Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has approved the payment of Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia to the next kin of Covi-19 victims. The administration has also directed all deputy commissioners to set up a robust yet simple mechanism for its disbursement.
In 2020, a total of 4,476 deaths were reported due to the pandemic in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 2,291 were recorded in the valley while the other 2,185 were recorded in Jammu. In an order issued by the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and reconstruction Department, Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, Nazim Zia Khan said that the implementation of the scheme would commence immediately and it will cover all residents who died due to Covid-19.
In the order, Khan further said that the "sanction is accorded to the adoption of the scheme for granting claim to the next of kin of Covid-19 victims in pursuance of the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority in compliance with the Supreme Court order."
As per the order, the eligibility of a case under the scheme would be verified through the database created by the Health and Medical Education Department and duly certified by the designated medical authority.
The order further said, "Wide publicity shall be given to the scheme by the concerned deputy commissioners (chairman of District Disaster Management Authority), Health and Medical Education Department to ensure saturation of the scheme within a period of two months."
"All deputy commissioners shall issue an appropriate order for the constitution of a district-level committee for redressal of any grievance(s) with regard to the certification of the Covid death," the order reads.
Explaining the committees, the order said, "the committee would comprise of additional deputy commissioner of the concerned district, principal of government medical college or chief medical officer of the district and medical superintendent of the district hospital or government medical college.
"The committee will be responsible for verifying the authenticity of the Covid-19 death as per the central government guidelines, proposing necessary remedial measures, including amending the Covid-19 death certificate, and detailing appropriate administrative resources to verify facts in accordance with the guidelines issued for Covid-related deaths."
