Maharashtra announces ₹50 lakh cover for all on COVID-19 duty

Decision taken as Central govt. assistance is only for healthcare workers

The Maharashtra government will provide a comprehensive personal life cover of ₹50 lakh to all employees who are on active duty in surveying, tracing, tracking, testing, prevention, treatment and relief activities during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In a government resolution issued on Friday, the State Finance Department said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in an order dated March 28, has provided an insurance scheme for health workers and healthcare related staff.

“However, a lot of other staffers (district administration, police, home guards, anganwadi workers, employees of finance and treasury, food and civil supply, water supply and sanitation, and other departments deputed for house-to-house survey work) are also involved in COVID-19 duties. To support them and their families in the event of their unfortunate loss of life, the government has taken the decision,” a Finance Department official said.

The modalities in this regard are being worked out with insurance companies. Till the package is worked out, as an interim measure, all deaths of employees on duty due to COVID-19 will be covered through an ex gratia assistance of ₹50 lakh, the government resolution said.

To be eligible, the employee should have been on duty within the 14-day period preceding her or his hospitalisation or death. The verification in this regard will be done by district magistrates or designated heads of department.

The medical certification that death is related to COVID-19 will be done on the basis of reports from government-, municipal-, ICMR-notified private hospitals or laboratories. Employees covered will also include all contractual, outsourced, daily wages, ad hoc, honorarium-based staff. Similar ex gratia assistance will be provided by all local bodies and public undertakings.

In addition, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced a hike in the honorarium of doctors serving their bonds to bring it on a par with doctors working on contract basis.

“Henceforth, doctors serving their bonds in tribal areas will get ₹75,000 instead of ₹60,000. Specialist doctors working in tribal areas will be paid ₹85,000, up from the previous ₹70,000. MBBS doctors in other areas will see their honorarium rise to ₹70,000 from ₹55,000. Specialist doctors in other areas will get an honorarium of ₹80,000 instead of ₹65,000,” said Mr. Thackeray.