NDMA notifies guidelines for Covid-19 death compensation
Those wanting to claim compensation for the death of a family member due to Covid-19, will have to make an application to the government by May 23, a public notice issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday.
All Covid-19 deaths that have occurred before March 20, 2022 are eligible to apply for compensation and these claims will have to be processed and disbursal of compensation made within 30 days of the claims being received, it said.
For deaths occurring after the cut-off date, claims can be made within 90 days of the death.
The notice is a result of the Supreme Court ordering the government to provide compensation to Covid-19 victims and asking the NDMA to formulate the modalities last year. On March 24, following pleas by the Centre over alleged fake claims and the time limit for making claims, the apex court issued certain guidelines. The NDMA notice is based on these guidelines.
“Fixing of Outer Time Limit of 60 Days [w.e.f 24.3.2022, the date of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order] to file the claims for compensation in case the death occurred due to Covid-19 prior to 20th March 2022… For future deaths ninety days’ time shall be provided from the date of death due to Covid-19 to file the claim for compensation… The earlier Order to process the claims and to make the actual payment of compensation within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of claim shall continue to be enforced,” the notice said.
In case of extreme hardship where any claimant could not make an application within the time prescribed, the claimant can approach the Grievance Redressal Committee and make the claim through it and such claims shall be considered by the committee on a case-to-case basis, the notice said.
If it is found by the Grievance Redressal Committee that a particular claimant could not make the claim within the stipulated time which was beyond their control his/her case may be considered on merits, the notice added.
Warning against making fake claims, the notice said, “In a bid to minimize the risk of fake claims, a random scrutiny of the 5% of the claim applications shall be made at the first instance. If it is found that anybody has made a fake claim, the same shall be considered under Section 52 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and liable to be punished accordingly.”
