Issue norms in 6 weeks for financial help to kin of Covid victims: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to issue fresh guidelines for providing minimum standards of financial help to families of those who lost their lives to COVID-19.

A special bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah said that the court cannot direct the Centre to fix a particular amount of financial help but the government can fix the minimum standard of amount to be paid as ex-gratia to family members of those who lost their lives due to COVID-19 while keeping various aspects in mind.

The top court directed the Centre and the NDMA to issue fresh guidelines within six weeks for the minimum standard of relief to be granted to families of victims of COVID-19.

It also directs the authorities to issue appropriate guidelines for simplification of process of issuance of death certificates for Covid fatalities.

The top court asked the Centre to consider formulating an insurance scheme for cremation workers as proposed by the Finance Commission.

The bench also rejected the argument of the Centre for reading shall as may in section 12 of the Disaster Management Act for grant of ex-gratia amount to victims of disaster, and said that the NDMA has failed to perform its statutory duties.

The top court's verdict came on a batch of pleas seeking ex-gratia compensation of Rs four lakh to the dependents of those who died of Covid and formulation of uniform guidelines for issuance of death certificates for Covid fatalities.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday said the SC order is a vindication of its stance and has exposed and debunked the Centre's plan to abdicate its responsibility.

The opposition party alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again failed the nation by not standing with the families of Covid victims and demanded that he immediately announce a "COVID Compensation Fund" with a relief of Rs 10 lakh each to them.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the government should also announce concrete steps to tackle the imminent third wave of COVID-19.