NASHIK: In a major policy decision, the State government has announced that it will give Rs 50,000 aid to kins or immediate relatives of people who died due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the state government in the government resolution (GR) released recently said the aid will be provided to the next of kin of the COVID 19 victims only if the RT-PCR report of the deceased was positive even though the death certificate does not mention the cause of the death as the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will be deposited into the bank accounts of close relatives and also of those who died due to the pandemic.
Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said, “the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has decided to give ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to kins or immediate relatives of people who died due to COVID 19. The scheme is designed to deposit the aid directly in the bank account of the beneficiaries. Relatives of the deceased can apply online on the web portal being developed by the state government, or at the Setu Center, through common service centre in the Gram Panchayat.”
The relief and rehabilitation department officer clarified that the death certificate doesn’t need to mention COVID-19 as the cause of the death. However, the deceased family is entitled to aid if the RT-PCR test had confirmed the patient to be COVID 19 positive and died thereafter.
The state government’s decision came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s directive given to the Centre in September for the payment of Rs 50,000 ex gratia compensation to the families of COVID 19 victims. The apex court had cleared the Centre’s guidelines relating to the payment of compensation.
District Civil Surgeon, Municipal Chief Health Officer to take a decision
To avail of this aid, a kin or a close relative of a person who died of Covid-19 will need to apply online on a web portal developed by the state government. The applicant can apply in person or from Setu Kendra or Gram Panchayat.
While submitting this application, the applicant will be required to submit documents and information. The documents and information given will be examined and after that, the district level, NMC level grievance redressal committees formed by the division will make available online appeal facility.
The decision of this committee will be mentioned on the portal by the respective District Civil Surgeon, Chief Health Officer of the Municipal Corporation. As per the decision of the committee, the application for financial aid will either be accepted or rejected.
