Make compensation policy for flood victims public: HC to Govt
Adhaar/enrolment number not a precondition for release of assistance: NDMA
‘Over Rs 139.85 Cr released for 19995 beneficiaries till June 6’
The high court has asked state government to issue notice in two local newspapers explaining revised policy adopted for payment of compensation to the flood victims.
A division bench comprising N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Ali Mohammad Kumar asked the Divisional Commissioner to make the policy public by publishing in two local dailies failing which he shall appear in person on Tuesday in the court.On May 13 this year, the court had passed this direction to state government asking them to make the policy public so that the beneficiaries are aware of the policy.
During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), Joint Advisor of National Disaster Management Authority, Vinay Kajla confirmed that the requirement of Adhaar/enrolment number is not a precondition for release of assistance and the decision was accordingly conveyed to the state government.
“The payments in these categories are being released even without aadhaar/enrolment number and till date Rs 68.69 crores stand released to 31369 beneficiaries of severely and partially damaged houses.”
In the previous hearing, the petitioners had raised this issue saying the NDMA is asking for Adhaar cards to identify and pay compensation to the flood victims and sought directions to them for exemption of producing Adhaar card for identification.
On this Kajla informed the court that Adhaar card has been exempted and for purpose of better data management, NDMA would seek to obtain the Aadhaar / enrolment numbers from the state government after the assistance is released.
Kajla said NDMA was also tasked with release of assistance to the identified beneficiaries of severely and partially damaged houses.
“NDMA would have liked the details of Aadhaar / enrolment numbers as it would have provided an additional tool for verifying the accuracy of the beneficiary to whom the funds were being transferred,” he said adding that sometimes incorrect entry of account numbers leads to delay in release of assistance.
NDMA also informed the court that 139 crores 85 lakhs and 50000 rupees have been released till June 06 for the flood victims under the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for 19995 beneficiaries of fully damaged houses through the Public Financial Management Systems (PFMS) of the Ministry of Finance.
