Supreme Court Upholds Insurance for COVID-Warrior Families

The Supreme Court ruled that families of doctors who died during the COVID-19 pandemic are entitled to insurance coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. It set aside a previous Bombay High Court judgment, ensuring the benefits of insurance coverage for private doctors as well.

The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of families of doctors who succumbed to COVID-19 while on duty, granting them insurance coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. This decision overturns a Bombay High Court judgment that denied such coverage to private sector doctors.

The bench, consisting of Justices P S Narasimha and R Mahadevan, emphasized the importance of comprehending various legal provisions, including the Maharashtra Prevention and Containment of COVID-19 Regulations 2020, in understanding the entitlement to insurance for these doctors.

The court clarified that individual claims under the PMGKY-Package will be assessed based on evidence, with the burden of proof lying on the claimant to show the deceased doctor's COVID-19-related duties. This ruling supports health workers and their families, providing a necessary safety net against the pandemic's impact.

(With inputs from agencies.)