The Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association has announced the “Covid-19 Financial Assistance and Grant Scheme”, after taking into consideration the serious distress that has been caused to its members by the catastrophic conditions being faced by them during the pandemic.
The benefit under this grant will be provided to all the members whose names are included In the list of voters of SEBA during the year 2015 to 2019 and those members who are facing serious hardship due to the lock down and out in need of financial assistance. The Executive committee of SCBA has also laid down the terms of the said financial assistance and grant scheme.
The members who wish to apply for the financial assistance will have to apply in the form that is prescribed and also furnish a declaration or an undertaking. The applications should consist of the membership number and details of the advocate along with serial number in the voter list. Other than the voters, the members who are in dire need of aid and are facing grave financial hardship because of the lock down will also be given financial assistance.
Under the scheme benefit will be given to members whose Annual income is less than Rs.8 lakh in the preceding year and the members will also have to disclose if they had previously taken any loan from a SCBA under the Covid-19 scheme or under schemes of any Bar Association.
The members applying for this grant need to apply with complete particulars and include all the details like full name,age, residential address and membership number. The application can be sent by e-mail along with the bank account details, and the identity of the Advocate will be kept confidential
Once the application is submitted, it will be scrutinized by a Committee of the EC, which will then be sent to the EC for approval. The discretion to approve or reject the application will be with the EC, and if approved the fund will be electronically transferred to the Advocate.
The financial assistance under the scheme is being provided from the generous payments and voluntary donations made my SCBA members, and the financial resources of the SCBA are not being used. A one-time financial assistance will be offered as an ex-gratia benefit limited to the amount of Rs. 20,000 to the Advocates in need.
The eligible advocates can mail their applications by June 3rd, 2020, and can send their applications in physical form once the grant is sanctioned.
Today on 05.06.2020, the SCBA extended the Covid 19 Grant Welfare Scheme for financial benefits @ Rs.20,000/- till 30.06.2020
-India Legal Bureau