The Supreme Court on Monday extended time till April 30 next year for the Welfare Commissioner, Bhopal, to disburse aid worth Rs 1503 crores among 1984 Union Carbide gas leak victims.

The money deposited by the Union Carbide, following the US multinational's settlement with the Union government, was directed to be disbursed within three months by the apex court earlier as per the request of the Welfare Commissioner.

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The Welfare Commissioner in these three months could disburse only Rs 224 crores, saying "the tall claims made by it earlier has run into practical difficulties like non-availablity of judges for disbursement".

The court, accepting the request of the Commissioner, extended the time for disbursement of the remaining fund within one year from May 1, 2005.

The court asked the commissioner to file a quarterly report of the disbursement made.