SC pulls up Maharashtra, WB on low number of Covid-19 ex-gratia applications

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the state governments, including Maharashtra and West Bengal governments, for an abysmally low number of applications for compensation of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to next of kin of Covid victims.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna told Maharashtra government counsel that over one lakh deaths occurred in the state, and asked why there is a low number of applications from families for compensation.

The Maharashtra government, for its part, said it has received nearly 35,000 applications for Covid compensation and nearly one lakh people have made their user-id on the designated website.

“This is ridiculous. We may have to pass strictures against you," the bench told the state counsel during the hearing.

The bench also asked the West Bengal government counsel on the disbursement of compensation to Covid victim families.

It noted over 19,000 deaths due to Covid occurred in West Bengal and the state government has given compensation to nearly 110.

“Only, if we compel you to work, will you work," the bench asked West Bengal counsel.

The bench asked both the states to file their compliance affidavit by December 15 in terms of previous judgement delivered by the top court.

The bench questioned why few persons have applied for compensation, and emphasised on giving wider publicity to the compensation scheme through newspapers, TV, radio etc.

The Supreme Court in its October 4 judgment, had approved Rs 50,000, ex-gratia for the kin of Covid victims, which was recommended by the National Disaster Management Authority. The order was passed on the pleas of advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal and another.

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