Deaths Due to COVID-19 in the Armed Forces: Rajya Sabha QA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.61
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29th NOVEMBER, 2021

DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19 IN THE ARMED FORCES

61 DR. SANTANU SEN:

Will the Minister of Defence be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the total number of defence personnel, their family members and civilian staff who got COVID-19 positive since its outbreak;

(b) the details of total number of defence personnel, their family members and civilian staff who lost their life due to COVID-19 since its outbreak;

(c) whether Government has any plan to give special compensation for deaths occurring due to COVID-19 to the family members of armed forces; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and, if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SHRI AJAY BHATT

(a) The number of COVID-19 cases of defence personnel, their family members and civilian staff since the outbreak of pandemic is as follows:

	Serving Personnel	Family members of Serving Personnel	Defence civilian staff
Army	45576	13010	1983*
Air Force	14022	7380	1206
Navy	7747	2211	3006

* Total COVID-19 cases of civilians admitted in Military Hospitals.

(b) The number of death cases of defence personnel, their family members and civilian staff due to COVID-19 since the outbreak of pandemic is as follows:

Serving Personnel	Family members of Serving Personnel	Defence civilian staff
Army	137	1311	276*
Air Force	49	114	41
Navy	04	66	96

* Total death cases of civilians in Military Hospitals due to COVID-19.

(c) & (d): As per extant Rules, no special compensation for deaths occurring due to infectious disease is provided to Armed Forces personnel by the Ministry of Defence, while they are in service. However, all such cases of death while in service are provided terminal benefits.
In addition, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued guidelines on the 11th September, 2021 for grant of the ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees fifty thousand only) per deceased person, including those involved in the relief operations or associated in the preparedness activities, subject to cause of death being certified as COVID-19, as per the ‘Guidelines for Official Document for COVID- 19 Death’ jointly issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Indian Council of Medical Research on the 3rd September, 2021.

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Source: Rajya Sabha