<p>The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to submit details of compensation provided to people who died of Covid-19, as per policy framed by each state.</p>.<p>Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah that it was not the case that government did not have funds to pay ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to kin of Covid victims, but the focus of expenditure was holistic, to make funds available for rehabilitation, mitigation and preparedness. </p>.<p>“So you say you don't have the money for ex-gratia but for other measures. It will have a wide ramification if government says it has no funds," the bench said, seeking clarification from the Centre on this aspect. </p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnataka-covid-19-unlock-chaos-relief-as-hotels-gyms-metro-buses-restart-operations-in-17-districts-999749.html" target="_blank">Karnataka Covid-19 Unlock: Chaos, relief as hotels, gyms, metro, buses restart operations in 17 districts </a></strong></p>.<p>The bench asked Mehta to give details of compensation paid by each state government to the families of Covid-19 victims, and from which fund the payment was made. </p>.<p>The Centre said that most of the states were paying from funds other than State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).</p>.<p>A counsel, appearing for an intervenor, contended that there was no uniform scheme on compensation to Covid victims. </p>.<p>He said that in Delhi, Rs 50,000 was being paid, while in Bihar, Rs 4 lakh was given for Covid deaths, and it was Rs one lakh in Karnataka, pointing towards the disparity.</p>.<p>The bench sought to know if there was any decision by the national authority to not give ex-gratia.</p>.<p>Mehta replied he is not aware if the national authority has taken a decision or not, but added that the finance commission has disbursed the fund to state disaster response and tried to help the people affected by the Covid pandemic. </p>.<p>The bench, however, asked if the commission can override statutory obligations.</p>.<p>The court also stressed at uniform policy and guidelines for issuance of death certificates for those succumbed to Covid-19, saying that prima facie it found the process very complicated. </p>.<p>The court reserved the judgement on PILs filed by advocates Gaurav Kumar Bansal and Reepak Kansal seeking ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to kin of Covid-19 victims as the Centre has declared it as a national disaster. It asked the parties to file their written submissions within three days.</p>.<p>The Union government had earlier told the court that ex-gratia cannot be paid to all those who died due to Covid-19 as it would exhaust the disaster relief funds, and also impact the Centre and States' preparation to address future waves of the pandemic.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to submit details of compensation provided to people who died of Covid-19, as per policy framed by each state.</p>.<p>Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah that it was not the case that government did not have funds to pay ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to kin of Covid victims, but the focus of expenditure was holistic, to make funds available for rehabilitation, mitigation and preparedness. </p>.<p>“So you say you don't have the money for ex-gratia but for other measures. It will have a wide ramification if government says it has no funds," the bench said, seeking clarification from the Centre on this aspect. </p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/karnataka-covid-19-unlock-chaos-relief-as-hotels-gyms-metro-buses-restart-operations-in-17-districts-999749.html" target="_blank">Karnataka Covid-19 Unlock: Chaos, relief as hotels, gyms, metro, buses restart operations in 17 districts </a></strong></p>.<p>The bench asked Mehta to give details of compensation paid by each state government to the families of Covid-19 victims, and from which fund the payment was made. </p>.<p>The Centre said that most of the states were paying from funds other than State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).</p>.<p>A counsel, appearing for an intervenor, contended that there was no uniform scheme on compensation to Covid victims. </p>.<p>He said that in Delhi, Rs 50,000 was being paid, while in Bihar, Rs 4 lakh was given for Covid deaths, and it was Rs one lakh in Karnataka, pointing towards the disparity.</p>.<p>The bench sought to know if there was any decision by the national authority to not give ex-gratia.</p>.<p>Mehta replied he is not aware if the national authority has taken a decision or not, but added that the finance commission has disbursed the fund to state disaster response and tried to help the people affected by the Covid pandemic. </p>.<p>The bench, however, asked if the commission can override statutory obligations.</p>.<p>The court also stressed at uniform policy and guidelines for issuance of death certificates for those succumbed to Covid-19, saying that prima facie it found the process very complicated. </p>.<p>The court reserved the judgement on PILs filed by advocates Gaurav Kumar Bansal and Reepak Kansal seeking ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to kin of Covid-19 victims as the Centre has declared it as a national disaster. It asked the parties to file their written submissions within three days.</p>.<p>The Union government had earlier told the court that ex-gratia cannot be paid to all those who died due to Covid-19 as it would exhaust the disaster relief funds, and also impact the Centre and States' preparation to address future waves of the pandemic.</p>
