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Disaster Management – Natural Calamities – Ex-gratla payment to next of kin of the deceased due to COVID-19 from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) – Amendment in revised list of Items and Norms of assistanc

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ABSTRACT
Disaster Management – Natural Calamities – Ex-gratla payment to next of kin of the deceased due to COVID-19 from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) – Amendment in revised list of Items and Norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) – Amendment – Orders – issued.

REVENUE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT DISASTER MANAGEMENT WING, D.M.III (2) SECTION
G.O. (Ms) No.831 Dated 03.12.2021
17
2052
Read:
1. From the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi Letter No.32-7/2014-NDM-1, dated 08.04.2015.
2. G.O.(Ms) No.380, Revenue [DM.3(2)] Department, dated
27.10.2015.
3. Orders of the Honfble Supreme Court of India in W.P.(C) No.554/2021 and 539/2021, dated 30.06.2021.
4. From the Under Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (Disaster Management Division), Letter No. 16/11/2021-RR, dated 11.09.2021.
5. From the Under Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (Disaster Management Division), Letter No.33-04/2020-NDM-1, dated 25.09.2021.
6. From the Additional Chief Secretary / Commissioner of Revenue Administration letter No.OC-I/563/2020, dated
05.10.2021.
ORDER:
In the letter first read above, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India have revised the items and norms for assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
2. In the Government Order second read above, the Government have issued orders to adopt revised list of items and norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
3. In the order third read above, the Hon’ble Supreme Court through its order dated June 30, 2021 in w.p. (Civil) No.539 and wp (Civil) 554 of 2021 has directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to recommend guidelines for ex-gratia assistance on account of loss of life to the family members of the persons who died due to COVID-19, as mandated under Section 12(i) of Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005 for the minimum standards of relief to be provided to the persons affected by disaster.
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In the letter fourth read above, the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affaits (DM Division) have issued Guidelines for ex-gratia to next of the kin of deceased by COVID-19 under the section 12 (iii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the guidelines for offlclal document for COVID-19 death also issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
5. In the letter fifth read above, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India in pursuance to the direction of the Hontble Supreme Court and the guidelines issued by NDMA, decided to revise the item 1 of MHA letter No.32/7/2014-NDM-1, dated 08.04.2015 in respect of the ‘Gratuitous Relief’ by adding a new entry as I(f) after I(e) in the ‘revised list of items and norms of assistance’ under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
6. In the letter sixth read above, the Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration has stated that, in pursuance of the Hon’ble Supreme Court Judgement dated 30.06.2021, in Writ Petition (Civil) No.554/2021 and W.P.(C) No.539/2021, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under Section 12 (iii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, has issued guidelines for ex-gratia assistance to next of kin of the deceased by COVID—19 on 11.09.2021. It has been further stated that, in pursuance to the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the aforesaid guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Government of India has decided to revise the item 1 of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) letter No. 32/7/2014—NDM—I, dated 08.04.2015 in respect of the heading “Gratuitous Relief” by adding a new entry as 1 (f) after 1 (e) in the ‘revised list of items and norms of assistance” under State Disaster Response (SDRF), as stated below:-
No. Items Norm
1. Ex-Gratia payment to next of kin of the deceased due to COVID-19. Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty thousand only) per deceased person including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to the cause of death being certified as COVID—19 as per guidelines jointly issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Indian Council of Medical Research on 3rd September 2021.
Expenditure on this item will be incurred from SDRF only, in strict compliance with the aforesaid NDMA guidelines dated 11 th September, 2021.
This ex-gratia assistance will be applicable from the date of first COVID—19 case reported in the country and will continue till de-notification of COVID—19 as a disaster or till further orders whichever is earlier.

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7. The Additional Chief Secretary / Commissioner of Revenue Administration has requested the Government to issue amendment to the G.O.(Ms) No.380, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, dated: 27.10,2015 by incorporating the above details as 1 (f) after 1 (e) under the item 1 “Gratuitous Relief” and also requested the Government to empower the District Collectors to invoke the clause TR 27 for drawal of funds in order to provide immediate relief to the victims of COVID-19.
8. The Government after careful examination of the proposal of the Additional Chief Secretary / Commissioner of Revenue Administration, issue the following amendment to G.O.(Ms)No.380, Revenue [DM.III(2)] Department, dated
27.10.2015.
AMENDMENT
Under the heading “Gratuitous Relief” the following new entry as 1 (f) after I(e) in the ‘revised list of items and norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) shall be added”:
No. Items Norms of Assistance
1 Gratuitous Relief
(f) Ex-Gratia payment to next of kin of the deceased due to COVID -19 Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty thousand only) per deceased person including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities** subject to the cause of death being certified as COVID—19 as per guidelines jointly issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Indian Council of Medical Research on 3rd September 2021.
Expenditure on this item will be incurred from SDRF only, in strict compliance with the aforesaid NDMA guidelines dated: 11 th September 2021.
This ex-gratia assistance will be applicable from the date of first COVID-19 case reported in the Country and will continue till denotification of COVID—19 as a disaster or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
** Excluding those who have been given ex-gratia for COVID death under CMPRF front line workers (Rs.25 /akh), children who have lost both parent (Rs.5 /akh) and children who have lost one parent (Rs.3 /akh).

9. The District Collectors should utllise the provisions available under TR 27 to provide immediate relief to the victims of COVID-19.
(By order of the Governor)
KUMAR JAYANT
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
The Additional Chief Secretary/ Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Chepauk, Chennai-OO 005.
The Director, Disaster Management, Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency, Chepauk, Chennai-600 005.
The Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi-110 001.
The Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Kilpauk, Chennai-600 006.
The Director of Medical Education, Chennai-600 010.
The Director of Treasuries & Accounts, Chennai-600 015.
The Accountant General (A & E), Chennai-600 018.
Copy to:
The Principal Accountant General, Chennai-18.
The Pay ahd Accounts Officer (East), Chennai-600008.
All District Collectors.
All District Treasury Officers.
All Departments of Secretariat, Chennai-9.
All Heads of Department / Boards / Corporation.
The Office of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Chennai-9.
The Resident Audit Officer, Secretariat, Chennai-600009.
The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Chennai-600 009.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, Chennai-600 009.
The Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department, Chennai-600 009 The Principal Secretary to Government, Highways and Minor Port Department,
Chennai-600 009.
The Special Personal Assistant to the Hon’ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Chennai-600 009.
The Special Personal Assistant to the Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Chennai-600 009.
The Special Personal Assistant to the Hon’ble Minister for
Finance and Human Resource Management, Chennai-600 009.
The Senior Principal Private Secretary to Principal Secretary to Government,
Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Chennai-600 009. The Personal Assistant to Chief Secretary to Government, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
The Finance (Revenue/BG-I/BG-II/W&M-I) Department, Chennai -600 009. The Revenue and Disaster Management (O.P.II) Department, Chennai-600 009.
Stock File/Spare Copy.
// Forwarded by Order //

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