COVID-19 deaths: SC allows Centre to conduct inquiry into fake claims
New Delhi(PTI): The Supreme Court Thursday permitted the Centre to conduct an inquiry into fake claims for ex-gratia compensation meant for family members of those who have lost their lives due to Covid-19.
A bench of Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna said the government can verify 5 per cent of claims in four states -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh -- where the gap between number of claims and recorded deaths was wide.
The top court also set a period of 60 days which would be given to all such persons who are eligible as on date to apply for the ex-gratia compensation and 90 days shall be given to the future claimants.
The Centre had earlier filed an application seeking a deadline of four weeks for claiming ex gratia payment from authorities on the death of kin due to COVID-19.
The court had earlier expressed concern over fake claims for getting ex gratia compensation of Rs 50,000, meant for family members of those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19, saying it had never visualised that this can be "misused" or thought that the morality has not gone so down.
It had also directed all state governments and Union Territories to appoint a dedicated nodal officer to coordinate with the member secretary of the state legal service authority (SLSA) to facilitate the payment of ex gratia compensation.
The top court, which was earlier annoyed over the non-disbursal of the Rs 50,000 ex gratia, had pulled up the state governments.
It had said on October 4 last year that no state shall deny ex gratia of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of those who died after being infected with COVID-19 solely on the grounds that the death certificate does not mention the virus as the cause of death.
The court had also said that the ex-gratia is to be disbursed within 30 days from the date of applying to the district disaster management authority or the district administration concerned along with the proof of the death of the deceased due to coronavirus and the cause of death being certified as died due to COVID-19.
The top court had said that its directions for payment of compensation to the family members of the persons who died due to COVID-19 are very clear and there was no requirement at all of constituting the scrutiny committee to award compensation.
It had said that it was very much made clear that even in a case where in the death certificate the cause is not shown as COVID-19 but if found the deceased was declared positive for coronavirus and has died within 30 days, automatically his or her family members are entitled to the compensation without any further conditions.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
2 days' WFH for govt offices, Metro use by ministers: Delhi CM's call for fuel conservation
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced a slew of measures including two days of 'work from home' (WFH) for government offices, use of Metro trains on Mondays by ministers and officers, and a voluntary 'no-vehicle day' every week.
Gupta said in a press conference attended by her Cabinet colleagues that the government has drawn an extensive plan under "Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdan" to implement the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saving fuel and wise expenditure.
She said all Delhi government offices will follow WFH two days a week. The private sector will also be requested to follow it, she said.
Gupta said all ministers, officers and she herself will use Metro for commuting on Mondays while people will be requested to observe 'no-vehicle day' every week.
The government has also decided to cancel all official foreign visits by ministers for one year while no big events will be hosted by it for the next three months, she said.
The chief minister said petrol and diesel quotas of the Delhi government officers have also been slashed by 20 per cent.
Earlier, Gupta headed a meeting with all her Cabinet ministers and senior officers of the government to discuss ways to save fuel and other resources amid global uncertainty over crude oil and gas supplies.
The chief minister has also cut down on her carcade by 60 per cent, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to people to spend wisely and save fuel in view of the war in West Asia.
The chief minister's convoy now has only four vehicles, including two EVs.
