Question : Discrepancies in COVID-19 Deaths and Ex-Gratia payments

(a) whether the Government is aware of the huge discrepancy between officially declared COVID-19 deaths and the number of ex-gratia payments made for COVID19 deaths in various States/UTs;
(b) whether the Government is aware that ex-gratia payments made for COVID-19 deaths in Gujarat was around six times more than its official COVID-19 death tally, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government can list the officially declared COVID-19 deaths and the number of ex-gratia payments made for COVID-19 deaths up to January 31, 2022, State/UT-wise;
(d) the reasons for such disparity in data; and
(e) the steps taken to incorporate the backlog of deaths reported from various states into the national tally at the earliest?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE
(DR BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e): Ministry of Health & Family Welfare maintains data on COVID-19 deaths as reported by States. States have also incorporated backlog COVID-19 deaths in their reports which are also updated at the national level.
India has a robust Civil Registration System (CRS) and Sample Registration System (SRS) which predates the COVID-19 pandemic and covers all States/UTs. The registration of deaths in the country is done under Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act, 1969) by functionaries appointed by the State Governments.
In pursuance of the Hon''ble Supreme Court Judgement dated 30th June 2021, Government of India through National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued ‘Guidelines to provide for ex-gratia assistance to kin of the deceased by COVID-19’. NDMA has recommended an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 50,000/- per deceased person, subject to cause of death certified as COVID-19.
The ex-gratia assistance is to be provided by States from State Disaster Response Funds. Distribution of relief is the responsibility of the State/UT Government concerned.
In order to facilitate the State Governments to have enough funds in their SDRF, the Central Government has released, both the instalments of the Central share of the SDRF amounting to ?17,747.20 crores to States. After incorporating the State’s share amounting to ?5,439.20 crores, State Governments have an amount of ?23,186.40 crores in SDRF during the financial year 2021-22, in addition to the amount of opening balance available in their SDRF.