E-Paper
Grievance committees to ensure disbursement of ex-gratia payment to Covid victims’ kin
In its judgment, the SC has laid down the criteria for considering death due to Covid for the purpose of disbursement of this ex-gratia assistance of ₹50,000
In compliance with a Supreme Court order, the state administration on Thursday issued a government resolution constituting Grievance Redressal Committees (GRC), which can be approached by next of kin of deceased Covid patients, if any problem is encountered with the ex-gratia assistance of ₹50,000.
Pune district authorities have formalised the formation of this committee on Thursday. “I have signed the file constituting the committee. The guidelines about the disbursement of the funds and application process are yet to be received,” said Rajesh Deshmukh, collector, Pune district
In its judgment, the SC has laid down the criteria for considering death due to Covid for the purpose of disbursement of this ex-gratia assistance of ₹50,000.
The government resolution published by the public health department specified that there shall be two committees, one for municipal corporations chaired by a deputy municipal commissioner and another for the area outside the municipal corporation, chaired by the collector.
The Supreme Court has directed payment of ex-gratia assistance of ₹50,000 by the state from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid. The kin of the Covid victim can approach the GRC in case of any grievance with respect to the ex-gratia payment. The relief and rehabilitation department of the state government is expected to announce separate guidelines about format, process and mechanisms to be followed for scrutiny and disbursal of the payment for district disaster management authorities.
