Ex-CM Ibobi for Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to Covid victim
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 28 2021: Former chief minister O Ibobi has demanded the government to provide compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to every person who died due to Covid-19 based on the notification issued by the Central government on March 14, 2020 .

Speaking to the media on Saturday, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader informed that AICC leader Rahul Gandhi has been demanding the government for providing Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to every Covid victim and Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) is also reiterating the same demand* On March 14,2020, the central government issued a notification assuring Rs 4 lakh compensation for every life lost due to Covid-19 .

However, the compensation amount was revised to Rs 50,000 in another circular issued on September 11, 2021, which shows the double standard nature and lack of commitment on the part of the BJP government, Ibobi said, while demanding to increase the compensation amount to Rs 4 lakh.

He further said that he had sent a letter to chief minister N Biren in this regard while mentioning that the central government is supposed to bear 75 per cent of the compensation amount which leaves the financial burden of the state government to Rs 1 lakh only per victim.

In his letter, he urged the state government to pursue the matter with the Centre and provide compensation as mentioned in the March 2020 notification.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the public faced tremendous hardships in the absence of income generating opportunities and medical expenses of the infected persons among others.

Congress party is simply asking the government to understand the hardships of the public and, compensate fairly the families who have lost their near and dear ones to the pandemic.

The government might cite huge financial involvement in increasing the compensation amount.

However, the same government also collected huge amount of fine from the public for not following SOP and extracted significant amount from the public in the form of tax on petrol and diesel.

At the same time, the government relaxed corporate taxes without thinking for the public, he contended.

Ibobi also accused the government of not presenting a proper report on the impact of Covid-19 in the state.

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