Centre approves release of ₹7,274 cr to SDRF

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Friday approved the release of ₹7,274.40 crore to 23 states as part of its share of state disaster response fund (SDRF), which, officials said, could be used by states to pay ex gratia to the families of those whose deaths have been certified as Covid-19 fatalities. Eligible families will receive ₹50,000 each.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on September 25 revised the items and norms of assistance under the SDRF, making a provision for grant of ex gratia payment to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid-19.

On June 30, the Supreme Court ruled that families that lost dear ones to Covid-19 were entitled to ex gratia payment under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. After the government informed the apex court about paying the compensation ex gratia from SDRF, the court last week said it was happy underlining that “we are certain what India has done, no other country

in the world has done”. “We are happy that something has been

done to wipe out the tears of persons who have suffered due to Covid-19,” a bench of justices MR Shah and AS Bopanna had said.

The MHA in a statement on Friday said “this step of Narendra Modi government will facilitate state governments to have enough funds in their SDRF. The Union minister of home affairs and cooperation, Amit Shah, has approved release of the second instalment of to ₹7,274.40 crore of he central share of the SDRF in advance to 23 states.”

Five states have already been provided with advance worth ₹1,599.20 crore.

The MHA said the “state governments will now have an amount of ₹23,186.40 crore in their SDRF, including state’s share, during 2021-22, in addition to the amount of opening balance available in their SDRF, to meet the expenses for granting ex gratia to the next of kin of the deceased due to Covid-19 and for providing relief on other notified calamities.”

It did not specify which states have been given the funds.