Odisha To Comply With SC Directive, Provide Rs 50,000 Ex-gratia To Kin Of Those Who Died Due To Covid-19

As per a Supreme Court directive, the Odisha government will provide Rs 50,000 compensation to the kin of those who died due to Covid19. Besides, kin of those who died by suicide within 30 days of testing COVID positive are also entitled for compensation.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Chief of DMET (Directorate of Medical Education And Training), Dr CBK Mohanty said that all the directives by the Supreme Court envisaging the pandemic fatality compensation will be implemented in Odisha.

“Rs 50,000 compensation will be provided to the kin of people who died of COVID19 within 30 days of testing positive. Not only this, but people who committed suicide or died accidental deaths within the 30-day time period, will also be considered as a COVID death and will be compensated the same amount," informed Mohanty.

The State government will soon come out with an SOP in this connection and all the district level committees will be tasked to verify the deaths before adding them to the COVID death pool.

"We will have to abide by the Supreme Court ruling. However, this will certainly increase the death numbers in the State," Mohanty added.

Meanwhile, Odisha is gradually witnessing a decline in the daily positive cases with 545 positive cases having been reported in last 24 hours. Out of this, 74 positive cases belong to the age group of below 18 years. As far as Tuesday's positive cases are concerned, Khordha district topped the chart with the highest (218) cases while Cuttack reported 73 positive cases on Tuesday.

Apart from that, seven patients succumbed to the deadly disease in the last 24 hours taking the total Covid death toll in the State to 8187.