Kins of Covid patients dying within month are eligible for ex gratia

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Jan 19:

The Central Government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 to the kins of the citizens who had lost their lives due to Covid-19. Hence the health section of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has clarified that the survivors of patients, who had died in a month's period from the date of reporting as Covid-19 positive, are also eligible to apply for the benefit.

According to the AMC health section, " So far, it has received 5,782 applications from the state government, out of which, it has screened 5,607 applications and forwarded to the district administration. Of which, the 3,886 applications have been approved and forwarded by the district administration for releasing funds to the state government. Around 900 families informed the AMC that they have received the money in their bank accounts."

" If any Covid-patient suffering from comorbidity completes the treatment (say for about 10 days) in the hospital (any government or private) and goes home and dies within 20 days period due to his comorbidity - diabetes, blood pressure, kidney ailment etc - then his dependents are also eligible for the ex gratia. They will have to enclose the testing report mentioning that he was Covid positive. Moreover, there is no valid time period for the scheme. The citizens who had lost their lives during the first wave, second wave or in the third wave can apply online. If they feel any difficulty in filing the application they can contact the AMC War Room," said the health officials.

Returned 241 applications of other districts

The AMC also transferred 241 applications which were of the patients hailing from the other districts. Hence it has transferred them to the respective districts. The applications are wrongly circulated by the state administration due to the mistake made by the survivors while submitting the online forms (for eg: if any patient from Parbhani while undergoing treatment in Aurangabad had passed away then his relatives get confused about whether to select Aurangabad or Parbhani as their local self-body). Hence if they select Aurangabad then the application arrives here. However, the civic health section also expressed concern saying that many applications of patients from Aurangabad are also lying in other districts. They are waiting to get them as well.

Do not try to act smart

As per the procedure, the AMC after scrutinising applications through medical officers and other ground staff forwards them to the district administration. The collectorate has deployed a team of personnel from Aadhar verification. These staff detect the double claims on the basis of the Aadhar card of the deceased person. For eg: If suppose the departed soul has three sons and each one of them apply's for the ex gratia separately then the Aadhar team will detect the duplication. The verification of Aadhar done through scrutinising the application of the first claimant will be considered and the remaining two will be rejected.