The Union government has approached the Supreme Court seeking additional four weeks to frame "robust and comprehensive" scheme for ex-gratia payment for the kin of those who died of Covid-19, in compliance with the top court's judgement.
On June 30, the top court had directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to frame appropriate guidelines within a period of six weeks.
Seeking extension of time, the Centre said the exercise to frame guidelines for payment of ex-gratia is in active consideration of the NDMA and is going on.
Though at an advance stage, it required a little more in-depth examination before it is finalised and implemented, it said, adding any accelerated formulation may result into undesirable results.
On June 30, the Supreme Court had said the Centre failed to perform its statutory duty, cast under Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA), to grant minimum standards of relief to families of those people who lost their lives due to Covid-19.
The top court had directed NDMA to recommend guidelines for ex-gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of the victims within six weeks.
(Published 20 July 2021, 17:39 IST)
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