Thiruvananthapuram : The government will pay Rs. 5000 in aid for expats who are unable to return to their workplaces abroad, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The cabinet meeting held Wednesday decided to set aside Rs 50 crore from CM’s Disaster Relief Fund(CMDRF) for this purpose. The payments will be made available through Norka ROOTS - the interface agency between expats and state government. Rs 50 crore is over and above Rs 8.5 crore sanctioned for similar relief earlier.
The staff engaged in Covid mitigation efforts at NHM were observed to be on limited earnings. The cabinet in its meeting, decided to pay additional benefits to all those working on contract or on-call basis. An amount of Rs 22.68 core would be marked from CMDRF towards this.
Medical officers and specialists will be placed at Grade-I with their salaries rising from Rs 40,000 to a minimum of Rs 50,000 per month. They will also become eligible for a 20 percent additional amount in risk allowance.Senior consultant, dental surgeons, Ayush doctors and others from category-II will be eligible for the 20 percent risk allowance as well.
Staff nurses, junior health inspectors, pharmacists and medical technicians comprise the third category and their minimum salaries will be uped from present Rs 13,500 to Rs 20,000. A 20 percent in risk allowance will also be added to their takeaway. Employees belonging to the last grade will be paid a 30 percent on their pay in risk allowance.
If there be need for additional workers arising for mitigation efforts, risk and incentive allowance shall be paid to all such new appointees too.
Covid Health Policy for various illnesses will be extended to employees not covered by KISP scheme. All members of Covid Brigade will be awarded CM’s appreciation certificates.
The cabinet also approved an aid of Rs 5000 per head for 10,800 traders in the state who suffered substantial losses by destructive floods of 2018. Rs 5.4 crore from CM’s Disaster Fund has been set aside for the purpose. Remittances will be made against relevant certificates issued by the a revenue authority or people’s representatives/ secretary of concerned local self bodies, CM said..
