Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Govt increases honorarium for doctors on contract and bond

On Friday, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Government announced a substantial hike in the honorarium of doctors serving their bonds to bring it at par with doctors working on a contract basis. "This will further strengthen their resolve in this war against COVID-19," said the Chief Minister.

Uddhav said that the doctors serving their bonds in tribal areas will get Rs 75,000 instead of Rs 60,000. Specialist doctors working in tribal areas will be paid Rs 85,000 from the previous Rs 70,000, said Chief Minister’s Office in a release issued on Friday.

MBBS doctors in other areas will see their honorarium rise to Rs 70,000 from Rs 55,000. Similarly, specialist doctors in other areas will get an honorarium of Rs 80,000 instead of Rs 65,000.

Minister of Tourism and Environment Aaditya Thackeray in his tweet said an old order had proposed a reduction in honorarium and he had requested the government to reverse. ‘I wholeheartedly thank @CMOMaharashtra @OfficeofUT ji, Dy CM @AjitPawarSpeaks ji, Health Minister @rajeshtope11 ji and Minister @AmitV_Deshmukh ji to have reversed that,’’ he tweeted.

In another tweet, Aaditya said, "For doctors on contract and on bond, the Maharashtra Government has decided to not just enhance pay, but bring at par. They are our COVID warriors and this was due.’’

The Maharashtra Government also announced to provide a comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakhs to all employees who are on active duty relating to survey, tracing, testing, prevention and treatment and relief activities for COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to healthcare staff, the personnel from the district administration, police, home guards, Aanganwadi workers, finance and treasury, food and civil supply, water supply and sanitation and employees of various other departments deputed for house to house survey work will be the beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra recorded 116 deaths on Friday, the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 in a single day. 2,682 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported; taking the total number of cases to 62,228. Death toll stands at 2098, said the Maharashtra Health Department