Bhubaneswar: The Next of Kin (NOK) of persons who died due to Covid-19 can apply to get ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 from November 3.
The next of kin of the deceased person can apply to the District Collectors to get the ex-gratia amount, said Director Health Services, Bijay Mohapatra.
The eligible beneficiaries can apply in both online and offline mode. One can apply both offline (physically or by post) and online (https://caps.odisha.gov.in) using a prescribed application form and submit proof of covid-19 death, documents to establish NOK with the deceased and bank account details.
If anyone has any dispute with the cause mentioned in the death certificate, he/she can approach the district grievance redressal committee, which will examine the medical records of the deceased patient and take a call within 30 days, he said.
He further said the State Government is following all instructions of the Supreme Court and steps are being in accordance with the order
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena has also written a letter to all collectors, municipal commissioners and CDMOs for this purpose. This direction was given in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s direction dated October 4, 2021 in Miscellaneous Application No.1120 of 2021 in Writ Petition (Civil) No.539 of 2021.
The State Government has already authorized the Collector of the District and Chairman of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to disburse ex-gratia assistance of Rs.50,000 out of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to the eligible Next of Kin (NOK) of the persons died due to COVID-19 in the State.
The State IT Department has developed software CAPS (COVID-19 ex-gratia Assistance Payment System). Collector will approve, sanction and disburse the ex-gratia in the software CAPS and the payment of such assistance will be made directly to NOK from collector through DBT within 30 days.
An advertisement has also been issued today for the public to apply for ex-gratia assistance.
Making a detailed procedure for the distribution of the ex-gratia, the SRC said a proper register shall be maintained in this context.
“One application will be used by the applicant for one death case. The Application will be accepted from the public with all required documents which will be uploaded in the CAPS software ( https://caps.odisha.gov.in) in the office of Collector,” he said.
After uploading all documents in the CAPS relating to COVID- 19 death of the person, the same will be forwarded to concerned Tahasildar for verification and identification of NOK of the deceased & bank account details of NOK.
Following which, the concerned Tahasildar will verify physically & identify the NoK of the deceased and collect Bank A/C details (First page of Bank Pass Book) through concerned RI.
Later, the Tahasildar will upload the name of NOK & his/ her bank account details along with a scan copy of the RI report in the CAPS. After uploading Tahasildar will forward the same with his remarks to Sub-Collector for verification and then, the Sub-Collector will forward this with his remarks to ADM
Finally, the Collector will approve & sanction the payment of ex-gratia assistance in favour of NoK in this CAPS.
Jena asked the Collectors to appoint a nodal officer at their offices to deal with this matter.
