The Narendra Modi Government took a major policy decision that it will pay three months salary to the Employee’s State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) members, who have lost their jobs during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The announcement was made by the Union Minister for labor & employment Bhupendra Yadav.
The Ministry will also be providing the lifelong financial help to the families of ESIC members, who died due to Covid-19, said Bhupendra Yadav.
Ministry Approves Second Installment of SDRF
The Union Home Ministry has approved the release of the second installment of the Centre’s share of the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) amounting to Rs 7,274.40 Crore in advance to around 23 states.
After the release of a latest tranche, the state government will have an amount of Rs 23, 186.40 crore in their respective disaster relief funds, including the state’s share to meet expenses for granting ex-gratia to next of kin of the deceased due to the Covid-19 & for providing the relief on other notified calamities, said by the Union Home Ministry.
On 25th September, the central government had issued an order revising the items & norms of assistance under SDRF, making therein a provision for the grant of ex-gratia payment to the next kin of the deceased because of Covid-19 pandemic.
These People to Get Rs 50,000 Ex-Gratia
Last month, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court that family members of people who have committed suicide within 30 days of being diagnosed with the Covid-19 will be entitled to Rs 50,000 ex-gratia assistance as per guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The government has clarified that the deaths occurring within 30 days from the date of testing or from the date of being clinically determined as the Covid case will be treated as the “deaths due to Covid-19”.
Even if death takes place outside the hospital or in patient facility. On 30 June, the apex court had directed the NDMA to formulate the guidelines for ex-gratia assistance on an account of loss of life to the family members of a person, who have died due to the Covid-19.
