Maharashtra announces ₹50,000 as ex gratia for kin of those died due to Covid-19

The announcement comes days after Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party wrote to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, urging him to commit ₹1 lakh for families of Covid-19 victims.

Maharashtra government on Friday announced its decision to pay an ex gratia sum of ₹50,000 to the families of people who died of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) since the beginning of the pandemic. The state revenue department issued the government's resolution in which it has pledged to compensate kin of those who died of Covid-19.

The state’s revenue department issued the government resolution in which it has pledged to compensate kin of those who died of Covid-19. (Hindustan Times)

The announcement comes days after Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party wrote to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, urging him to commit ₹1 lakh for families of Covid-19 victims as per the norms of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The Congress MLAs, in the letter, said that the decision would force the central government to announce its share of ₹3 lakh for each Covid death.

The letter stated that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) norms require 75% of ₹4 lakh to be paid by the central government and the remaining 25% by the state government.

“We request that you commit to upholding the state government's share of ₹4 lakh as ex gratia payment so that it pressurizes the Central government to fulfil its commitment to the affected citizens,” the letter read.

“We cannot understand how the Central government continues to collect taxes through rising fuel prices on one hand and provide discal reliefs to big corporates on the other hand and it continues to deny much-needed relief to the citizens,” it added.

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Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan chief ministers have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to increase the compensation from ₹50,000 to ₹4 lakh for each Covid death. Gehlot said the pandemic badly affected the majority of the population and many families lost their earning members and exhausted their savings on hospital bills.

“As a welfare state, it is our shared responsibility to look after our citizens during times of need. Our state has started many welfare schemes to help people tide over these difficult times. We expect that the central government will also share this responsibility," the chief minister wrote.