No.NC-JCM-2020/Fin.COV
July 7, 2020
Honble Minister for Finance,
Government of India,
North Block, New Delhi-110001
Respected Madam,
Sub : Ex-gratia compensation to the families of Central Government employees who died due to Covid-19 infection in performance of their duties.
Many Central Government employees (especially those of Armed and Paramilitary Forces, Police, Railways, Postal and Medical Services) have died due to Covid-19 infection caught up in performance of the duties and exigencies of their services. Their Families need to be adequately compensated for the severe loss of the caning member of the family while serving the Native in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.
No amount of compensation will ever be enough lo recompense for the loss of a life especially in case of the employees who are putting their lives in danger to ensure seamless implementation to Government’s policies & schemes particularly during Covid-19 pandemic. The Government should ensure a life of dignity and respect for the dependent family members of the Central Government employees who die due to Covid-19 infection caught in the course of performance of their duties.
In the present scenario of Covid-19 Central Government employees particularly doctors, para medical staffs, Heath workers, Railway Postal employees, police, Armed & Para Military forces, etc are more prone to get infected with Covid-19 in the course of performance of their duties and some of them are meeting with tragic end.
Thermal scanning is the only screening done for all employees during duty to the work Place, Thermal scanning is done for most of the public visiting Government offices, Railway Stations etc. All corona infected persons particularly asymptomatic persons infected with corona virus cannot be screened out by thermal scanning. There are chances of employees getting infected with corona virus from the coworker and from the public.
Major chances of Government employees getting infected with corona virus in the course of performance of theirs duty are, in many departments Government employees are required to have direct interaction with public, in industrial establishments it is practically not possible to maintain one meter social distance between employees on the work spot, chances of employees getting infected enroute to duty and return from duty in work exigences employees with co-morbidity conditions and above 55 year of age required to attend work. handling of files by many employees, presence of left out wastes, particularly presence of human waste in rail coaches & tracks, handling of variety of materials & parcels across the nation, etc.
Justices needs to be done for the loss of life through ex-gratin compensation to the families of Central Government employees who died due to Covid-19 infection caught in the course of performance of their duties.
Some of the Government organizations have already announced compensation for its employees who died due to Covid-19 infection in the course of performance of their duties. Some of them enlisted below:
The Government has approved the proposal for gram of ex-gratia monetary compensation to 1.08 lakh of workers and officers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) who are working to supply food grains across the country amidst the outbreak of Corona virus pandemic. Under its provisions, during the six month period from March 24, 2020 to 23 September, 2020 if anybody dies due to COVID-19 infection while on duty with FCI, the Regular FCI Labour will get an ex-gratia of Rupees 15 lakh, Contractual Labour will be entitled 10 Rs.10 lakh, Category-1 Officers Rx.35 lakh. Cotegory-2 Rs.30 lakh and Category -3 & -4 workers – Rs.25 lakh. (Press release issued by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is given in Annexure-I)
The Ministry of Shipping has decided that all she Major ports may grants compensation Ex-Gratia of Rs.50 lakh in the event of boss of life doc to Covid-19 to the dependent members/legal heirs of the port employees employed directly or through contract by the port. (Press Release issued by Ministry of Shipping is given in Annexure-2)
State-run Bank of Boards (BOB) has announced an ex-gralia cover of Rs 50 lakh for as employees in the event of death due to Corona virus disease. While the PSU bank offers Rs 20 lakh Group Life Insurance covers to its employees, It has added additional Rs 30 Lakh that will go to the dependents of the employee in the event of a death.
Gram of ex-gratia compensation to the families of deceased employees infected with Covid-19 in the course of performance of their duties will be doing at least some justice for the supreme sacrifice made by the employees.
It is therefore requested that, Families of Central Government employers who died because of Covid-19 infected in the course of performance of their duties may please be granted ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 50 lakh.
Thanking you
Yours Sincerely
sd/-
Shiva Gopal Mishra
Secretary
Source: Confederation
