From Telangana To Bihar: These States Offer Compensation For Heatstroke Deaths

Last Updated:March 14, 2026, 09:30 IST

As heatwave intensifies across several regions, only a few states provide compensation for heatstroke deaths. Here's a look at where families of victims are eligible for relief.

Summer is just beginning to set in in India, but already many states are witnessing scorching temperatures. Over the last week, severe heatwave conditions prevailed in several area of Gujarat’s Saurashtra and Kutch regions and in parts of Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region.

Most places in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi recorded maximum temperatures more than 5.1 degree Celsius above normal, while large parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Konkan and Goa, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are also seeing significantly higher temperatures.

The IMD also reported unusually high maximum temperatures in parts of Assam, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The department had earlier warned that the country could experience more heatwave days than usual between March and May this year.

As extreme heat intensifies across several regions, the issue of heatstroke, commonly referred to as sunstroke, and the support available to affected families has increasingly come under scrutiny. While floods, cyclones and earthquakes have well-defined relief aid mechanisms in India, compensation for heatwave-related deaths varies significantly from state to state.

States That Provide Heatstroke Compensation

A few states have formally recognised heatwave or sunstroke deaths under disaster relief frameworks and offer ex-gratia payments to families.

1. Telangana

Telangana is among the states that have classified heatwave as a “state-specific disaster". Under this classification, families of victims who die due to sunstroke are eligible for an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), provided the death is medically certified as heatstroke-related.

2. Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh has adopted a similar approach through its Heat Wave Action Plan. The state government provides Rs 4 lakh compensation to families of people who die from sunstroke or heatstroke during officially recognised heatwave conditions. District administrations are responsible for verifying the cause of death before the relief amount is released.

3. Bihar

In Bihar, the government has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh for families of heatwave victims during severe heat events in recent years. The compensation is usually provided through the state disaster management mechanism once authorities confirm the death as heatstroke-related.

4. West Bengal

West Bengal has also extended ex-gratia relief to families of people who died due to heatwave conditions under its broader natural disaster relief framework. Though not always implemented through a dedicated heatwave policy, such payments have been announced during extreme heat events.

Why Compensation Varies

Unlike other natural disasters, heatwave deaths are not uniformly covered under national disaster relief guidelines. States have the authority to classify heatwaves as state-specific disasters, allowing them to use funds from the SDRF to provide compensation.

However, accessing such relief often requires strict verification. Typically, a government medical officer must certify the cause of death as heatstroke, and local authorities must confirm that the death occurred during officially declared heatwave conditions.

Public health experts say heatstroke deaths may also be underreported because the symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions, particularly among the elderly and those with pre-existing illnesses.

Gujarat, Rajasthan Under Severe Heatwave Conditions

As heatwave prevailed in many parts across the country over the week, among the worst-hit areas were Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, which recorded temperatures 7.2 degree Celsius and 6.4 degree Celsius above normal respectively.

In Surendranagar and Rajkot districts, authorities issued alerts as temperatures climbed sharply over the past 24 hours. Dr Ashok Kumar Das, head of the Ahmedabad Meteorological Centre, said a red alert for severe heatwave had been issued for these districts.

Several parts of southwest Rajasthan also reeled under severe heatwave with Barmer being the hottest place in the state, reaching a maximum temperature of 40.6 degree Celsius, followed by Pilani in Jhunjhunu at 39.3 degree Celsius. Chittorgarh, Churu, Bikaner, and Sikar recorded maximum temperatures of 39, 38.7, 38.2, and 37.8 degrees, respectively.

News cities new-delhi-news From Telangana To Bihar: These States Offer Compensation For Heatstroke Deaths

Read More