Pune: Rs 50 lakh for kin of daily wagers who died on Covid-19 duty

PUNE: The general body of the PMC on Tuesday approved the proposal to provide a compensation of Rs50 lakh to the kin of the workers on contract and daily wagers who lost their lives on Covid-19 duty.
“Though the civic staffers were already the beneficiaries of the compensation, the benefit will now be extended to the workers on contract and daily wagers as well.The maximum compensation should be based on the state and Union governments’ guidelines,” stated the proposal.
The corporators were unanimous that the daily wagers and contractual workers had toiled in the time of the pandemic by risking their lives. They said such workers deserved the compensation even if they were not direct employees of the civic body and a special provision should be made to accommodate them as the beneficiaries.
The demand was unanimously approved by all parties in the civic body.
A Pune Municipal Crporation (PMC) official said the civic administration had already started the insurance scheme for its staffers.
Civic data revealed that 47 staff members had succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of their dependents have already received the compensation. “The process for others is still underway,” the official said.
Along with the PMC’s help, assistance from the state and Union governments would also be made available to these family members, the official said.
Another PMC official said the staff members were working at civic hospitals, ambulances and flu centres during the pandemic. The official added that around 16,000 people were directly or indirectly working in the mitigation of Coronavirus outbreak.
The PMC in its scheme has also given the option of providing job to one of the family members of the staffer who succumbed to Covid.
The official said the staff members had earlier conducted a survey of likely positive patients. Over 900 teams were formed for door-to-door survey of positive patients.
The teams included health officials, teachers and conservancy staff. Their target was to reach out to every household in the city and check the health of residents.
In other decisions, the elected members demanded funds for the 23 villages merged with the PMC limits. They also raised the issue of poor civic infrastructure management in these areas. Commissioner Vikram Kumar informed the GB that funds had been diverted for water supply, garbage disposal and paying electricity charges.
“The process of recruitment for health department, education department is on the cards. The civic administration will take under its possession primary health centres and schools. They will be handed over to the PMC free of cost,” he said.
A memorial for Corona Warriors will be built in the PMC areas. It will highlight the work carried out by the various people, including health workers.