₹50-lakh insurance for all Covid workers: Govt

The state government has decided to provide a comprehensive personal accident cover of ₹50 lakh to all employees who are on active duty in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the Union ministry of health and family welfare has provided an insurance scheme for all healthcare workers across the country, the state scheme will cover others engaged in tackling the pandemic, from policemen and home guards to anganwadi and sanitation workers across state and district administration.

The state finance department on Friday issued an order announcing the insurance cover.

The order states that besides healthcare workers, other staffers ( such as district administration, police, home guards, anganwadi workers, finance and treasury, food and civil supply, water supply and sanitation) have also been deputed in Covid-related duties. “Therefore with a view to support such personnel in their active line of duty in fighting Covid-19 pandemic and to stand by their families in the event of their unfortunate loss of life, the government will provide comprehensive personal accident cover of ₹50 lakh to all employees, who are on active duty relating to survey, tracing, tracking, testing, prevention, testing, treatment, relief activities on account of Covid pandemic,” stated the order.

The modalities for the insurance package are still being worked out and until it gets announced the government will cover the employees through an ex gratia payment of ₹50 lakh. The condition for this ex gratia or insurance is that the employee should have been on duty for 14 days prior to her hospitalisation or death. The medical certificate for such an employee is done by a government notified lab.

However, this will not applicable to those covered by the Union government’s insurance.