Rajasthan announces financial assistance for ‘corona warriors’

The Centre had announced a ₹50 lakh insurance cover for front-line health workers

11/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,JAIPUR

A medical team in curfew-bound Walled City of Jaipur on Friday.Rohit Jain Paras

In a major decision to help out “corona warriors”, the Congress government in Rajasthan on Friday announced a financial assistance of ₹50 lakh to the next of kin on the death of an employee performing the duties for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre had earlier announced a ₹50 lakh insurance cover solely for the frontline health workers.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the State government had expanded the purview of assistance to include regular and contractual employees as well as those getting honorarium for their work. The provision will cover all municipal and health workers, home guards, civil defence staff, Anganwadi centre workers and accredited social health activists.

Mr. Gehlot said at a videoconferencing with trade and industry representatives here that the State government would take an “appropriate decision” on lifting the lockdown while taking into account the issue of saving people’s lives. He said traders were playing an important role in maintaining the supply chain of essential commodities.

The State government also imposed a ban on spitting at public places after chewing of betel leaf, gutka and tobacco products to contain the spread of COVID-19. A notification of Medical & Health Department stated that this act would invite penal action under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code.

Additional Chief Secretary (Medical & Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said police officers performing duty in the curfew-bound areas, where COVID-19 positive cases had been detected, would be given measured doses of hydroxychloroquine for protection against infection. This had been recommended by the National Task Force for COVID-19, he said.

The number of COVID-19 positive cases in the State soared to 520 on Friday with 57 more cases detected in eight districts as well the Army's facilities.