Cannot give compensation of four lakh to covid victims: Centre tells SC

Under the Disaster Management Act 2005, grants-in-aid for 12 notified disasters are given through the State Disaster Response Fund

Ground Report | New Delhi: The Modi government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying that due to financial constraints and many other reasons, it cannot give an assistance amount of four lakh rupees to the families of those who lost their lives due to Covid 19 infection. It has also been said in the affidavit that the government has implemented a number of beneficial schemes to deal with the Covid epidemic and for the families affected by it.

The government has also said that many welfare schemes have been started to deal with the epidemic, which has also benefited the people. This affidavit has been filed in response to the petitions filed by the victims' families regarding the assistance amount.

In the affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the central government also said that the central and all state governments have done a lot for the needy persons to deal with the corona epidemic and a lot has been spent in it, due to which the economic condition is not good.

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In its affidavit, the central government has expressed regret towards the people who died due to corona infection and believed that the death of people is not only a loss for their family but also for the nation. The central government has said in its affidavit that this epidemic is a disaster and can't pay four lakh. To deal with the extraordinary spread and impact of this infection, different measures and efforts are needed to deal with natural disasters. The government said that this is extremely challenging.

According to the affidavit, the epidemic is still not completely over and no accurate prediction can be made about it. There is a need to rapidly develop and upgrade the health and non-health sectors to deal with its impacts. Lakhs of crores of rupees will be spent on this. It has been said in the affidavit that there is a need to mobilize resources both financially and technically to deal with the effects of this epidemic in the future.

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Under the Disaster Management Act 2005, grants-in-aid for 12 notified disasters are given through the State Disaster Response Fund. The annual State Disaster Response Fund for the year 2021-22 for all the states is Rs 22,184 crore. In such a situation, if Rs 4 lakh is given to the families of those who lost their lives due to Covid, then the entire amount of the State Disaster Response Fund will be spent on this and it is possible that more will be spent. The government has said in its affidavit that public health is a state subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.

BBC colleague Suchitra Mohanty quoted the copy of the affidavit as saying that the central government has clearly stated that if the entire SDRF amount will be spent on the assistance amount for the Covid victims, then the states will have preparations to deal with Covid 19. There will be no money for various health schemes and necessary provisions or for providing relief in times of disaster. 

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