Delhi govt Covid aid: 'Surviving member certificate' not needed if applicant is spouse of deceased

The Delhi government has done away with the requirement of submitting 'surviving member certificates' with applications under its COVID-19 death compensation policy if the applicant is the spouse of the deceased, while it will remain mandatory in other cases. The decision was taken at a meeting of Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot with officials of the department on Wednesday.

"It has been decided that under the 'Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Parivar Arthik Sahayata Yojna', there will no longer be a need for obtaining a surviving member certificate (SMC) from the applicant in cases where one of the spouses is alive," a revenue department statement said.

However, the requirement of an SMC will remain in force for grant of ex gratia for other applicants, it said.

In cases where the deceased was a single parent, surviving children are entitled to the ex gratia equally distributed among them, but for that, the name of the applicant should be reflected in the SMC. If the deceased was an unmarried or a minor child, the father or the mother would get relief under the scheme subject to their name appearing in the SMC, it said. The scheme was started by the Delhi government in June 2021 to provide relief to the kin of those who died of COVID-19. Under the scheme, the government also provides cash transfers to families who have lost bread earners due to the disease.

"As Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has always assured, the Delhi government will always stand with the people of the city in their time of grief. It is our duty and responsibility to help the families who have lost their loved ones in this pandemic in every way possible," Gahlot said.

Under the scheme, the Kejriwal government provides a one-time ex gratia of Rs 50,000 to those who have lost a family member to Covid. In addition, families that have lost bread earners and children who have been left orphaned because of Covid are eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 2,500.

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