NDMA issues guidelines for Covid-19 death compensation claims

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Wednesday issued guidelines for filling an application for Covid-19 death compensation.

Issuing a public notice, it said that the outer time limit of 60 days to file the claims for compensation in case the death occurred due to Covid-19 prior to March 20, 2022, is with effect from March 24, 2022.

For future deaths, 90 days' time shall be provided from the date of death due to Covid-19 to file the claim for compensation, it said.

The guidelines issued after the decision of the Supreme Court on March 24, 2022.

The earlier order to process the claims and to make the actual payment of compensation within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of claim shall continue to be enforced, the NDMA said.

It also said in case of extreme hardship where any claimant could not make an application within the time prescribed, the claimant shall approach the Grievance Redressal Committee to make the claim.

The Redressal Committee will consider on a case to case basis and if it is found that a particular claimant could not make the claim within the stipulated time, the case may be considered on merits.

The NDMA also said that with an aim to minimise the risk of fake claims, a random scrutiny of the five per cent of the claim applications shall be made at the first instance.

"If it is found that anybody has made a fake claim, the same shall be considered under Section 52 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and liable to be punished accordingly," it added.