Bihar government announces incentives for Covid care staff

PATNA: The state government on Sunday announced incentives for its employees deputed at Covid care centres even as chief minister Nitish Kumar urged the people to support the government in its fight against the Covid pandemic.
The incentives announced are in the range of Rs400 to Rs600 per day for the frontline workers, police personnel, magistrates and supervisors deputed at Covid care centres and hospitals across the state to boost their morale.
The state home department notification signed by additional chief secretary (home) Chaitanya Prasad on Sunday said the incentives would be paid to the permanent government staff only and should not exceed the one-month basic salary during one year period, applicable up to July 31, 2021.
Earlier, the state government had announced one-month basic salary as encouragement to the government doctors and paramedical staff last year.
Meanwhile, Nitish, in a series of tweets, thanked the doctors, nurses, sanitation staff, administrative and police officials besides corona warriors for their dedication and commitment as the state government was taking all necessary steps to fight the pandemic.
The CM also mentioned how Bihar bravely faced the first wave of coronavirus last year. He appealed to the people to follow the guidelines to protect their near and dear ones and themselves, too. “Let’s take a pledge that we will win this battle,” Nitish tweeted as the positivity rate in Bihar continued to be above 10% for the last one week.
On Sunday, the state’s positivity rate was 10.31% as altogether 11,259 people tested positive out of the 1,09,190 samples tested in the past 24 hours.
Surprisingly, as per the data collected between May 1 and 7, Patna district had less positivity rate despite registering the maximum daily Covid cases compared to other districts in the state. Bihar had the maximum 14.4% positivity rate on April 26.
West Champaran had the highest positivity rate in Bihar at 33.7%, followed by Sheikhpura (33.0%), Saharsa (26.8%), Jamui (25.3%), Muzaffarpur (24.6%), Vaishali (24.3%), Purnia (23.7%), Patna (23.4%), Nalanda (23.3%), Aurangabad (22.8%) and Begusarai (21.3%).
On Sunday, Patna had 1,646 positive cases compared to 303 in West Champaran, 204 in Sheikhpura and 297 in Saharsa.
Positivity rate
(May 1 to 7)
West Champaran: 33.7%
Sheikhpura: 33.0%
Saharsa: 26.8%
Jamui: 25.3%
Muzaffarpur: 24.6%
Vaishali: 24.3%
Purnia: 23.7%
Patna: 23.4%
Nalanda: 23.3%
Aurangabad: 22.8%
Begusarai: 21.3%