Shillong, Sep 14: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said that the scale of fatality during the second wave was so severe that many precious lives have been lost.
Replying to a cut motion during the Autumn Session, the Chief Minister informed that in order to assist the next of kin of the patients who succumbed to death due to Covid-19, the government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of the deceased under the Chief Minister’s Special Grant from April 1, 2021.
Sangma informed the House that the Deputy Commissioners are entrusted with the responsibility to compile and verify the authenticity of the cause of death.
“After due verification, the Deputy Commissioners recommend proposals for ex-gratia along with the detailed names and bank account of the next of kin of the deceased to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat,†Sangma said.
He said that upon receipt of the proposals with bank account details, the CM’s Secretariat sanction the ex-gratia and transfers payment directly to the bank account of the next of kin.
Sangma said that during the period from April 1 upto September 13, a total of 1258 persons died due to Covid-19.
He said that of the 1258 deceased persons, ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000 has been made to the next of kin of 514 number amounting to Rs 2.57 crore leaving a balance number of 744 deceased in respect of which proposal and bank account details are awaited from the Deputy Commissioners.
“As such, an anticipated liability of Rs 3.72 crore is pending as on September 13. This amount is likely to increase on a daily basis with an increasing number of daily deaths,†Sangma informed.