Supreme Court expressed happiness over the union government's decision to give ex gratia payment to the kin of those who have succumbed to COVID-19.
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A day after the Union government submitted the guidelines for the ex gratia compensation to be provided to the kin of those who succumbed to COVID-19, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, 23 September, conveyed its happiness over the move.
"We have to take judicial notice of the fact that what India has done, no other country could do," he added.
The kin of those Indian citizens who have succumbed to COVID-19 will receive Rs 50,000 ex gratia compensation from the state governments, the Union government had told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The court will pass a verdict in the case on 4 October.
Announcing an ex gratia amount of Rs 50,000 to the families of each person who died of COVID-19, the central government, on Wednesday, told the Supreme Court that the compensation will be paid by the state governments from their respective State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The kin of persons who lost their lives to COVID-19 while engaged in relief operations or preparedness activities will also be compensated, as per the guidelines recommended by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) or the district administration would be responsible for the disbursement of the ex gratia compensation.
"The DDMA will ensure that the process of claim, verification, sanction, and the final disbursement of ex-gratia payment will be through a robust yet simple and people-friendly procedure," the Centre said in an affidavit submitted to the court.
(With inputs from LiveLaw.)
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