the next of kin of those who died of COVID-19.
Gaurav Kumar Bansal and Reepak Kansal both of them being lawyer-cum- petitioners have filed writ petitions seeking for ex-gratia compensation for the family members of the people who died of COVID-19.
Honorable Supreme Court issued judgement dated 30 th June, 2021 in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 554/2021 and W.P.(C) 539 and issued guidelines for ex-gratia assistance to next of kin of the deceased by COVID-19 on 11th September, 2021.
The National Disaster Management Authority, in its guidelines for ex-gratia assistance to next of kin of Covid-19 victims, stated: “The authority recommends an amount of Rs.50,000/- per deceased person including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to cause of death being certified as COVID-19”.
On the source of funds, the guidelines said that “the ex-gratia assistance shall be provided by states from State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF)”.
The Supreme Court on 4 th October, 2021 while approving Centre’s disaster management guidelines said the money should be disbursed within 30 days of applying. The bench also said that no state shall deny ex gratia on ground that in death certificate cause of death is not mentioned that ‘died due to COVID-19’.
The Court also ordered the states and the Centre to give wide publicity to the scheme in print media and electronic media.
As per MHA guidelines all State Governments started issuing the G.Os and instructions to the concerned departments for release of ex-gratia to the families of the persons died due to COVID-19. Most of the state governments have initiated the process of receiving applications for further processing.
On 1 st October, 2021, The Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah has approved the release of the 2nd instalment of the Central share of the SDRF amounting to Rs 7,274.40 crore, in advance, to 23 States. 5 States have already been released, in advance, the 2nd instalment amounting to Rs 1,599.20 crore.
Almost all states of India have already started implementing the guidelines of the Supreme Court but in the State of Telangana people are unable to find any such G.O. and the regarding information in the Government websites.
On social media platforms people have been enquiring the Telangana Chief Secretary about the COVID-19 ex-gratia G.O. and procedure for applications. However they did not receive any response from the authorities.
I have also addressed to all the Telangana district collectors though social media platforms regarding this. However I have not received any kind of communication from them.
Through News Meter – Citizen Journalism we would like to bring to the kind notice of Telangana Government regarding the delay in issuing the G.O for release of COVID-19 ex-gratia.
We hope that the G.O will be released soon for the benefit of bereaved families of people died due to Covid-19.